Erin, 30, shares her beautiful love story on how her husband incorporated sentimental memories and Irish traditions during their wedding ceremony.
In 2013, Chicago native Erin Barlow moved to County Kildare, Ireland for a semester abroad at Maynooth University. It was here that she met her now-husband in her first week there.
She said: “A few other Americans wanted to go into Dublin to watch the Super Bowl. We made our way to D Two and were having the time of our lives. I went to get a drink and my now-husband came up to me. We made a bet on the outcome of the game - whoever lost had to buy the other a baby Guinness shot. Even though I lost, he still bought me one!”
The couple continued to date even after Erin moved back to the States. She adds, "we kept in touch through social media, talking through Facebook Messenger and video chatted through Skype.”
“I’m not sure how people did it before technology,” says Erin, “the unknown of building a relationship with someone across the world was daunting at first. But as we started speaking more and more, it just felt right.”
Erin shares her beautiful love story on how she met her husband while studying in Ireland.
Describing how her now-husband popped the question in 2019, Erin says, “We took a trip to Ireland to visit my husband's family and my parents tagged along. His brother, cousin, and friend are all videographers and said they needed to get a shot of the Dart at sunrise at my favorite hiking spot just outside of Dublin - Killiney Hill.”
“I can never pass up on a good sunrise! We were on top of the pyramid, also known as the wishing stone, behind the gorse hedges when I noticed everyone had disappeared. As the sun came up, he got down on one knee and proposed!”
Erin and her husband chose Wicklow as the location for their dream wedding which took place in June 2022.
She explains, “We got married at Trudder Lodge, between the mountains and the sea. We loved this setting because it was intimate, and not what you typically think of when you think of Ireland.”
She says that the couple included several Celtic traditions in their ceremony including “handfasting and a harp playing at the church and during the drinks reception.”
“I put my own spin on the white handkerchief tradition and instead of carrying one myself, I hand embroidered one for my dad that said ‘happy tears’”.
Reminiscing the first day they met, the couple incorporated Baby Guinnesses into their wedding. “We had a shot glass with Kahlua, shooters of Baileys, and a teaspoon at each person’s place setting to make their own baby Guinness. This got everyone in good spirits for the rest of the evening!”
Another one of Erin’s favorite moments from the wedding was when her husband surprised her by having Candlelit Tales come on the second day of their celebrations.
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She says: “I moved back to Dublin for a year after I finished university, and we used to go to the Stags Head to see them perform. Having them come, play music, and tell ancient Irish folklore stories to our guests was the best!”
Finally, when asked about any advice she would give for couples in similar situations, Erin says, “My biggest tip for couples doing long distance is don’t forget to date, even from afar!”
She continues, “Be patient and make time for each other. Sometimes, we would end up talking on the phone for 8+ hours, which really gave us the opportunity to become best friends whilst not being physically together. But ultimately, you need to be willing to put in the effort. The smallest things mean the most! Sending snail mail or little surprise gifts you know will make the other person smile is a great way to show them you care!”
Erin shared her beautiful love story exclusively with Diamonds Factory Ireland, find out more information here.
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