A Beautiful Summer Wedding at The Heritage Hotel: Shanelle Wixted & David O’Neill
On 25 June 2026, The Heritage Hotel had the pleasure of welcoming Shanelle Wixted and David O’Neill for a truly beautiful summer wedding. With a love story that began in the classroom and a celebration filled with family, friends, laughter and unforgettable moments, their wedding day was one to remember.
From School Friends to Soulmates
Shanelle and David’s story began many years before their wedding day. The couple were in the same class from first year at Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen, where their friendship first blossomed.
It was when they reached sixth year that their friendship developed into a relationship. Eleven years later, they found themselves saying “I do” surrounded by the people they love most.
Their engagement took place in the beautiful surroundings of Cala d’Or, Mallorca, on 5 August 2024, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter together.
Why The Heritage Hotel?
The Heritage Hotel already held a special place in Shanelle’s heart. Her aunt had celebrated her own wedding at The Heritage 13 years earlier, and Shanelle had attended the wedding as a guest. One particular memory stayed with her over the years — the stairs.
When Shanelle and David began looking for their own wedding venue, The Heritage was naturally on their minds. They returned to view the hotel in March 2025, and from that first meeting, they knew they had found their venue.
For Shanelle, the organisation and reassurance provided by the team made all the difference. She instantly felt in safe hands with Joanna and never felt uneasy about the planning process.
“I knew after our meeting that she was on the ball.”
That feeling of confidence and trust continued right through to the wedding day.
A Beautiful Summer Wedding
With temperatures reaching an incredible 30°C, 25 June turned out to be the hottest day of the year — perfect weather for a summer wedding.
Shanelle looked stunning in her wedding dress from Pearls & Lace, Donegal, while David and his groomsmen looked the part in suits from The Man Shop, Newbridge.
Before celebrating at The Heritage, the couple travelled to Emo Court for photographs, capturing beautiful moments together as newlyweds. Family photographs were also taken on The Heritage’s iconic staircase, bringing a particularly special memory full circle for Shanelle.
The location was another reason the couple chose The Heritage. Being so close to Emo Court made the journey between the two locations easy and convenient, allowing them to enjoy the best of both settings on their special day.
Capturing Every Moment
The couple chose Daven Casey as their photographer and Shelly O’Rourke as their videographer.
Shelly’s work was a particular highlight for Shanelle, who loved the natural quality of the wedding film.
“Her videos are extremely clear that most of my framed wedding photos are screenshots from her video. No filters, no edits and completely natural.”
Shelly was also much more than a videographer on the day. She went above and beyond, helping Shanelle with her flowers, heels, handbag and those little last-minute details that can make such a difference to a bride.
An Unforgettable Celebration
The entertainment was provided by Entourage, whose performance received compliments from guests throughout the evening, followed by DJ Eoghan O’Sullivan, keeping the celebrations going late into the night.
When it came to the food, the couple and their guests were equally impressed. The menu included soup, vol-au-vents and a choice of chicken supreme or beef.
Despite the soaring temperatures, the kitchen and service teams delivered an exceptional meal.
“Food was 10/10 and all guests complimented the taste, flavours and service from all staff.”
With temperatures reaching 30°C, the conditions were challenging for everyone, particularly the kitchen team, but the food arrived with excellent quality and was enjoyed by everyone.
A Team That Went Above and Beyond
For Shanelle and David, it was the people behind the scenes who helped make their wedding day so special.
Throughout the planning process, the team at The Heritage were always available to answer questions and calls, responding with urgency and ensuring that the couple always felt supported.
On the wedding day itself, the team continued to go above and beyond. Staff were helpful, attentive and full of compliments, with excellent communication throughout the celebrations.
One particularly memorable moment came during the meal when one of the waitresses noticed that Shanelle needed a little help with her dress while she was seated at the top table. Without hesitation, she offered to help pin it up so that Shanelle could relax and enjoy her meal.
For Shanelle, moments like this perfectly captured the care and attention she experienced throughout the day.
“Everything flowed and the team knew exactly how I wanted the day to go, and they brought it to life.”
A Day to Remember
From a friendship that began in first year at school to an engagement in Mallorca and finally a beautiful summer wedding at The Heritage Hotel, Shanelle and David’s story has been filled with wonderful milestones.
Their wedding day brought together everything that mattered most — family, friends, great food, music, beautiful memories and a team who were determined to make their vision a reality.
We were delighted to be part of Shanelle and David’s journey and wish them a lifetime of happiness, love and adventures together.