The Irish Wedding Awards 2023

Dave and myself travelled up to Dublin on Monday to attend The Irish Wedding Awards 2023.

I was recently told this year will be our year of celebrations because we have a lot in the pipeline and a LOT to look forward to. It looks like that person (my mum) was right!!!

We were running quite late so it was all a bit manic. We left the hotel and walked out to the street in Dublin to wait for our taxi. People passing by stopped to admire my dress (from Silk Fred) my hair from an incredible team at Paradise hair and beauty Tralee and my good friend Fiona who wouldn’t let me leave without adding amazing lashes and fabulous make up! It was quite surreal to have complete strangers stopping us but it was so lovely! I would normally run a brush through my hair and off I go, as we have a busy house with two boys so there’s no time for fussing!

Dave looked very handsome in his suit, from Simply suits Killarney and he would highly recommend them for all their help and advice.

We arrived at the venue and met Sinéad and Mike from the Kerry Wedding Store & Bridal boutique and it was fantastic to have another Kerry team to enjoy the evening with.

We also met Alison Driscoll from bespokewords.ie who we had the pleasure of working with last year.

Alison took home an award for “Celebrant of the year!”

The awards began and to say I was shocked when they called out Tara Donoghue Photography as the winners of our category was an understatement.

Here is a video of that moment and I have been way too embarrassed to watch as I honestly felt sick walking up to the stage!

We also won “Creative Photographer of the year” in 2020 and I really didn’t believe that we would win again.

We had decided to make an extra effort this year to make the most of every single day as none of us know what’s ahead. Our intention was to go up and enjoy our night out in the capital. To come home with an award was such an INCREDIBLE bonus!!!

I am still receiving messages of support, of well wishes and even a video from a room full of people who were attending a workshop with one of my mentors congratulating us!

There really is so much unbelievable support and it is so so beautiful. Thank you xxxx

This year will be extra special for me! I set a lot of goals both for business and personal, that I wanted to achieve before I hit 40 (and I am 100 % going to do it!). We also have our 10th wedding anniversary in September, plans are already in motion for that and it is going to be EPIC!

So why am I sharing all of this with you? Well like for most families I am sure, the last few years have been more than tough. When things change overnight, you start to change your perspective on everything.

The first thing that I was asked for when the latest family member passed, was the photograph that I had taken of him only days before.

The love of creating, the love of giving something special in the form of a photograph that will be treasured forever.

If I can give peace to those in difficult times through my work. Or if I can capture joy in much happier times like on a wedding day, or in those first few weeks with a newborn, that is what inspires me.

Sometimes I am creating for a complete stranger but it doesn’t matter, that is my purpose.

It isn’t just a photograph to me. It is something that will live on forever.

To have a husband who also shares that vision and work ethic is incredible. Dave doesn’t get recognised half as much as he should, until you have spent time with him on a wedding day. Then I get comments from grooms, the golf games arranged with him and the groom/groomsmen shows that they respect and like him for everything he puts in to help them on a wedding day. If you trust us with your day, we will honestly give it our all and do what we can to help make your day AMAZING.

I also have a lot of help from my mum Margaret who makes it possible for us to go away to work. She is always behind the scenes cheering us on and taking care of our boys whenever we need her. Without her help it would be incredibly tough for us so we are both so grateful.

We have an AMAZING team and I am beyond grateful for each of these beautiful people in my life, who help to support us to be the best that we can.

So I invite you to join us in a year of celebrations, no matter how big or small find something to celebrate this year.

We all 100% deserve it!!!!

With love, Tara x