28-05-2025
Traveller girls look wedding-ready on their Communion day - complete with ballgowns, carriages and three-tier cakes
Perching on white thrones beside three-tiered cakes adorned with white icing, their make-up perfect and tiaras perched on their heads, the girls looked every inch the perfect brides in their voluminous white gowns.
But these scenes were not from a lavish wedding day, however. Girls from the Traveller community have been enjoying the UK and Ireland's most lavish First Holy Communions throughout April and May when the religious ceremony is traditionally held.
With white, flowing gowns, balloon arches, and a carriage suitable for Cinderella herself, one might easily mistake the events, where Catholic children receive the Eucharist for the first time, for weddings.
In addition to marking the important rite of passage of receiving the body and blood of Christ for the first time, a child's First Holy Communion appears to be an excuse for parents and loved ones to throw an unforgettable bash to remember the occasion.
One young woman employed the help of hair stylist Tori Boylan, who describes herself on her TikTok as a 'pro bridal and party hair specialist', to achieve her jaw-dropping look.
The girl from Rathkeale, County Limerick, put on a glittering display in a dramatic white ball gown, white sash, floor-length veil and net gloves.
She finished off her look with glamorous makeup, complete with a pink blusher and matching lipstick.
Her look isn't one-of-a-kind, and another bridal specialist, @kimsqueenstyles, worked with a duo of girls called Sofia and Vallerina to mark their First Holy Communion in a similar fashion.
Kim shared an image of one of the young girls stood on the stage, which featured a balloon arch and a LED light up cross, mirroring an engagement pose, as a man, presumably her father, knelt down on one knee with her hand in his for a photograph.
Prior to the event, Sofia and Vallerina posed on the stage in silk white robes before changing into their elaborate gowns.
Both of them opted for similar hair and makeup styles, which included glowing, bronzed faces, and their hair up to ensure the focus was on their dazzling gold and pearl tiaras.
Elsewhere, a different young lady appeared to have trumped the others when it comes to having the most dramatic First Holy Communion entrance.
TikTok account @royalbridalweddings shared a clip of a girl, dressed in an elegant princess dress and holding a silver wand, arriving at her First Holy Communion in a magical white carriage with her family.
She was helped in and out of the carriage by presumably her mother, who also dressed in white for the happy occasion.
And it was no easy feat, with her mother and other guests throwing the flowing material from the girl's dress into the carriage before they could set off to their destination.
Meanwhile, another girl called Savanna looked equally as elegant as she donned a long-sleeved white glittering gown for her special day.
The same TikTok account shared a short clip of the girl posing and swishing around in her dress, enjoying time at home before setting off to the venue.
@toriboylan95
MY RATHKEALE COMMUNION GIRL TODAY SANTANA 🤍✨🤍✨ HAIRSTYLIST TORIBOYLAN94 ON INSTAGRAM FOLLOW ME 🤍✨🤍✨ MAKEUP @Melanie Meade
♬ original sound - Tori Boylan
Elsewhere, another called Annie added a white umbrella to complete her glamorous look.
Annie had a stylist spritzing perfume in her hair before she walked outside of her home, which was decorated with a white carpet rolled out for her to step out onto.
'Here is Annie', @kimsqueenstyles wrote alongside the footage of the young girl on her special day.
One dress was clearly not enough for her, and Annie later changed into a stunning after-party dress made from gathered white material.
In a different post, Kim shared footage of another event she worked on for a young girl called Juliet, who sat posing on a floral embellished swing in the sunshine for photographs.
Later on, the swing appeared to move inside as Juliet posed by what appeared to be the same swing under the neon lights of the after party.
Meanwhile, Nicole Mcadorey from Belfast shared footage of her daughter posing in her white dress before her First Holy Communion.
'We have waited forever for this day - my little darling's First Holy Communion,' Nicole wrote alongside the clip of her daughter.
It's not just elaborate gowns and fancy decorations that families have splashed out on for their children's communions, but also lavish cakes.
One young girl called Nellie enjoyed a stunning three-tiered cake, complete with white frosting and pink icing flowers designed by White Blossom Bakes.
Meanwhile, another event planner called Andrea Shillingford, who goes by Extravagant Travellers Events, shared images of another three-tiered cake draped in flowers for a young girl called Rosie.
Rosie appeared delighted as she posed on the marble dancefloor, which was inscribed with the words, 'Rosie's Holy Communion'.
It comes after a bride who tied the knot in lavish style at The Dorchester has pulled off what appears to be the UK's most expensive Traveller wedding to date.
Louise Durant, 21, and Billy Maguire, 22, celebrated their union in a winter wonderland wedding at the luxurious Mayfair hotel - where room hire can start at £10,000 - surrounded by 350 guests.
The bride, whose family is from the Traveller community, said the festive nuptials - which took place in December - were 'more than a dream come true'.
'It was beyond my wildest imaginations,' she told MailOnline. 'The day started amazingly and just got better and better. It was perfect.'
The family had been saving for two years, and indeed no expense was spared to create the perfect magical occasion. Louise's parents couldn't confirm how much exactly the wedding set them back, but said it was well over £100,000 - and didn't baulk when figures of around £250,000 were mentioned.
Those in attendance at the five-star venue on Park Lane - which has been visited by the likes of David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor - were treated to glittering décor with flowers as white as snow, festive candles, icy blue lighting and an elegantly trimmed Christmas tree.
The azure dancefloor, which featured a glitzy disco ball gave the illusion of an ice rink for the happy couple to enjoy dancing on, while each table was adorned with snow globes and Christmas cracker party favours containing Bible verses.
Friends and family compared the beaming bride to a 'princess', who was the image of glamour in a structured ivory gown, while followers on social media likened the celebrations to a ' royal wedding '.
Louise, 21, and Billy, 22, live in Yorkshire and had been together for four years before deciding to tie the knot.
Festivities on December 14 kicked off with a bang as four ex-London double decker buses picked up guests from their hotel, the Hilton on Park Lane, at 11.30am and took them all to St John's Church in Hyde Park.
Louise's dress - by Eleni Bridal Couture of North London - featured a corset-style bodice embroidered with lace detailing, which fanned out into a sweeping skirt, and long sleeves which puffed at the shoulders.
The bride and her 12 bridesmaids were taken there in a horse-drawn carriage from The Dorchester.
She entered the church with music from the London Fanfare Trumpets who had dressed for the ceremony to look like Coldstream Guards.
The service was an hour, and then guests were taken to The Dorchester for the wedding breakfast and the evening service.
Starters was a mushroom soup with pastry on top, while the main featured a festive Christmas turkey dinner. To finish up, desert was sticky toffee pudding with the couple's initials and the date of the wedding written in chocolate sauce.
Each table was adorned with snow globes containing photos of Billy and Louise, white shortbread biscuits in the shape of a dove, and Christmas crackers which contained a verse from bible and a chocolate in.
The evening ceremony was in The Dorchester's ballroom and ran until 1am - and Louise and Billy's first dance was Ain't Nobody by US funk band Rufus and Chaka Khan.
Music was provided by The Function Band and DJ Andrea Shillingford. One of the guests - Belsie Connors, who regularly sings at Traveller fairs and events - also sang for the occasion.
Louise and Billy - who work for the family's holiday and lettings business - stayed at The Dorchester until December 16 and then embarked on a three and a half week honeymoon to Barbados, Orlando and New York.
'We had family from all corners of the UK, it was brilliant to see everyone. I had the best bridesmaids,' the bride gushed.
'The staff at the Dorchester were incredible, they helped make our big day all the more memorable.
'These are memories that will last a lifetime.'
Her mother Vicky Morrison, who lives with relatives on a gated compound made up of five static homes near the village of Bagworth in Leicestershire, said the whole family 'chipped in' to make the couple's dream wedding come to life.
