Allow us to introduce Olivia and Shaun, one of our fabulous couples who came to Ireland for their dream destination wedding! They crossed an ocean for their Dream Irish Wedding and let me tell you it was spectacular. Together with our very own owner and planner extraordinaire the wedding of their dreams became a reality last December 2021. Keep reading for a glimpse into their luxurious destination wedding in the heart of Adare!
Their Story:
Shaun, our handsome groom, played cricket professionally in the UK and New Zealand. On retirement he settled in London to pursue a new career in sports teaching at a local school where he met Olivia, one of the teachers. Sparks ignited and last December they said I Do at the fabulous Holy Trinity Abbey Church in Adare Village. Shaun’s parents who still reside in New Zealand were unfortunately unable to attend the wedding in Ireland due to the pandemic’s travel restrictions.
Spectacular destination wedding:
The planning of this spectacular destination wedding was done by Michelle, our very own owner and planner extraordinaire, the amazing mother of the bride and the blushing bride herself of course! The wedding was a three-day affair with a welcome party the day prior and a farewell dinner the day after.
On the day prior to the wedding there was a pre wedding golf tournament which our handsome groom won off course! The tournament was held at the amazing golf course of the luxurious Adare Manor. The day ended with a traditional Irish welcome party at local pub Aunt Lenas where they enjoyed Irish music, food & Guinness!
The day after the wedding the couple gave guests an opportunity to recover from the festivities and explore the quaint village of Adare. In the evening guests joined the newlyweds at the Carriage house for a celebratory dinner.
The Perfect Venue:
Choosing the perfect venue for their wedding was not difficult for our couple. They knew that they wanted a destination wedding and Olivia, having spent lots of holidays in Ireland, couldn’t imagine a better place. Olivia’s mum hails from Ireland and knew the perfect venue for her daughter’s wedding! The beautiful ceremony was held at the Holy Trinity Abbey Church in Adare followed by the reception at the luxurious Adare Manor. Both venues matched the wedding theme perfectly with their elegance and romantic atmosphere, wouldn’t you agree?!
Wedding Theme & Colour Palette
For their wedding theme Olivia and Shaun chose for elegant & romantic with clean lines and a hint of Christmas. The colour palette consisted of blush pink, green and white which complimented the theme and interior of the venues perfectly!
Floral Arrangements
The beautiful floral arrangements were provided by Lawless Flowers, one of our amazing wedding vendors located in Limerick. The mother of the bride has a great love and knowledge of flowers which inspired Olivia to choose the stunning florals! These gorgeous flowers brought the wedding theme really alive wouldn’t you agree?!
Wedding Attire
Olivia looked incredibly stunning in her Caroline Castigliano designer gown! To complete her bridal look, she walked down the aisle in gorgeous Jimmy Choo heels. For the dresses of her beautiful bridesmaids Olivia chose a similar style but different fabric in a lovely blush pink colour. Doesn’t she look absolutely radiant next to her bridesmaids and flower girl!
Facing Challenges Together
Planning a wedding during a pandemic is no easy task. Olivia and Shaun had to navigate through restrictions but in the end their wedding won out! Unfortunately, Shaun’s parents couldn’t travel to Ireland with the restrictions, but they found a solution! They beamed in live from sunny New Zealand with a very special message for the happy couple. On top of that guests had to pass a covid test 48 hours prior to arriving in Ireland to attend the wedding. A week later Ireland was back in lockdown how crazy is that!
Heart-warming gesture for the lovely couple:
Get the tissues ready ladies cause this gesture will touch your heart! The school kids that Olivia and Shaun teach surprised the couple with a lovely video on their wedding day. It was such a lovely and heart-warming gesture that our bride and groom will cherish forever.
Lovely testimonial by mother of the bride:
‘’ The wedding day was managed superbly; Michelle was on hand from very early on in the morning. Mostly from behind the scenes, she settled us, organised us, laughed with us and comforted us. She provided tissues when needed. Both Bride and Groom felt that they were guided beautifully towards their wedding ceremony. Bridesmaids and groomsmen, ushers and wedding service readers were all at different times, overheard by guests saying that Michelle had told them to …. asked them to … suggested that they…. They had all commented on how when they needed guidance in their panic state, she was there to signpost them along.
We would confidently recommend Michelle’s service. Based on our experience, her planning and execution of order were first class. She enabled our wedding weekend to flow and provide a wonderful memorable time for us as a family and all our guests.’’
Dear Olivia and Shaun, it was our absolute pleasure planning your dream destination wedding. We are delighted we got to be a part of your special day! – xx
This incredible talented team made Olivia’s and Shaun’s Dream Irish Wedding a reality!
Planner: Dream Irish Wedding
Venues: Holy Trinity Abbe Church & Adare Manor
Photographer: Nicola Webster Photography
Videographer: Bride & Groom Films
Hair: Kate Butcher & Grace – Bride’s friends from the UK
Make-up: Sinead Murphy
Florist: Lawless Flowers
Music: Munster Quartet
Cake: MMCookies