Today we’d like to introduce you to Leantia Gallagher.
Hi Leantia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My career in hospitality began earlier than most. At just 13 years old, full of enthusiasm and curiosity, I walked into a local hotel in my hometown of Bundoran and asked for a job. I was tall for my age and managed to pass for sixteen—so they hired me. That moment sparked what would become a lifelong love affair with tourism, hospitality, catering, and eventually the wedding industry.
Working in a high-end hotel opened many doors for me. It led to a place at the prestigious Killybegs College of Catering, one of Ireland’s most respected hospitality colleges, where I trained in professional catering and hospitality management. I graduated with strong qualifications and several awards, giving me the opportunity to work across Ireland in front-of-house, bar and restaurant roles.
In those early years, I was often entrusted with caring for the couples at the top table during their wedding meal. I loved the atmosphere of a wedding day—the teamwork behind the scenes, the fast pace, the pressure to ensure every detail was perfect, and the incredible joy shared by everyone in the room. Even the long hours never felt like work. The hospitality teams I worked with became like family because we spent so much time together making these celebrations happen.
My career eventually took me to the west of Ireland, including time working in the vibrant tourism hubs of Galway and Connemara along the famous Wild Atlantic Way. There I gained extensive experience in gourmet cuisine and premium wines—knowledge I carried with me when I later returned home to Donegal to raise my son close to family.
Throughout my career, I’ve always been a “people person.” I love welcoming guests, chatting with them, and making sure they feel comfortable and looked after. That’s why front-of-house roles always suited me best. At the same time, I was fascinated by what was happening in the kitchen—learning about menus, local produce, ingredients, and wine pairings so I could better explain dishes to guests. At home, I often experimented with recipes myself and even hosted cooking demonstrations for local community groups.
After the closure of a restaurant where I was working, I moved into management and spent fifteen years as a supervisor and manager in one of the busiest pubs in Bundoran. Later, I helped run a large bar and restaurant venue with a family member, which doubled as a popular live music venue.
During that time, I also worked as a wedding coordinator at a luxury four-star hotel. It was here that my passion for weddings truly flourished. I worked closely with couples every day—planning their celebrations, guiding them through decisions, and helping bring their visions to life. The hotel won several prestigious wedding awards during those years, and I gained invaluable experience in both planning and executing unforgettable wedding days.
As the trend in Ireland began shifting from traditional church ceremonies to on-site wedding ceremonies, I decided to evolve with it. I undertook extensive training—both financially and emotionally—to become a professional wedding celebrant and officiant. I also ensured I had the legal authority to marry couples in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, allowing couples to have their entire wedding celebration in one location. For many destination couples, especially those traveling internationally, this makes the day much simpler and more relaxed.
While still working in hotel management, I quietly started my own business on the side—LoveLee Weddings. In the early days, around 2016, I married six to ten couples a year. Today, that number has grown tenfold. I now officiate more than 100 weddings annually, along with 15–20 intimate elopement planning for couples traveling from all over the world—particularly from the United States.
Eventually, I took the leap from employment to full-time self-employment. It was not an easy decision, and building a business always comes with challenges. But today the rewards are clear. My calendar is almost always full, and I have the privilege of working with incredible couples who trust me to guide one of the most important moments of their lives.
Running a thriving business like LoveLee Weddings is a wonderful place to be. The energy that comes from working with couples planning their wedding day is truly special. When you love what you do, it never really feels like work.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Building Trust, Finding My Voice and getting rid of Imposter Syndrome were the most difficult challenges
Starting my own business was both exciting and daunting. After many years working within established venues and hospitality teams, stepping out on my own meant I had to build trust from the ground up. Couples needed to believe in me, in my experience, and in the service I could provide through my business, LoveLee Weddings.
In the beginning, along with sourcing finance to set up, getting my name out there was one of the biggest challenges. In Ireland, and especially in smaller communities, word of mouth is incredibly powerful. Do something excellent you might hear about it but do something wrong and everyone is talking about it. Many of my first bookings came simply through conversations —meeting people at local events, chatting with couples who were newly engaged, and connecting with other suppliers in the wedding industry. Every ceremony I performed became an opportunity and a platform for more people to see what I do and to recommend me to others. This, thankfully has worked in my favour and the recommendations from couples and guests never go unnoticed and are always appreciated.
Social media quickly became another important tool. Platforms allow couples from all over the world to discover wedding professionals they might never otherwise meet. For a destination location like County Donegal and the northwest of Ireland, this has been particularly valuable, as many couples planning weddings here are traveling from abroad.
That said, keeping up with technology and trends can be a challenge in itself. The digital world moves incredibly quickly, and what works one year can change the next. New social media platforms emerge, algorithms shift, and couples are constantly inspired by new styles of weddings they see online. Staying current means continually learning, adapting, and finding creative ways to share what I do.
I’ve learned that authenticity matters more than anything. Couples don’t just want a service—they want to feel a genuine connection with the person who will stand with them on one of the most important days of their lives. Whether through conversations, recommendations, or social media, the goal is always the same: to let couples see the passion and care behind every ceremony.
Building a business takes patience, resilience, and a lot of hard work. There were times when I questioned whether people would take a chance on someone new in the celebrant world. But slowly, through dedication and consistency, trust grew. Today many of my couples come through recommendations, which is the greatest compliment anyone in this industry can receive.
Watching LoveLee Weddings grow from a small side project into a thriving full-time business has been incredibly rewarding. It proves that when you combine experience, passion, and a willingness to keep learning, wonderful things can happen.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
There is something truly magical about getting married in Ireland. The landscapes are breathtaking, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and there is a deep sense of tradition blended with modern celebration. Along the rugged coastline of the Wild Atlantic Way, couples can exchange vows with the Atlantic Ocean as their backdrop, surrounded by wild beauty that feels both dramatic and deeply romantic.
For many international couples—particularly those traveling from the United States—an Irish wedding is more than just a ceremony. It becomes an experience. Families and friends travel together, explore the countryside, share meals, listen to traditional music, and celebrate over several days. Weddings here often feel less like a single event and more like a gathering of loved ones in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
That’s what makes my role so special. Through LoveLee Weddings, I have the privilege of helping couples create ceremonies and wedding days that reflect their personalities, their journeys, and the love they share. Whether it’s an intimate elopement on a windswept cliff in County Donegal or a larger celebration with family and friends gathered from across the globe, each ceremony is written with care and intention.
At the heart of it all is connection. My goal is always to create a moment where couples can pause, look at one another, and truly feel the significance of the commitment they are making. Those are the moments people remember long after the music fades and the celebrations end.
Being part of that moment, time and time again, is both a privilege and a joy—and it’s why I still love the wedding world just as much today as I did when I first stepped into that hotel in Bundoran all those years ago.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
For me, success has never been measured only by numbers or growth. Success is about balance, purpose, and the ability to wake up each day knowing that the work I do truly matters to people.
Through my business, LoveLee Weddings, success means creating ceremonies that couples remember for the rest of their lives. It’s about hearing from them years later, seeing their photos, their growing families, and knowing I played a small part in the beginning of that journey. When couples trust me to stand with them on one of the most important days of their lives, that trust itself feels like success. It has to be said, I have stood with them on dark days too.
Professionally, success is also reflected in the relationships I’ve built within the wedding industry across County Donegal and the north and northwest of Ireland. Working alongside talented venues, planners, photographers, and musicians creates a shared energy that makes every wedding unique. Being recommended by couples and fellow professionals alike is one of the greatest compliments I could ever receive. I sat on a plane home from San Francisco recently and a lady who was allocated a seat randomly recognised that I had married two of her sons in Co. Mayo.
On a personal level, success means having the freedom to build a life around what I love. My years in hospitality taught me the value of hard work, teamwork, and resilience. Now, running my own business allows me to use those lessons while also creating time for the people and places that matter most in my life.
Perhaps most importantly, success is being able to stay authentic—to remain the same welcoming, people-focused person I’ve always been while continuing to grow and evolve in my work. It is a privilege to share experiences with couples and families on this emerald isle of ours.
If I can continue helping couples celebrate their love in meaningful ways while maintaining that sense of joy and purpose, then I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
Pricing:
- €850 upwards
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.loveleeweddings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovelee_weddings/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoveLeeWedding
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LoveLeeWeddings
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lovelee_weddings?lang=en-GB
Image Credits
Wild and Green photography
Bronte Photography
Tyron Ross Photography
Aoife Herriott Photography
