WHEN Aisling McGrath was organising a wedding in West Cork for a member of her family she had a ‘light bulb’ moment that saw her launch a new business.

Originally from Dublin and living in Ballydehob for almost a decade, she recognised ‘an exciting opportunity to offer something beyond traditional wedding planning’.

Having worked in hospitality, events, festivals, sales and marketing for almost 25 years, she realised she could be a full service planner and a trusted local guide, and ‘Wed in West Cork’ was born.

‘The idea is to create weddings that feel completely personal to the couple and completely rooted in the place, whether that’s an intimate coastal elopement or a celebration that unfolds over several days,’ said Aisling.

‘Wed in West Cork’ isn’t, she said, ‘simply sourcing suppliers from a list. Couples who come to me generally aren’t looking for a wedding that already exists in a brochure, so the conversations can get wonderfully creative. I’ve been asked about everything from ceremonies in wild, completely non- traditional locations to incorporating old Irish traditions and finding ways of making a celebration feel genuinely connected to West Cork rather than simply staging a wedding here.

‘Quite often a conversation starts with, “This might be impossible, but…” and those are probably my favourite ones. I know West Cork well enough to know who to call and ask, and I’m also stubborn enough to keep looking until we figure out whether it can be done!’

Her couples are mainly from overseas: ‘They’re from the US as well as Irish couples living abroad who want to come home to get married. West Cork has enormous appeal as a destination, particularly for couples who aren’t looking for the traditional hotel wedding. Often they want to bring their friends and family here for several days and make the wedding part of a much bigger experience of West Cork.

‘They don’t simply attend the wedding and go home. They stay for a few days, they explore, they eat and drink locally, they visit the pubs and villages and beaches. The wedding becomes an experience in itself, and I think that’s incredibly special.’

When it comes to budget her advice to couples is to ‘spend on the things people actually experience.’

‘Great food, great music and looking after your guests properly will always be worth the money. I’d also spend on photography because ultimately those photographs are one of the few tangible things you keep from the day. Where I think couples can save is on things they feel they’re supposed to have simply because they’re getting married.

‘There are so many wedding traditions and extras that have somehow become obligatory. If something doesn’t mean anything to you, you absolutely do not have to pay for it. Luxury doesn’t have to mean excess. For me, real luxury is doing fewer things really well and creating an experience that feels generous, thoughtful and personal,’ she said.

‘The biggest shift I’m seeing is a move towards smaller, more intentional weddings. That doesn’t necessarily mean inexpensive. Often couples are choosing to have fewer guests but spend more on the experience they give them. And there’s much more interest in place and sustainability.

‘Couples want local food, local flowers, local musicians and details that actually mean something. They want people to leave saying, ‘That was so them’, rather than simply, ‘That was a beautiful wedding’.’

Aisling’s motivation with ‘Wed in West Cork’ is to show the potential of the area. ‘There’s an entire ecosystem of brilliant independent businesses and creative people involved every time somebody chooses to bring a wedding to West Cork. Particularly with international weddings, that can mean guests staying for several nights, eating locally, visiting pubs and restaurants, booking activities and discovering places they may never otherwise have visited. 

‘So while obviously my job is to create a bespoke and incredible wedding for the couple, there’s a bigger picture that really excites me too. Every wedding is an opportunity to showcase this place and the people who make it what it is. I love where I live.’