Newly wed in the shed!

Getting engaged on Christmas Eve 2022, Anne Reynolds Daly did not expect to be celebrating her wedding do on the Daly Dairy farm eight months later.

Her husband to be suggested the idea, setting up a marquee in the yard between the slatted shed and the house, cow’s mooing in the background, only a slight chance of brown splashing up on the snow-white gown and the faint smell of cow patties and silage in the air – every bride to be's dream.

“No,” said an adamant Anne, at first.

“I said no,” she repeated, responding to her husband’s suggestion just days after they got engaged.

With both coming from farming backgrounds, it wasn’t a fear of getting muck on the boots that was bothering Anne but rather the hassle of organising a wedding at home.

“Not a hope, it’s too much work,” she had said.

Eventually and with a little persuasion, she came around to the idea.

“Once we decided, that was it, that was it!"

With a band secured, they organised a marquee to come to the Arva farm and got caterers from Chapter One in Cavan.

“That was it, it was going to be a wedding on a farm,” she beamed.

Anne, who had always known her other half growing up, was extremely laid back about the whole idea until the week before the wedding, when pressure began to set in with the amount of preparations.

Not only did they have to look after the cattle on the farm, but they were now contending with wedding guests to feed and entertain. Cattle meal surely wouldn't do!

“All the work had to be done the week before and the community of Arva is what pulled off the wedding.”

The hay shed was completely kitted out with a bar, banners and flags for the Dublin Monaghan game played that day, a reception for the guests who then made their way through the slatted shed and into the Marquee for food cooked and served by Chapter One staff. Then they danced the night away.

“Our neighbours, our friends, our family, that’s what I take away from the wedding,” she said, remembering sitting down the evening before the big day feeling “totally overwhelmed” by the support and goodwill they received.

“It was lovely.

“It made it a great wedding because everybody just came and enjoyed it.

“We thank everyone in Arva and all the neighbours and friends who helped,” said the still overwhelmed and newlywed Anne.