What do you get when you combine a sparkling colour palette and dreamy bridal style with a Christmas country house celebration? The beautiful winter wedding of Laura & Henry! These two could think of no more perfect place than the groom's family-owned Westport House to tie the knot, and when they added Laura’s incredible Enzoani and Marchesa for Pronovias wedding gowns, this absolute beauty of a day completely stole our hearts - helped aplenty by the photography of the day captured by Wonder & Magic. It was a day that embodied every bit of old-world romance, and a day full of sweet moments and jaw-dropping details that bring to life their magical winter wedding celebration.
Mayo couple Laura and Henry's love story began where lots of great Irish love stories begin; The Pub! Laura kindly tells us more, "We met in a pub in Westport and got on really well from the very start; suddenly the hours had flown by and the late bar was closing! Even though we grew up 10 minutes from each other, because Henry had went to boarding school and I had moved around the country working as a doctor, we only met by chance as I had moved to Mayo University Hospital for work 4 weeks before that."
The couples wedding stationery represented their love story so far and gave guests a sneak peek into their day. Laura tells us more about the bespoke design. "We adored our stationary. It featured us in Westport House with our doggie Cara who couldn’t attend the wedding even though we would have so loved her to be there but she is so hyper she would have been jumping all over people so we made sure to include her on our invites! Till Dawn Dear captured her perfectly. The illustrations were just so detailed and perfect and captured our essence perfectly. The attention to detail that she put in was stunning, she had the name of the pub for our first date on a signpost, a saxophone because Henry plays one, and a little stethoscope to represent my profession."
The proposal happened in June 2022 when Henry popped the question while the pair were visiting the Giant’s Causeway in Antrim. "We celebrated with champagne in the Observatory Bar in The Grand Central Hotel in Belfast with stunning views over the city."
The pair celebrated their wedding on the 30th December 2022, followed by a New Years Eve day-two celebration the following day.
Laura's jaw-dropping first gown of the day gown is by designer Enzoani which she sourced at Brummell and Co. bridal boutique in Athlone. "I adore dresses and one of the most special memories of our wedding was going dress shopping with my Mum- I had two dresses for Day 1; and two dresses for day 2. I loved them all so much. The main dress which I wore for the ceremony was really special and Mum and I adored it. I fell in love with it- the shimmer and cut and detail was incredible."
If there was one phrase we’d use to describe Laura and Henry'’s wedding, we’d probably just outright steal Laura’s apt description; "a Christmas Wedding with a winter wonderland feel". Laura also says, "I always wanted a Christmas Wedding - elegant and fun with really good food and free-flowing champagne!"
And the perfect venue for their winter wonderland celebration? The incredible Westport House which is owned by the groom's family. Laura tells us more about their gorgeous venue choice, "Westport House is a venue that is close to both of our hearts all our lives. Growing up in Westport and having fond childhood memories of walking around the grounds of Westport House, our childhood memories are full of days spent there. Henry’s family came to own Westport House in recent years so we were blessed to have the opportunity to celebrate our wedding there as it holds so much sentimentality and nostalgia for us both. Westport House itself is beautiful and steeped with so much wonderful history, while the grounds are stunning. Till Dawn Dear captured this perfectly on our stationary which we adored."
For both the bride and groom, their priority from the very beginning was that guests would have great fun from beginning to end. "We wanted a wedding where every part of it was special and unique; not only for us but for the guests too."
They also wanted the occasion to be an acknowledgement of the love and support of their families. "We were so blessed to have our families with us for our special day, and this was the most important thing to us. This became a very cherished memory as Henry’s beautiful mother Deirdre passed away shortly after our wedding."
Laura and Henry said 'I Do' at in the historic Ballintubber Abbey where they had a gorgeous, music-filled ceremony organised by the Groom's brother and best man Richard who is a Musical Director. Laura tells us, "Henry’s brother Richard arranged all our church music and played the organ and piano. It was incredibly special to us and our families. Maeve, my Maid of Honour, sang “Songbird” accompanied by Richard on the organ, and it was amazing. Henry’s sisters’ Orla and Stephanie also sang Auld Lang Syne. Richard also did a special arrangement of Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere” as our Recessional Song leaving Ballintubber Abbey and we loved it."
The bridesmaids wowed in glittering silver sequin dresses by Maya Deluxe, while the groom and his groomsmen looked equally dapper in tuxes from Bond Brothers.
This is what every December wedding needs - oodles of sparkle!
After the ceremony the couple held a champagne reception in Westport House for their guests before moving to the marquee on the grounds for dinner and dancing.
We can only imagine the jaws dropping when guests arrived at the venue!
The couple tell us Tara Fay Events helped shape the aesthetic for the day but the colour scheme was inspired by the bride's dress. "What inspired the colour theme was the silver shimmer from my dress. We went with a silver and black theme for the venue décor with silver crushed velvet linens, silver disco balls, giant silver lamp shades and a candle lit stage back drop."
The walk to the wedding banquet was adorned with flowers and the guests walked through fireworks en route, a memory the bride will never forget, "walking through them into the marquee is one of my most special memories of the day - Wonder and Magic captured this beautifully".
Oh to be a guest at this wedding!
Guests were gifted individual Christmas baubles personalised with their names done in hand calligraphy.
"We wanted our guests to enjoy the day and soak up the atmosphere at the unique setting on the grounds of Westport House. We had two amazing bands that really made the atmosphere - Manila Strings who played during dinner and Spring Break who came on for the dancing. They were both amazing."
The couple heap praise upon their photographers Emmylie and Richard from Wonder & Magic. They tell us, Wonder and Magic captured our day beautifully and we would 1000% recommend them. Our pictures are stunning; the pictures of us on the stairs in Westport House are amongst my favourite even though it is hard to choose."
"The Speech my Dad did as Father of the Bride really touched my heart and is a memory I hold dear; it was very precious to me."
Laura's second gown is a Marchesa for Pronovias show-stopper which she picked up at Bella Sposa. "My second dress I had spotted in a wedding magazine and I fell head over heels in love with it- it was from the Marchesa for Pronovias Collection and proved extremely difficult to track down. It was looking like the only supplier was Kleinfeld’s in New York and my mum is terrified of flying. But luckily, after the type of exhaustive search only a woman on a mission could achieve I located it in a bridal shop in London! I already had my first dress at this stage but had the flights booked and the hotel as I only found my first dress the week previous so by the time Mum and I went over I tried it on and Mum encouraged me to get it as a second dress or I would regret it! So I ended up changing into it for the first dance and I loved it!"
The couple's first dance was to Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. "One of our first holidays to the states was a West Coast road trip and while we where there this song won the Oscar so it was constantly on the radio and we loved it!"
So after celebrating in such incredible style, what words of wisdom do the couple have to share? "It sounds like a cliché but try to enjoy the lead up, as the time goes so quickly on the day. Also don’t stress the small stuff, the day goes perfectly and it is the best day of your life so soak it up and enjoy it as much as you can." We second that!
After the celebrations the pair jetted off on a well deserved honeymoon to Crete. "We went to Stella Island in Crete and it was incredible! We would highly recommend it!"
Huge thanks to Laura and Henry for sharing their incredible wedding with us, it was such a treat! And of course to Wonder & Magic for sharing the beautiful images. We won't forget this fabulous winter bash in a hurry!
