Some venues just attract the coolest or most creative couples and The Carriage Rooms at Montalto Estate is one of those venues. The blank canvas setting draws in those looking to make their own stamp on their celebration, just like the pair in today's real wedding. Kathryn & Alex planned a wedding at the County Down venue with lots of great music, gorgeous florals and beautiful style. And despite having to shake things up when the weather didn't play ball for their outdoor ceremony, the whole celebration was doused with colour and summertime vibes. Adam And Grace Photography captured all the big smiles and thoughtful details...

All that colour - how gorgeous is the pairing of Kathryn's bouquet and flower crown!

Kathryn and Alex met at secondary school but they weren't quite high school sweethearts. “After attending the same secondary school for seven years, and despite being in the same year group and sharing several subject classes, we only met on the very last day of Upper Sixth in school. What followed was a tumultuous summer of romance… (joke!). What followed was a summer trying to arrange an actual first date, as we were both pretty booked up with summer camps and family holidays. Anyway, we finally arranged a date in a coffee house, and the rest, as they say, is history!”

Alexander picked Kathryn up one morning with a bunch of her favourite yellow roses and took her out for lunch, “We had a walk around Hillsborough lake and stopped at a tree which Alexander (with help from his twin) had set up with fairy lights and Champagne, where he popped the question,” Kathryn recalls. Afterwards the couple were greeted by some of Alexander’s family who were too excited to wait and hear how the proposal went! 

The gorgeous stationery suite was all designed Alex. What a talented groom - the marble with copper accents is so stylish! 

The couple tell us about the idea behind their colourful celebration, “We went for quite a bohemian feel for our wedding, and flowers, and pops of bright colours featured heavily in this. Copper, grey and marble were also integrated into our stationery and wedding cake. In terms of the feel of the day, it was summer vibes and ice cream stands all round!”

Lush foliage arrangements were littered with big, bright florals in pink and purple for maximum impact.

Apart from everything looking good, Kathryn and Alex say the music was really important to them, “We had some good friends who led the ceremony hymns, and the bridal party walked down the aisle to Ruth Corry playing Cosmic Love by Florence and the Machine on the harp, which was so dreamy. Most importantly though, it was so vital to us that our guests had a lovely day and were relaxed and well catered for throughout.”

Nothing like a post-ceremony treat - ice-cream is always appreciated!

Love the ditsy floral print in Alex's tie and pocket square, they tie in beautifully with his buttonhole and the rest of the flowers.

For Kathryn and Alex, their advice is to be both organised and flexible in your wedding planning, “We would have loved to have held our ceremony outdoors, but alas the weather didn’t turn out to be favourable. Our Plan B indoor ceremony room was just as lovely though.”

Isn't the crystal embellishment in Kathryn's wedding dress beautiful - it elevates the pretty silhouette to give her look a glamorous feel, fit for a bride!

It was Kathryn’s dad who actually found the venue for the couple. “My dad had been in the Carriage Rooms and Montalto House a few times previously with work functions, and had always said how fantastic a place it was, and how the catering was amazing. We viewed the Carriage Rooms, and decided we didn’t really need to look anywhere else! The staff were second to none, and the venue itself is the perfect balance between elegance and a relaxed feel.”

The marble and copper from the stationery was carried through to the cake!

The couple had 120 guests for their ceremony and dinner with another 60 joining for the evening festivities. 

The bride and groom say there are a lot of stand-out moments from their day, “Our vendors did an excellent job, Ruth’s harp playing really set the tone for the wedding, and having the ceremony and reception in the same venue meant the day had a great flow, as different aspects of the day took place in different areas. We also had so many comments about the food - Yellow Door were really unique with their catering! Having friends involved in so many aspects of the day - from ceremony music, to readings, prayers, and videography was so special to us as well.”

The sun came out for the couple to grab some photos with their wedding party.

The couple had their post-wedding wind-down with a honeymoon in Italy. “We jetted off to Sorrento, which is the most amazing place to chill and unwind after the stress of wedding planning! Cobbled side streets, amazing restaurants and the most breathtaking views… we’ll be back!”

Thanks so much to Kathryn and Alex for sharing their day with us, and thanks too to Adam & Grace Photography for documenting it all so beautifully.