Kilkea Castle Wedding: Pamela and Ciaran’s Church Ceremony and Castle Celebration in Kildare

Kilkea Castle wedding film – Pamela & Ciaran, Christ the King Church, Cooleragh and Kilkea Castle, Co. Kildare

A church ceremony and a Kilkea Castle wedding reception

Pamela and Ciaran were married at Christ the King Church in Cooleragh, Coill Dubh, before celebrating with family and friends at Kilkea Castle in Castledermot, Co. Kildare. It was a true Kildare wedding from start to finish: a parish church full of family, a guard of honour with hurleys at the church door, and an afternoon in the gardens of one of the oldest inhabited castles in Ireland.

As their wedding videographer, I filmed the day from the quiet moments of the morning to the celebrations at the castle. Here is a look at their wedding – and a few ideas if you are planning a church ceremony followed by a reception at Kilkea Castle.

About Christ the King Church, Cooleragh

Christ the King Church in Cooleragh, Coill Dubh, was built in the early 1960s for the village that grew up around the Bord na Móna bog works, and its foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin in April 1961. Inside, a bright nave and a large painting of the Last Supper above the altar make it a warm, welcoming setting for a ceremony with a big crowd of family and friends.

About Kilkea Castle

Kilkea Castle dates back to 1180 and was home to the FitzGeralds, Earls of Kildare, for around seven centuries. Today it is a castle hotel and golf estate with formal gardens, rose beds, box hedges and old walled gardens of mellow brick – all just a few steps from the castle keep.

Getting ready

The morning was calm and simple: a bouquet of white calla lilies tied with ribbon resting on a striped chair, and Pamela in a lace robe on the stairs with the most important guest of the morning – her dog, wearing a big white bow for the occasion.

The ceremony at Christ the King Church

Pamela walked down the aisle with her dad, past pew ends decorated with flowers and ribbons and tall arrangements of white and green flowers. She wore a fitted long-sleeved gown with a deep V neckline, an embellished bodice and feather cuffs, a long cape and a tulle bow headpiece, and carried white calla lilies. Ciaran wore a dark suit with a tweed waistcoat and a calla lily buttonhole. Sitting side by side at the altar, the two of them could not stop smiling.

Hurleys, gardens and roses

Outside the church, friends in their club jerseys raised their hurleys to form a guard of honour as the newlyweds walked out – a very Irish welcome. Then it was on to Kilkea Castle, where we spent time in the formal gardens among the rose beds and box hedges, and along the old brick walls covered in red climbing roses.

Bridesmaids, groomsmen and the castle

Back on the lawns, Pamela gathered her bridesmaids in copper satin dresses, each carrying calla lilies, for a group selfie, while Ciaran's groomsmen did their best to lift him off his feet in front of the castle keep. Then it was time for dinner and the party at Kilkea Castle.

Planning a church wedding and a Kilkea Castle reception? A few tips

Plan the journey. If your ceremony is in a local parish church, allow enough time to travel to the castle and still enjoy the drinks reception.

Use the gardens for portraits. The rose garden, the box hedges and the old brick walls at Kilkea are all close together and perfect for photos and film.

Include your people. A guard of honour from your club, your bridesmaids and groomsmen, or even your dog – these are the moments you will love most in your film.

Choose a signature flower. Pamela's calla lilies, repeated in the bouquets, the buttonholes and the bridesmaids' flowers, tied the whole day together.

Looking for more weddings at Kilkea and in Co. Kildare? See Deanna and Jack at Kilkea Castle, Sheila and Sean at Kilkea Castle, Eimear and Pauraic at Barberstown Castle or, for a wedding at home, Taylor and Jack on The Curragh. You can also watch more of my wedding films or see my wedding packages.

Wedding suppliers

Ceremony: Christ the King Church, Cooleragh, Coill Dubh, Co. Kildare

Venue: Kilkea Castle, Castledermot, Co. Kildare

Videography: Michael Black Wedding

Planning a Kilkea Castle wedding of your own? I would love to hear about your plans – get in touch and let's chat over Zoom.