When Shauna and Lee grew up living across the road from each other, neither could have imagined they'd one day exchange vows on a secluded beach with the Irish Sea as their witness. After being set up on a blind date at just 16 and 17 years old, this devoted couple embarked on a love story that would span decades and culminate in the most magical beach elopement at Baginbun Beach, County Wexford. With their 18-month-old daughter Harper by their side and celebrant Mairead Vaughan of Your Milestone Moment guiding them through heartfelt rituals including handfasting and sand ceremony, their intimate ceremony perfectly captured the essence of enduring love meeting the wild beauty of Ireland's Sunny South East coast.

Finding the Perfect Hidden Beach

Shauna and Lee approached Mairead about their beach wedding dreams and they had one particular spot in mind. However, Mairead's local expertise proved invaluable in creating their perfect day. Knowing that their original choice would be crowded with cars on a Friday in May, she reached out to friends in the area to discover Baginbun Beach – one of Wexford's most stunning yet lesser-known coastal gems.

"They had one beach in mind but I knew that it would be very busy on a Friday in May and cars are allowed to park there so I did a bit of research with friends living in the area and found the perfect beach," explains Mairead. The couple visited Baginbun and immediately fell in love, even selecting the exact ceremony spot – in front of a magnificent rock formation that would provide both shelter and a dramatic natural backdrop.

Handfasting - A Celtic Tradition from our ancestors

The centrepiece of Shauna and Lee's ceremony was a deeply meaningful handfasting ritual that beautifully honoured both Irish tradition and their personal love story. Shauna had lovingly crafted a beautiful white and green cord herself, adding an intimate personal touch to this ancient Celtic practice.

As the couple's hands were bound together with the cord, the symbolism was profound – representing not just their union, but the intertwining of their lives that had begun all those years ago as teenagers. The handfasting, performed against the backdrop of crashing waves and endless horizon, created a moment of pure magic that connected them to centuries of Irish couples who had made similar promises of eternal love.

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Sand Ceremony: Celebrating Family Bonds

What made this beach ceremony even more special was the inclusion of little Harper, Shauna and Lee's 18-month-old daughter, in a touching sand ceremony. This ritual beautifully represented the bond they shared as a family of three, with Harper's contribution being pink sand – naturally, her favourite colour!

The three different coloured sands, when poured together into one vessel, created a visual representation of their family that could never be separated – just like the love that bound them together. This modern addition to traditional wedding ceremonies perfectly captured how this young family's story was just beginning its next chapter.

Weaving Together Meaningful Moments

From the moment the ceremony began with Eddie Tom's slower, more intimate version of "You're Still the One" – perfectly apt for a couple who had been together since their teens – every element was carefully chosen to reflect Shauna and Lee's unique journey. The entrance music, played through a Bluetooth speaker, set the tone for an intimate celebration that prioritised meaning over grandeur.

The ceremony concluded with Westlife's "World of Our Own," a song that perfectly captured how this small family had created their own perfect universe together. Between these musical bookends, guests witnessed vows that had been crafted to tell the story of childhood neighbours who became soulmates.

A Heart-Shaped Blessing

Perhaps the most magical moment of the day came as an unexpected gift from the universe itself. During the ceremony, some little girls playing on the beach discovered a perfect heart-shaped stone and spontaneously presented it to the newlyweds. This touching gesture moved both Shauna and Lee to tears and has become one of their most treasured memories from the day.

The couple now plan to frame this natural token of love – a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful moments are the ones we never could have planned. It was a perfect metaphor for their own love story: sometimes the most beautiful things in life come from the most unexpected places.

Under the Irish Sky: Baginbun Beach

The intimate guest list included only Shauna's parents and baby Harper, creating an atmosphere of pure family intimacy against the grandeur of the Irish coastline. The small group allowed for genuine emotion and connection, with every moment feeling deeply personal and authentic.

Standout moments included the groom's emotional reaction as he turned to see his bride walking up the beach with her father, and the tender "under veil" kiss that sealed their union. The gorgeous weather seemed to bless their union, made even more special by Mairead's thoughtful preparation – she had even buried a Child of Prague statue the day before to ensure good weather, a charming Irish tradition that clearly worked its magic!

For Shauna, choosing a celebrant-led ceremony was transformative: "From the very start when I got in touch with Mairead she made the whole process straightforward and easy. We wanted to get married on a beach but couldn't legally sign paperwork there, Mairead was very happy to help us out and did a symbolic ceremony on the beach and then later a legal ceremony back at our hotel."

The freedom to create their dream ceremony exactly as they envisioned was invaluable. "Mairead made the day so special for us, she created a really personal ceremony that we will cherish forever. She did a handfasting ceremony and sand pouring ceremony too which was a lovely touch. She had no issues with any of our requests and was more than happy to help along the way with the planning, she even provided chairs and some lovely décor for the day."

Followed by Legal Ceremony at Honeymoon Hotel 

Because Shauna and Lee wanted their marriage to be a legal commitment, we managed to drag ourselves away from the sun-drenched beach to the couple's nearby hotel for the Legal Ceremony.  We had a lovely short but meaningful legal ceremony in the grounds of their hotel, The Brandon House Hotel in New Ross.

We then all left the happy couple in peace to start their honeymoon together.  

A perfect finish to a perfect day!