Instagram Editorial Lead Michaela O’Shaughnessy and Cathal Egan, a real estate developer, met on a nightclub dance floor during their first year of college back in Ireland. After nearly nine years together, Cathal proposed while they were home for Christmas. The couple takes a short road trip every Christmas Eve and that year decided to head to Connemara, just outside Galway. “We were just driving along, and he pulled up along the side of the road and asked me to get out to take a picture of him,” she remembers. “There we were standing in the rain taking a picture, and he just proposed right there in the middle of the street.”
Once engaged, the pair decided to wed at Cloughjordan House in County Tipperary, Ireland. The aesthetic goal was countryside chic with a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Mine + Kindred set the tone for the wedding weekend with a beautiful invitation suite, featuring sentimental florals, the venue, and the couple’s beloved dog, Duke.
For her summer wedding, Michaela wore an off-the-shoulder gown with dramatic floral-inspired detailing by Tatyana Kochnova and a sapphire ring that belonged to her late Aunt Carleen. “It was important that I had something to remind me of her on the big day,” the bride shares. The bride got ready on the morning-of with Patrycja Rusiecka and Melissa Moran, who gave her a glamorous beauty look.
Cathal looked handsome in a Ted Baker tuxedo with a Tom Ford bow tie and Stubbs & Wootton shoes.
On July 1, 2022, Michaela and Cathal tied the knot in a ceremony officiated by their best friend, Jennifer. The bride’s sister read a meaningful poem, and finally, the couple exchanged their own personal vows and rings by Chupi. “I didn’t feel very emotional in the days leading up to the wedding or even the morning-of, but the second I walked into the ceremony space and saw the faces of literally all of my favorite people in one room, including those who travelled across the world to celebrate with us, I was so overcome with emotion and literally ugly cried the entire way up the aisle which made everyone laugh,” Michaela remembers.
For the reception, Michalea’s friend, Maisie Kate, designed a gorgeous tablescape featuring green and white table linens and black ribbons. Sprawling greenery by The Garden hung from the draped ceiling.
Risotto was followed by a choice of rib eye steak, seasonal fish, or golden squash for dinner. “One of the main reasons we chose our venue was because they have such an incredible reputation for high quality food and actually grow a lot of ingredients on site themselves,” the bride says.
After dinner, the newlyweds cut their cake by Sandra’s Cake House. The confection had three flavors: Madeira with raspberry buttercream, carrot and walnut, and chocolate biscuit. The pair then opted to give a speech together, which was a highlight of the day for Michaela.
The party kicked off with Good Times, a deejay, and a saxophonist. The couple skipped a first dance, so the day wouldn’t feel too regimented, and instead had a “last dance” to “New York, New York.” Michaela says, “Because we’re both from Ireland but have lived in New York for 6+ years, it felt a once in a lifetime opportunity for our two worlds to come together, which is exactly what happened.”
The bride and groom were staying at the venue, so after leaving the reception at nearly 4:00 a.m., the two hopped up to their room only to find the best surprise: a plate of french fries and wedding cake waiting for them. Michaela concludes, “We literally sat on the floor eating cake and talked about what an incredible day we had.”
