Sometimes it's what makes you different that unites you, and in the case of American couple Mack and Derby they decided to make their different cultural heritages - Irish and Scottish - the centrepiece of their wedding. We're so delighted they chose Dublin as the location for their destination wedding with a difference.  The couple's dream wedding was in a nutshell " fun, joyous, beautiful, and a non-stop celebration from beginning to end." So an outdoor ceremony in the elegance of Fitzwilliam Square followed by pub session and a wow party at House Dublin. Pure perfection organised by Annie of Aislinn Events, and we're blown away by the gorgeous images captured by Simple Tapestry... I'm sure you will be too...
Mackenzie and Derby met in the US while both studying theatre at Vanderbelt University and became best friends. Graduation brought some changes when Derby moved to New York and Mackenzie decided to move to London. After keeping in touch Derby was drawn back to the states to none other than... you've guessed it, New York! After a year of close friendship the couple took the next step and started dating.
While on holidays in Provence with both sets of parents and Mackenzies's sister and brother-in-law, Derby took an even bigger step. He stole a quiet moment with his best friend and true love, got down on one knee and proposed. What a place to celebrate such a happy occasion with your two families, Mackenzie has a lovely memory of the celebrations..."We drank lots of champagne in Paris! It was really surreal".
For their wedding Mackenzie and Derby wanted to incorporate both their Irish and Scottish heritage while keeping the wedding modern and fun. Dublin was the perfect backdrop for them and they decided to let the fair city do the talking, keeping decorations to a minimum. Mackenzie explained to us her ideas for the day..."We wanted to keep things simple and unfussy. The goal was for the day to have a feeling of spontaneity to it. But we knew in order to achieve that vibe we’d actually need to do a lot of planning! That’s where Annie from Aislinn Events came in. She was the very best."
After an adorable city centre first look, the ceremony was held on a beautifully sunny day on the lawn in Fitzwilliam Park in the centre of the city. To combine the two family heritages the Groomsmen each wore a different tartan pocket square and buttonholes with thistles while Derby's dad wore trousers that were made from his families tartan.
The beautiful flowers and buttonholes were provided by The Informal Florist and are the perfect accompaniment to this fun, city wedding. A piper played as Mackenzie and her father walked down the aisle. Her handsome groom awaited their arrival and a beautiful handfasting ceremony took place.
Mackenzie wore a stunningly simple strapless gown by Cymbeline. To complement this she went for a flawless and simple make up look done by Make Up Artist Clare Hogan and gorgeously sleek hair by Sian Sharkey.
Everything seemed to be thought of for the ceremony, details like sunglasses for guests, refreshments and small bites of food all were in keeping with the traditional theme of the day (See our Irish Wedding Inspiration for more beautiful ideas).
The bridesmaids' emerald green dresses along with their lilac and deep plum flowers are a stunning combination, one that was very deliberate as the gorgeous bride told us... "Myself and the bridesmaids wore flowers in our hair because I read that was an old Irish wedding tradition. I think it added a beautiful and fun aesthetic!"...and we certainly have to agree, the combination of the simplicity of her gown and the delicate flowers is perfect.
Following the beautiful outdoor ceremony, the piper then led the couple and the wedding party through the streets of Dublin to O'Donoghues pub. Mackenzie says this was the most special part of of her day. "Dubliners were honking their horns and shouting congratulations to us!...
...When we got to the pub, locals were giving us hugs, playing songs for us, and toasting us with pints of Guinness. We all ended up singing songs together, and one of the local musicians let me play his bodhran while Derby played someone’s guitar. It was the most magical, unforgettable moment and perfectly summed up why we wanted to have our wedding in Ireland." Well there's nowhere better than O'Donoghue's to celebrate with true craic, so delighted the dream came true!
The wedding reception was held just around the corner on Leeson St in House Dublin and although the couple had only seen it in photos, they completely trusted Annie from Aislinn Events advice..."We trusted Annie and went off photos that she sent us. We knew House Dublin was the place for us because we wanted something that had a fun, beautiful, special vibe but nothing that was too formal or stuffy."
The couple described their thoughts after seeing their reception venue..."House was absolutely perfect and even better in person! It’s an incredibly cool and stunning venue". With traditional Irish music played by Craddog this wedding was sure to be a lot of fun!
The beautiful details at their reception really seemed to set the relaxed, fun mood. The delicate wild flower centrepieces and a rustic soft iced wedding cake decorated with fresh flowers and thistles worked perfectly with the understated luxury of their venue, House Dublin.
The couples advise to anyone planning a destination wedding is..."I’d recommend trying to get as much done as early as possible so that you can let everything go when the big day arrives. Once you’re there, don’t be afraid to delegate remaining tasks to your planner, family members, or your wedding party. Then you can concentrate on having fun and enjoying the day".
A huge thank you to Mackenzie and Derby for sharing their beautiful, fun filled, wedding day with us, what a tribute to your Irish and Scottish heritage! A big thank you also goes to Simple Tapestry for sharing their work with us. To see more of their work head over to www.simpletapestry.com
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Photographer: Simple Tapestry
Flowers:Â The Informal Florist
Hair:Â Sian Sharkey
Reception Music:Â Craddog
The Wedding Details
- Ceremony: Fitzwilliam Square
- Reception: House Dublin
- Wedding Dress: Cymbeline
- Bridesmaids dresses: J.Crew, Watters, Jenny Yoo
- Shoes: Cole Haan
- Groom’s tux: J.Crew
- Groomen’s suits: J.Crew, Brooks Brothers, Zara
- Cake: The Cake Stand
- Stationery: William Arthur
- Make Up: Clare Hogan
- Ceremony Music: Stefan O’Reilly on bagpipes
