{"id":581125,"date":"2026-07-12T00:33:46","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T00:33:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/581125\/"},"modified":"2026-07-12T00:33:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T00:33:46","slug":"wedding-of-the-week-pupils-put-their-heart-and-art-into-making-teachers-big-day-magical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/581125\/","title":{"rendered":"Wedding of the Week: Pupils put their heart and art into making teachers\u2019 big day magical"},"content":{"rendered":"

A sunset, snapshots, and sketches added to the sense of occasion for Rebecca O\u2019Sullivan and Dylan Byrne.<\/p>\n

The Cork primary school teachers headed across the border to Kerry to exchange vows at the lodge at Ballygarry Estate Hotel, Tralee.<\/p>\n

The bride, from Togher, and groom, from Ballyphehane, were wed in a civil ceremony by celebrant Rebecca Kemp, and the reception took place in the hotel.<\/p>\n

\"RebeccaRebecca O\u2019Sullivan and Dylan Byrne. Pictures: Dermotsullivan.com <\/p>\n

Rebecca and Dylan, who now live in Togher, became an item in November 2013 when both were in fifth year in secondary school. \u201cRebecca had moved to Midleton and was at school there but travelled to Togher every weekend to her grandparents\u2019 house. We spent our first few months texting, up and down to each other for visits, and studying together for the Leaving Cert,\u201d says Dylan<\/p>\n

Gougane Barra provided the backdrop for the proposal two years ago, in July 2024. \u201cIt\u2019s a place Rebecca\u2019s late grandad loved and was where he went on his last trip with family before his passing,\u201d says Dylan.<\/p>\n

Their big day was \u201ceverything we imagined and more\u201d, he adds.<\/p>\n

Diamond Duet performed the music during the ceremony and drinks reception. \u201cThey drew a tear from everyone (including Dylan) as I entered to You\u2019re Still The One by Shania Twain,\u201d says the bride.<\/p>\n

The groom adds: \u201cFor me, the best part was seeing Rebecca come down the aisle looking beautiful after a morning of anxiously waiting around, unable to eat a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"RebeccaRebecca O\u2019Sullivan. Pictures: Dermotsullivan.com <\/p>\n

Organising the event with them were Rebecca\u2019s parents, Karen and Paul O\u2019Sullivan, and Dylan\u2019s mother, Trish Bickerstaffe. The couple remembered the groom\u2019s father, the late Sean Byrne, and the bride\u2019s grandad, the late Liam Kelly, during the ceremony and throughout the occasion.<\/p>\n

Rebecca\u2019s sister Emily O\u2019Sullivan was her maid of honour, and Amy Curtin, Cassie Tynan, and Lauren McCarthy were her bridesmaids.<\/p>\n

Dylan\u2019s brother Darren Bickerstaffe was his best man, with Sean Keating, Shane Galvin, and William O\u2019Sullivan as the groomsmen.<\/p>\n

The groom\u2019s nieces, Willow Bickerstaffe and Evelyn O\u2019Connor, were the flowergirls, and his nephew, Finn Bickerstaffe, along with the bride\u2019s nephew, Finn O\u2019Donoghue, were the pageboys.<\/p>\n

\"RebeccaRebecca O\u2019Sullivan and Dylan Byrne. Pictures: Dermotsullivan.com <\/p>\n

Visual displays were key to fun for Rebecca, who teaches at Scoil an Spioraid Naoimh Boys, Bishopstown, and Dylan, who teaches at Togher Boys NS and is a S&C coach with Cork GAA.<\/p>\n

An on-site artist, Donna Kerrigan (@DasshDesigns<\/a>), created portraits of the guests as keepsakes, and Rebecca\u2019s junior infants class were busy ahead of time to ensure the venue was well decorated. \u201cThey were asked a series of questions and gave some heart-warming replies, which formed the artwork. When asked \u2018What does love mean?\u2019, one reply was: \u2018When you want to share your toys with them.\u2019 And \u2018Why do people get married?\u2019, a reply was: \u2018So they can live together and dance.\u2019 We also had a photo wall on the day with our favourite moments over the last 13 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"RebeccaRebecca O\u2019Sullivan and Dylan Byrne. Pictures: Dermotsullivan.com <\/p>\n

The bride sourced her dream dress in Folkster Bridal, Kilkenny, and the groom and his party were dapper thanks to Red Church, Cork. CathyAnn Kelleher was the bridal hairstylist, with Sarah Cummins as the make-up artist, while Every Occasion Florist, Tralee, created the floral d\u00e9cor. Photographer Dermot Sullivan (dermotsullivan.com<\/a>) captured the occasion on camera, and Michael Grace (Vision and Vow) was the videographer.<\/p>\n

The Pat Fitz band had everyone on their feet until the small hours.<\/p>\n

The newlyweds enjoyed a mini-moon at the five-star Europe Hotel & Resort in Killarney and jetted off to Cala d\u2019Or, Majorca, while they have now set off for Indonesia on their honeymoon.<\/p>\n

\"RebeccaRebecca O\u2019Sullivan and Dylan Byrne. Pictures: Dermotsullivan.com