The real wedding we're sharing today is a seasonal celebration if ever we've seen one! The florals, the bridal style, and the colour palette are all inspired by the beauty of autumn, and, thankfully for South African bride Rebecca and Irish groom Barry, the weather was happy to oblige. On their big day at The Glucksman, UCC, and Fota Island Resort, they took full advantage of the lovely leaf fall in Co. Cork, with the help of one of our favourite wedding photographers, White Cat Studio. We can hardly wait to show you how these guys styled their big day, so let's get stuck in, shall we!?
The floral embroidery on Rebecca's dress, the rich berry colour palette, the enormous protea - there are so many things to love about this image!
The father-daughter first look photos always get me right in the feels!
Rebecca tells us that she met Barry during their first year in college. "We were part of the same group of friends," she explains. "Four years later, during our final exams, the penny dropped and we have been together ever since!"
Barry proposed on a midweek morning at Blackrock castle. "He somehow convinced me that 'work was cancelled'," Rebecca remembers. "He dragged me out of bed early in the morning for a coffee, and by 8am we were engaged!"
Rebecca describes the inspiration for the couple's big day as, “music, books, forest and family.”
I love how Rebecca and Barry used signage to address their (quite common!) ceremony space capacity issue. Sometimes you've gotta call on your guests to get creative!
The couple's number one priority in planning their wedding was making sure that the festivities represented their personalities. "We wanted our tastes and our interests to shine through. We threw out the 'traditional' wedding script, and built a personal wedding from the ground up. We wanted to celebrate our love of books, music, and art, and embrace the autumnal weather, colours and atmosphere."
The Glucksman Gallery at UCC was a no-brainer for this pair. "Having met in college, being able to go back there for our wedding was important," Rebecca says. "The Glucksman specifically was special to us because I studied History of Art in UCC, spending countless hours in the gallery both on project work and simply enjoying the wonderful exhibitions."
The couple's love of music was chanelled through two stand-out performances during the day. "Having the wedding during the annual International Jazz Festival in Cork made the day really special. We were able to have two amazing bands play, including a nine-piece brass band! We were also able to include our friends and family in the music during the ceremony, which was a very personal note in a musical day."
Doughnut hole canapés!? Why don't we see these at every wedding!?
With a little help from White Cat Studio, these guys really made the most of the autumnal landscape in their wedding portraits!
Rebecca's girls wore Watters bridesmaids dresses in a ravishingly rich shade of berry red, keeping warm with faux fur cover ups. No wonder they look so happy!
It's officially time to break down Rebecca's incredible bridal look, which featured a floral-embroidered, long-sleeved wedding dress by Watters. She accessorised with gold metallic sandals by L.K. Bennett, a delicate floral headpiece gifted by Barry's mum, and her great grandmother's pearl earrings. The result is a timeless take on boho style that we can see lots of brides pinning for inspiration!
Can you believe that these amazing, personalised cake toppers were handmade by Barry's mum!? I love that the family dogs, Izzy and Ruby, also make an appearance!
Rebecca's advice for engaged couples is to choose your suppliers wisely. "There are so many moving parts throughout the day, and having a team you trust and care about will get you through it. The day will go by in a flash, but having an amazing photographer (like we did!) will ensure that every important detail is captured. Their energy will also keep you going when you need it most."
How cool is Rebecca and Barry's literary table plan!? "We built our reception around our favourite books, with each one representing a different table," Rebecca says. "One of our close friends built us two beautiful bookshelves to use as table plans, and we were able to include a note in each book explaining why that book was important to us, giving a personal touch."
After the wedding, the couple jetted off to Amsterdam for a four-day minimoon. "It was only a short trip, but exactly what we needed to recharge our batteries!" Rebecca says. "We are currently planning the 'official' honeymoon, we'll be visiting my family in South Africa."
That's a wrap on Rebecca and Barry's big day! We've got to say a huge thank you to the couple for sharing their incredible wedding with us, and to White Cat Studio for providing the beautiful imagery. There are many, many more images in the gallery below, so be sure to click through for more autumnal gorgeousness!