IN PICTURES: Laois wedding exhibition launches with tale of 8am wedding

A unique Laois wedding festival takes place this weekend, and it has been launched with wonderful stories of love and mixed marriages in a historic Mountmellick church.

The Dresses of St Paul's centres around an exhibition of some of the 57 wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresses and memorabilia, from weddings over the past 100 years in the 18th century picturesque St Paul's Church of Ireland and its old schoolhouse in Mountmellick. Some dresses were posted from as far as Australia.

The exhibition was formally launched in St Paul's on Thursday evening, September 5, by Reverend Isobel Jackson, the Dean of Kildare, who has conducted many a wedding, but revealed a most special one set to take place 34 days later.

"It's my son's wedding, he tells me every day how many days are left. that will be a first experience for me," she said.

Organiser Janet Stewart beside the 1951 wedding gown of Mrs Jenny Perry.

The weekend is the brainchild of Janet and Philip Stewart from The Rock, Mountmellick, who themselves wed in her home town of Abbeyleix, after Philip had done his milk round that morning.

"He hadn't a speech so he stopped with his best man Victor Cox in a pub in Abbeyleix, had a drink and wrote it on a beermat. Our daughter walked up the aisle to 'you'll never walk alone', her dad and future husband are big Liverpool fans.

"We couldn't have done this exhibition without the help of really special people. We hope you enjoy the displays and read the stories behind them, we really enjoyed putting it together," Janet said.

Doris Flannery and local boutique owner Kristine Melne at the exhibition launch in St Paul's Church. 

Portarlington lady Eileen Shaw Jones gave the romantic mixed marriage tale of her late parents.

"My dad married a Roman Catholic in 1935, and back then when you got married, it was in the Catholic church and he signed a paper to say the children would be brought up Catholic. He was the Garda Sergeant in Mountmellick from 1939 to 1955. He loved his religion, we used to meet him coming out of church. When they were 50 years married, they renewed their vows in this church, and he said 'at last I've made a decent woman of you'. It was the first time he felt married," she said.

Eileen Shaw Jones and her sister Dympna Campbell, both from Portarlington.

Parishioner Roy Meredith from Rosenallis told a great story of a marriage in St Paul's by Reverend Buchanan at 8am in the morning.

"There was no electricity so they read the service with a bicycle lamp, then the bride and groom went back to their own farms to work as normal. That was one of the happiest most welcoming homes I could visit," he recalled.

Karen O'Donnell and Olive Meredith.

He synopsised the history of St Paul's, built in 1828 on a former defensive structure in what was territory of the O'Dunne clan. It had replaced a 1665 church that became too small when Quakers developed Mountmellick to become the 'Manchester of Ireland'.

"The present church was designed by John Semple, who also designed the church in Garryhinch. Seats were numbered because you paid for them, the nearer to the altar the more expensive they were. I hope this remains a place of worship where many more weddings will take place," Mr Meredith said. 

Former Mountmellick Rector Olive Donohue viewing the 1981 wedding dress of Miriam Perry.

Most striking of the weekend exhibition be a mock wedding reenactment on Saturday at 6pm, with the 'bride' actor travelling in a 1912 Vauxhall from O'Connell Square, and a reception after in the Hare's Corner, with actors from Mountmellick Drama Group, and fun and laughter as well as romance all part of the package. Tickets are on Eventbrite here, or contact Janet on 086 2737146

On Sunday the exhibitions continue from 10am to 2pm, and from 11am to 4pm there will be a display of vintage and wedding cars in the MDA carpark, finishing with a special ecumenical service filled with songs of praise in St Paul's at 5pm.  Donations welcome to the St Paul's Church maintenance fund.