When Co. Limerick couple Rose Keating and Tommy O'Connor tied the knot recently, their agri-themed wedding reflected their shared passion for farming.

A solicitor who went into full-time farming about two years ago, Rose runs a dairy and beef farm in Manister, Croom, Co.  Limerick. 

"My husband has his own dairy and beef farm and is from Ploughlands, the other side of Croom in Co. Limerick. We farm separately," Rose said.

"We knew each other to see as we are from the same area but properly got talking to each other at a mutual friend's party and have been together for over two years now."

The wedding ceremony was held at St. Michael's Church in Manister, with the reception at Fitzgeralds' Woodlands House Hotel in Adare on January 9. There were approximately 180 guests.

Rose, whose dress was bought in Virginia's Bridal, Limerick, with alterations by the Sewing Studio, Limerick, walked down the aisle with her mum, Geraldine, by her side, to the song 'Red is the Rose' sung by Rachel Goode from Galway.

Christian Louboutin shoes, Chanel earrings, and other jewellery from Matthew Stephens, Limerick, completed Rose's elegant look.

Her three bridesmaids had trained with her as solicitors - they wore dresses from Folkster, Kilkenny.

"As we are both from farming backgrounds, we always were going to try and bring a bit of farming into the wedding," Rose told Agriland.

Wedding cake

The pièce de résistance was the cake, a four-tier hand-painted confection. The top tier was lemon sponge cake, the second tier a chocolate sponge cake, and the bottom two tiers two different types of biscuit cake.

On the cake were pictures of some of Rose's beef cattle; her two dogs, George, a Weimaraner and Bill, her cattle sheep dog; her Landcruiser jeep and cattle box.

Also featured were Tommy's cows; his Massey tractor; his Weidemann, and some silage fields. There was also an illustration of Torrie Hill which is near Rose's home farm.

"We came across Tracy Desmond Bell’s work on her Instagram page, known as ‘Tracyofcakes’ in Ballincollig, Co. Cork, and we were really impressed with her work.

"We sent her on pictures of cattle, machinery, and fields that we wanted to put onto our cake.

"Tracy merged the photos and came up with an absolutely spectacular finished cake. Everyone was complimenting her work," said Rose.  

"We had two Massey tractors in front of the church, which were supplied by Joe Whelan of Whelan's garage, Kilrush, Co. Clare, which was a lovely surprise.

 "Our band was 'Spring Break', which we can't recommend enough," said Rose.

The agri-theme caught the imagination of guests.

"There was a lot of farmers in attendance and they really relished it," Rose said.

"We had fireworks supplied by Emerald Fireworks, which our guests also enjoyed."

A Guinness printing machine was supplied by the hotel, which Rose said was also a big hit with guests.

"One particular guest is still talking about it and was amazed that he could put a picture of himself on a pint of Guinness," she said.

After the joys of their agri-themed big day, the couple honeymooned in Lanzarote.