
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.
Rathsallagh House Wedding Photographer

I loved being a Rathsallagh house wedding photographer. It’s one of my favourite venues I’ve photographed at in 2024 having the privilege of traveling up and down Ireland for weddings this year. Here are some images from Ais & Petes awesome day back in September. The day full of emotion, colour and even their dog turned up for a couple of snaps. With family and friends at the heart of everything they planned that was evident in the atmosphere throughout the day with all the hugs, inside jokes and a few tears here and there.

As a documentary wicklow wedding photographer, I was excited for this one as it was the first time I got to be at Rathsallagh house. Winning the wedding suppliers country house venue of the year for a second year in a row they really know how to run a wedding. located in Ireland just south of Dublin ( 55 mins Dublin Airport) on the Kildare Wicklow border, Rathsallagh is closed exclusively to couple’s on their wedding Day. with fantastic fantastic scenery to enjoy, the wonderful facilities and the great location Rathsallagh has to offer with 270 acres of Parkland and Walled Gardens.
They have been hosting wedding parties for almost 30 years now and their experience in that regard is hard to surpass. They can comfortably seat from 50 up to 250 guests . Smaller Weddings are a speciality at Rathsallagh as it is set up to provide a soft romantic setting with lots of candles and garden flower arrangements provided at no extra charge. Because you have exclusive use of the estate on your big day , Rathsallagh is considered to be one of Ireland’s more unusual and exclusive wedding venues. and no detail is over looked by the team.
Thank you so much to Ais & Pete for having me along for the ride and what a day it was!! enjoy the images below and if you’re planning to have your wedding at Rathsallagh and need a wicklow wedding photographer who will just let you enjoy your day and capture awesome wedding photos that don’t need to be set up then contact me HERE for availability
Kildare Wedding Photography At The Abbey
They say when you meet the one that one life isn’t enough and as a Kildare wedding photographer I really hope theres a multiverse so these two can meet over and over again.














I first met Alison And Oisin during their pre wedding session in Dublin,s Memorial Gardens. From that moment I knew they were my kinda people. They laugh like they're teenagers and look at each other like none else in the world matters and as a documentary wedding photographer thats all you can hope for in your images the people are just unapologetically themselves.
The sun was shining with a little cloud in the sky. The setting was The Abbey in Kildare. The giggles coming from the elegant and modern suite that the bridal party stays in the night before the wedding. Who I walked in Alison came and gave me the biggest hug and with a nervous look on her face I asked was she ok to which she replied now you here it all just got a little real! Oisin on the other hand just cracked open the champagne with his best men and chilled on the balcony of his separate suite.









The Abbey is located in Athy, Kildare just off the N7 motorway about 60 mins from Dublin and as an Abbey wedding photographer this iconic period building has been transformed into an exclusive-use space only hosting one wedding per day, featuring an enchanting 18th-century chapel, a stunning ballroom, 38 beautiful bedrooms, and two opulent wedding suites inspired by the finest decor from around the world. In house catering which I can definitely vouch that the food is amazing!!! With two private courtyards and lots of guest parking the Abbey has it all. and I as a Kildare wedding photographer its one of my favourite venues ive gotten to capture some amazing memories in my unique documentary style photography.















With a guard of honour from the Irish Defences Forces waiting for them as they exited the ceremony. As a Kildare wedding photographer I was there to capture all the hugs, the laughs and the occasional guest stuffing some canopies down when they thought no one was watching (yes I will photograph you eating canopies but rest assured you can enjoy your dinner in peace ha). We even had some confetti but top tip for confetti even when you think you have enough get more !!!!














As Oisin & Alison entered the room as husband and wife for the first time everyone was up on their feet to what seems kinda traditional now is to swing napkins in the air. we got down to the speeches and boy was that room full of giggles and a few tears, a documentary wedding photographers dream.


















On to dancing as an all the guest gathered around the newly weds. the abbey is unique in the sense it can actually offer two rooms for your evening. you can chose to stay in the ballroom or have everyone party in the chapel. which as you can see from the photos these two decided to stay in the ballroom but that didn’t stop all the friends and family cheer them on as they slow danced to one direction’s “little things”. Random pointing, lifting people up, throwing hands in the air and at one point having a catch a sugar cube in your mouth competition (dont ask). Even after I had gone this lot carried on late into the night with Oisin sending me photos the next day of them doing the limbo under the swords for the guard of honours, sound lads thanks haha. I wish these two the best of luck in everything they do and the album is looking so good and i’ll hopefully see you both soon. thank you to the abbey for always looking after me and if you would lie to book them for your wedding I highly recommend you do!!!

















Let’s Talk Awards!!!
spoiler alert I won a this is reportage award!!! im so excited I need to tell you all about it read the short blog here
This is my very first THIS IS REPORTAGE Award!!! and I could not be happier right now. It’s 12.05 after midnight on October 3rd and after a year of entering I’m finally sitting here as a this is reportage winner.
Nothing staged, Nothing posed. That is TIR's moto. For those of you who don’t know, TIR was founded by the very talented Cornwall wedding photographer Alan Law. Who in the jist of it created the website for a place where documentary wedding photographers could showcase their work outside of the then portrait obsessed instagram (now reel obsessed). Roll on 2024 and Tir now has 1000s of members and averages about 10-11k images entered per round of awards with only 50-60 images chosen. Giving you a less than 1% chance of winning. Every round which is every two months is drenched in the immense talent that presides in the documentary wedding photographer located the length and breadth of the world not just Ireland and the uk. As a documentary wedding photographer I thought I knew what documentary photography was until I entered the world of TIR, boy was I wrong (embarrassed emoji). The level was beyond anything I had known and for a year I entered images in a bit of a hope and wing it kinda vibe!! and each round for a year I came up empty handed. The awards would be released, my heart would sink and I’d look through the collection and realise why I didn’t win. My images just weren’t good enough!!! and I knew this deep down. I was playing it too safe.
12 months later and I entered the above image. The veil shot from Jason and Kates awesome little wedding in The Tankard pub just outside of Tralee, Kerry in the south of Ireland. I knew I had something with this one and the feedback from my peers suggested the same but that didn’t guarantee anything. I had to be brave enough to put myself out there over and over again.
Beep comes the notification for a new email and I open it at the desk. This is reportage….. you’ve won an award!!!!!
What the actual F**k!!!! My head is gone and I’m dancing in my chair like a kid who was just given cake for breakfast!!! I did it I finally did it!!!
And if you’re sitting there thinking it’s only one award whats the big deal. And you’d be entitled to that opinion cos you’re right it is only one award but it’s what the award means which is so much more important to me. It means growth, It means the hard work is paying off, it means my name is etched in documentary wedding photography folklore but so much more than that it means I’m doing something right!!! That the style of photography I chose is right for me an right for the couples who trust me to capture their day through my eyes how I see the world!!!
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT - I just won a This Is Reportage story award and placed FIFTH in Ireland and 59th overall in the world !!!! WHAT THE ACTUAL F**K!!!!
Like most (I assume) I have a list of goals on a board in my bedroom and winning a TiR was on the list for this year and I’m so thankful I achieved that goal!!! 2024 has been a year. I believe I’m on my way to being the photographer I know I am and this isn’t the end WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED!!!!
Update - this image also placed 2nd at the NineDots Gathering in November in Manchester being chose by 3 of the best wedding photographers in the world in Lisa Devlin, Jeff Chang and the amazing Kate Hampson!!!
click here to see all the amazing photos from collection 41 . Thank you to everyone for all the message and congratulations I’m blown away by it all. Andy x
Nine Dots captures genuine emotions and the essence of weddings through award-winning documentary photography. Their approach highlights raw, authentic moments that define a couple's special day. Each image tells a story of joy, laughter, and tender moments, focusing on real connections. If you want a photographer dedicated to preserving emotions over posed images, Nine Dots is the ideal choice, showcasing the true spirit of weddings in their portfolio, popular among couples in Dublin, Cavan, Meath, and beyond.
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 Marco Pierre White,Donnybrook, Dublin- Ciara & John
Ciara and Johnny!!! These two honestly!!! I have never seen a guy so in love was like a modern day movie!!!
Choosing to have an intimate ceremony in Marco Pierre White Courtyard Bar & Grill in Donnybrook this beautiful and unique Restaurant Wedding Venue gives you old school glamour with a modern twist. Tucked behind a vintage vine gate, guests stroll through the gorgeous courtyard into relaxed luxury. Cosy, unique and swanky , this is an intimate wedding venue designed to offer something different.


Absorb the atmosphere of the historic dining room which can seat up to 160 guests. Seductively revamped with auction-house finds from around the globe, the soaring venetian back bar, reclaimed floors studded with cast iron columns – rescued from a Kerry church - give some indication of the opulence that awaits and contrive to create a genuine sense of occasion. For smaller groups of up to 60 guests, choose our elegant Garden Room which has it’s own private bar and double doors leading onto the heated outdoor garden. MPW can host your wedding ceremony in a choice of locations.
This family run Irish Restaurant in an association with chef restaurateur Marco Pierre White and the Fitzers continues to raise the bar for stylish dining out in Dublin and is excited to now be catering for weddings. And it shows in the service they provide everything is on point and every t is crossed and I dotted leaving you relaxed knowing you’re in good hands. Delivering a standard that’s anything but standard so expect your expectations to be exceeded.
Located just off the Main Street in donnybrook, Dublin this venue has plenty of options for your wedding day photos. With Dublin City a stone throw away or the stunning floristry of Herbert park in the spring when the blossoms are in full bloom or even the courtyard itself, MPW donnybrook has you covered and if you’re a fan of first dates their maitre d' would give Fred a run for his money!!! and we haven’t even got to the food yet!
Marco Pierre White’s idea of simple is old school: elegant dishes prepared using the finest ingredients by chefs trained in London by Marco himself. The deceptively simple menu demands every dish earn its place: the choicest cuts of meat, freshest fish, classic sauces. The vibe? Grown up, relaxed, playful.
If a MPW wedding is for you check them out 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.
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.
Destination Weddings In Gibraltar, Spain - Carol & Niall
Gibraltar, United Kindom
Being chosen to be someones wedding photographer is an absolute privilege and one I will never take advantage of. But being flown to another country to capture the most important day of a couples life is the biggest compliment I think I’ll ever receive, not only a photographer but as a person and friend.
Niall and Carol decided that it was time to do what they knew they were gonna do eventually anyway, they planned and executed moving country, changing jobs and getting married all with in 5 weeks of each other (yeh they’re crazy) but only Niall and Carol could achieve something like this. So off they went to Gibraltar, a small province of the United Kingdom, on the south of Spains coast, flew over the people most special to them and tied the knot in a registry office and the rest is history. Welcome to the world of Mr and Mrs McKeever.
Unfortunately for Carol, her family couldn’t be there as she is originally from Brazil but she did have some Aunts and Uncles in Spain who took the time to travel down and spend some time with everyone. She hadn’t seen them in over two years due to covid and the emotions were running high, it made for some real moments. I wanted to capture these precious moments so I made sure not to interrupt the scene and just quietly documented it as it unfolded, approaching the day in a candid and uninterrupted style.
To Niall and Carol, I love you guys and I’ll see you soon for our holiday, you will forever be in my heart and my friends for life.
“The best decision Niall has made in our whole relationship was hiring you to take our photos, I'm in shock, I knew you were good but I’m so happy with them. You are a legend!”
- Carol and Niall via WhatsApp
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 :)