Spring Inspired Irish Castle Wedding Editorial

When we first decided to launch our European destination wedding team, we knew Ireland had to be one of the locations we focused on. Lucky for us, our uber talented photographer friends JAMES x SCHULZE came with us to capture the magic of the Emerald Isle. The rolling countryside, castles, cliffs and headlands, the welcoming locals with their cozy pubs and their love of the craic (the Gaelic word for social fun, and yes it’s pronounced “crack”) and the ever changing light on the landscape makes beautiful backdrops and an inviting environment to gather friends and loved ones.

The Irish landscape has a wild, pastoral beauty that was the initial inspiration behind our design for this shoot. There’s a time of year when the grasses and shrubs in the mountains and foothills have turned to shades of gold and brown. Then with the promise of spring, the wild gorse starts to bloom in vibrant yellows in the hedgerows and borders of the verdant pastures. This seasonal shift inspired our color palette, a new spin on Irish greens.

As we familiarized ourselves with many awe inspiring castles and manor houses of the island (we’re so excited to share them with our destination clients!), we came across a particular property that captivated us on multiple levels. Nestled in Wicklow between the Irish Sea and the mountains, Killruddery’s castle-like house and stately gardens are enchanting and remote feeling while still delightfully close to Dublin. The estate has the kind of history and grandeur that captures the hearts and imaginations of visitors from around the globe. Legend has it that the orangery (the glass domed room where we designed and set the ceremony and table) was funded by the sale of an heirloom tiara. The design of that tiara was incorporated into the filigree at the base of the glass dome. We loved this story and decided to pay homage to it by incorporating a similar looking tiara from a.b. Ellie in the bridal look.

Throughout the entire design we created harmony by threading several of the same materials (many traditionally Irish) through different design elements: gold in the bridal accessories and flatware, linen on the table and the flower girl’s dress, a wicker guest bag and coasters, raw silk as a runner and in the bridal accessories, leather etched place cards and flask, a Donegal wool three piece suit for the groom and a wool wrap used by the flower girl, as well as using as much glass and acrylic as possible to echo the dome of the orangery.

The flora, lovingly designed by Victoriana Floral, has the kind of abundant, organic and romantic look that’s quintessential to the isles. The way the flowers seem to spontaneously grow from the aisle and orangery’s vines gives a nod to the wildflowers in the verges and fields, yet arranged as they are en masse it transitions to refined romance without being overly formal. The piece that took the proverbial cake (for us), was the free form, almost dripping bouquet that actually brought tears to our eyes when we first saw it.

Sharing good food and drink is at the heart of every gathering. What separates good and great in the world of cuisine is presentation. We were fortunate to work with Dublin based cake artist Cupcakes and Counting who made the most spectacular tiered cake with realistic sugar flowers that mimicked the floral design. The ionic columns on the cake give a nod to the neoclassical architecture that can be found in the grand estates. No estate or wedding in Ireland is complete without whiskey, so we incorporated some favorites from the island’s north and south in our bar and guest bags. We always like to have small sweet treats at hand for guests, so we took a cue from the locals and included shortbread as they are the preferred traditional biscuit (cookie) to the area.

Setting the scene to welcome guests is an enormous part of creating a great experience. We had the help of a number of suppliers and makers to paint the beautiful canvas that is Killruddery’s orangery. Total Event Rental supplied the white farm table as well as the acrylic chairs that kept our translucent theme in play from glass dome to ground level. By using Tono and Co’s sheer silk gauze runner in the “oro” color we added the necessary warmth to the tabletop that was matched by Broste Copenhagen’s handmade amber stemware. The chartreuse napkins from NOT Perfect Linen and the speckled pink ceramic plates from Habitat brought lovely pops to the tablescape that repeated the floral colors from the centerpieces.

For the fashion element of our design, we knew we wanted to embrace the modern lines and sensibilities that our couples gravitate towards with a modicum of traditional Irish flair. We find that couples who are drawn to the Emerald Isle appreciate a taste of the old world classics. For our bridal look we wanted clean, architectural lines with a minimalist look that would pair well with the decadence of the tiara. The White Gallery provided the classically sweeping and daringly plunging dress from Laure de Sagazan and the dramatically full length veil. Lisa from EF Creative Studios gave our bride a fresh dewy look, styled with a classic bun with romantic face framing wisps from Lisa of Maven Studio. We opted to complement the look with simple, luxurious jewellery: the stunning, stackable gold and diamond engagement ring and wedding band from Chupi as well as gold and citrine drop earrings. Being in the land of wool and tweed, we had no question as to what we wanted for our groom’s look. Luckily the Belfast based mens tailoring company, The Suitor Brothers, found us the perfect Donegal tweed three piece suit that would fit both country gentry and European fashion houses alike. For the groom's accessories we incorporated the organic “driftwood” band from Chupi as well as two heirloom pieces (the watch and gold cufflinks) for a nostalgic twist.

The first impression of any event begins months before in the mailbox of each prospective guest. Those save- the-dates and invitations set the tone for all the fun and design to come. Our friends over at Swell Press made the most incredible stationery suite: a box envelope that housed a three dimensional envelope with a rounded top acrylic invitation insert that paid homage to the the venue, as well as an RSVP set and information card in complimentary feminine pinks and pale chartreuse with subtle floral line art. It’s all at once architectural and romantic. We’d be hard pressed to RSVP ‘no’ with a suite like this, no matter the distance!

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