Our wedding story: ‘Thinking about walking in together still gives me goosebumps’

Robert Jackman, area manager for H&M, and Ciaran Graham, store manager for H&M, met through work six years ago and were engaged last year in Iceland under the Northern Lights. On July 16th, they were married in a humanist ceremony in Dublin City Hall. “It was magical,” says Robert. “Walking in together with cheers from our family and friends still gives me goosebumps thinking about it.”

Best men were Robert and Ciaran’s brothers, Paul and Gavin, along with Robert’s other brother Michael who was a groomsman with friend Patrick, and Gill, a groomswoman. Ciaran’s parents are Marice and Pearse Graham and Robert’s are Mary and William Jackman.

It was those friends and family, among others, who organised the couple’s joint stag party in Berlin and, “made it the best weekend ever”.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds walked with the wedding party from City Hall to their reception at the Shelbourne Hotel where they were joined by 140 guests. “Onlookers were cheering us on and wishing us luck for the future – Dublin was amazing that day.”

During the ceremony, nine-year-old Olivia, a daughter of Robert’s cousin, made a speech at the request of the couple. “During the marriage referendum we explained to her what it was all about. When she went to bed that night, she wrote a letter to the government as she didn’t understand why Ciaran and I weren’t able to get married in the first place. That’s why we asked her to speak: she had everyone in tears on the day.”

Photographs: Elaine Barker, elainebarkerphotography.com