
FORGED IN LOVE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Documentary Wedding Photography for Cavan, Meath and Dublin
Hello you awesome people…
Feel free to check out some of the awesome weddings I’ve had the absolute honour of capturing for some amazing couples but if you don’t have the time or patience ha you can check out my portfolio here.
Let’s work together.
Like every wedding photographer on the planet this is what we live for and if we could we would shoot weddings 365 days a year but that’s physically impossible. So if you think I'm the one for you don’t delay and ensure your date is available as space is limited. Instagram or Facebook will be the quickest response but for booking please fill in the form from the link below and check your spam cos your reply could end up there, I'm so excited to see what we can create together.
Why I Photograph Close up To Get The Images You’ll Love
Castleknock Hotel Wedding - Fujifilm XT-5 + Xf 18mm 1.4
There is a famous quote in the photography world - “If your photos aren’t good enough you’re not close enough” by the legendary and often mythologised war photographer and founder of Magnum Photo Agency - Robert Capa
When I first picked up a camera I always wanted my images to be about something instead of just something. When starting out I would photograph landscapes, you know churches, ruins, Poolbeg (if you don’t know Poolbeg is the famous red and white chimney stacks located on the south side of Dublin City). But this didn’t or couldn’t hold my attention cos it’s not what drove me. As a documentary Cavan wedding photographer I quickly realised why that didn’t hit me as a creative the way I wanted it to. I wanted to be know for something more, to give people something they could cherish to leave something behind and in those first few weddings I felt I was always holding back, like I was shooting the wedding from the outside. Now my coupes loved their photos and I did a good job but I wanted more from me as a photographer and I think that comes deep from my childhood more likely my teenage years into my 20s when I just wanted more from my life. My expectation of myself is always so high and sometimes Kerri (my better half) has to be the voice of reason for me, but for me I always have to be better not only for me but for my couples the ones who put their trust in me.
Dublin City Hall Wedding - XT-3 +Xf 18mm 1.4
My favourite lens I’ve owned as a documentary wedding photographer is the fujifilm Xf 18mm 1.4. This lens changed everything for me. It’s the equivalent of a 28mm focal length in full frame terms and to the non photography folk thats kinda like the 1.2x on your iPhone. So why 28mm ? This lens made me realised I needed to get closer to my subjects to be able to make people feel like they were back there at the moment of the photo, to get more of the story in the frame but also allowing me to crop if I needed to. whats out of the frame is sometimes as important as whats in the frame. As my mentor Phil Salisbury says crop it until you think you’re right and crop it some more. If you want to see more how I approach your wedding day then click here. The couples I tend to attract are people who love photos but hate posing. Fun Couples who want to do things differently like Suzanne & Ross’ crazy fun wedding in The Medley in Dublin on new years eve. For couples that look for timeless, moment driven photos that can be passed down to future generations.
Shoot How It Feels, Not How It Looks
This is so important to me as a Cavan wedding photographer. That myself and my couples are on the same page. If you want me to have you posed in every nook and cranny in your wedding venue you then I might not be the photographer for you. Now don’t get me wrong I will do some portraits I’ll always take my couples on a wander around the venue just a quick 10-15min break from the chaos but what want for my couples is for the in between moments to become their new favourite memories. That’s what drives me thats what I want my wedding photography remembered for.
Marlfield House Wedding - Fujifilm XT-5 + Xf 18mm 1.4
Like this tender moment between between Megan and her mom in one room and her sister Amy getting her make-up done in the adjacent room. for context as a wexford wedding photographer I’m backed right up against the wall in the hallway with the two rooms split by the door frame. Patiently waiting for things to line up and sometimes thats all you need to do as a moment driven photographer is to wait and let it unfold in front of you and thankfully thats what happened here. It doesn’t always pan out but thats ok the more you do this the more you'll see the moments that your couples will come to love. thank you for reading this far and enjoy a few more images
Like What You See? Click Below And Let’s Chat About Your Wedding plans
Best Of 2023 Wedding Photography Cavan
2023…. what a year!!! I can honestly say it’s been a year of absolute learning. Whether that is in photography or personally all know is I’ve definitely grown in both. I always stumble on these best of posts just because I put so much of myself into every wedding that I never know what to chose at the end ha but below is a selection of shots from this year they’re in no particular order. I’m so thankful for everyone who put their trust in me this year, but we are only getting started 2024 we are gonna go bigger and better.
Theres been so many wins this year. I got into the I.P.P.V.A, I went to my first DocDay conference and met so many amazing photographers. I can honestly say that this has been the biggest influence so far in my career. I got to do a work shop with the amazing Kevin and Annie Kheffache, two of my biggest influences in wedding photography. I met Dave Cremin who is up there with the best of street photographers in Ireland seeing that man work on the streets was amazing and I really should do a post about my street photography and I built so many relationships with fellow photographers and I feel like I finally found my people.





















2023 has been the first full year of Forged In love photography after my rebranding and moving to Co. Cavan wedding photography, I discovered google is a full time job on its own when you own a business ha and I can say my mid year identity crisis is fully behind me. I moved more to a documentary style but I can’t help myself with the creativity sometimes ha but for 2024 my goal is to show people who they are at their wedding so focusing more on the connection and moments between the people in front of the camera.
Everything you see on my website is Real. Real People, Real Moments from real weddings happening in real time. There is no A.I trickery in any of these images (besides tidying up any distracting elements etc )
I’m so thankful to my couples for trusting me to capture the moments that matter the most to them. They are all shot on FujiFilm Cameras between the X-T5 and X-T3. I’m so happy to be going into 2024 with a camera system (I’ve upgraded to 2 X-T5s now :) ) that allows me to get up close and is unobtrusive to people allowing me to shoot weddings in the style I love and I’ve finally settled on my colours that I’m so happy with now. I’ll never stop learning and improving as much as I can as long as people want me to shoot their weddings I’ll bring my personality and style to every wedding!!!
“For the ones who don’t mind getting the dress dirty, looking silly in love, will give it socks on the dance floor, who care more about how the day feels to how it looks, who want real emotions, real moments and real memories to look back on.
Weddings At The Carlingford Brewery Company, Carlingford, Louth - Catherine & Mickey
Carlingford Brewery Company, Carlingford, Co. Louth
Catherine & Michael…. Two of the funniest people I’ve ever met. Mick had some health problems so they got married before this day so this wedding turned out to be more of a celebration of life. They were so chilled all day and as you can see spent the day laughing their hearts out.
The setting for this awesome day was the Carlingford Brewery Company.Located in the heart of the Cooley Peninsula and just a one-hour drive from both Dublin and Belfast lies a beautiful secret. A secret unknown for ten years but which has stood for eight centuries. A secret that has served thousands of families over the years and is now re-emerging to serve many families in the future.
The Old Mill, Riverstown. A fully-working Mill for 600 years, this exquisite building is available to book exclusively for your wedding day. If you’re looking for somewhere truly unique that you, your partner, family and friends will never forget, celebrate at the Old Mill.
Imagine your wedding day set in the rustic Taproom, surrounded by rustic woodlands and an unfiltered character and ambiance boxed up and packaged for your big day. They famous for weddings in our Old Mill. A barn-like atmosphere and an unwavering character on the grounds of the Carlingford Brewing Company but one thing they noticed over the past two years, was the increase of wedding enquiries for smaller numbers of guests. Quirky yet beautiful weddings, catering for guest sizes between 20 and 60. This is what gave them a great idea!
They spent months deciding on a unique wedding package offering for these smaller, more intimate and that little bit more rustic wedding couples and came up with the perfect solution: Weddings in the Carlingford Brewing Company Táin Taproom! Taking it up a notch for intimacy and total rustic ambiance.
If great rustic food is what you’re about then step outside and watch them cook authentic wood fired pizza from a stone oven outside the Taproom, a real ‘Wow!’ factor for guests, and for those who love craft beer, you couldn’t have it pulled any closer as they brew all their beer on-site. Catering options include a pig on a spit, a barbeque, an amazing antipasti picnic spread and traditional catering options also, you name it!
Guests can be seated in the cosy surroundings of the Taproom itself with its wood burning stove and chilled out vibes or in warmer weather, there is ample covered and heated outdoor seating in our terrace, set in the mature leafy landscape, overlooking the Old Mill and with seating now also overlooking the picturesque stream.
For wedding enquiries or to receive our new Taproom Wedding brochure via email, please email info@carlingfordbrewing.ie.

“You two are like ninjas!!! I'm gonna book you for my newphew’s wedding cos I’m the cool aunty and I said I’d pay for the photographer. What’s my discount?”
- The unofficial bridesmaid
Let’s work together.
like every wedding photographer on the planet this is what we live for and if we could we would shoot weddings 365 days a year but that’s physically impossible. So if you think I'm the one for you don’t delay and ensure your date is available as space is limited. Instagram or Facebook will be the quickest response but for booking please fill in the form from the link below and check your spam cos your reply could end up there, I'm so excited to see what we can create together.
Documentary Communion photography
Noah enjoys his KFC bucket on his Communion day.
It’s such a nice feeling when previous couples reach out to you to capture another chapter of their lives. I photographed Aoife and Conor’s wedding in Glebe House in Drogheda last year. It was Little Noah’s communion this year and I was asked to capture the day for them :)
Noah might be my spirit animal. All he wanted to do was to go to KFC and get a bucket to himself. So I convinced Aoife to let me come to KFC with them and it was so much fun, we got some funny lots but who cares haha of course I grabbed the traditional family photos for them but documentary is my niche. Capturing those in between moments is my favourite thing to do.
On the Sunday they had a family bbq, it honestly for me just felt like hanging out with friends, Aoife’s friends have this running joke where they say they’re gonna get me to come on a night out with them and bring my camera so they can create their own end scene of the hangover movie haha
I approached the day like I do in a wedding, looking outside the norm and I hope you enjoy the photos :)