Saying your vows on a lawn in West Cork under blue skies and blazing sunshine, when it comes to a wedding in Ireland does anything sound better than that? I absolutely love Ireland and think it's one of the most beautiful countries in the world, come hail, rain or shine. But when that sun does shine it's incredible. So it's hard not to be a little envious of today's couple Linda and Bryan who got one wowser day in Cork for their I dos. Honestly it couldn't have happened to a nicer couple and the stylish bash they threw is one to inspire Summer 2014 couples - it's so pretty. The flower-bedecked outdoor ceremony and elegant vintage drinks reception took place in Ballinacurra, a hidden gem just outside Kinsale, and SOSAC Photography was there to capture it for all time.
Have you ever seen the movie Sliding Doors? You know the story (probably) Gwyneth Paltrow misses a train and her life takes different (and slightly turbulent) path,ultimately leading her to find love with John Hannah the sweetest man alive (spoiler - sorry!). You're wondering why I'm telling you this? Well Linda and Bryan's get-together is basically straight out of that movie, it just involved a cheeky pint or two instead as Linda explained how it happened "Kinsale Rugby weekend 2006, myself and my friends Jo and Mylie were on our way up to have some fun at the rugby pitch, we were getting on the bus and Mylie changed his mind and said he wanted a drink in the greyhound bar first! Myself and Jo tottered after him into the pub to get out of the rain. And there was Bryan, up at the bar; chatting up a girl! Pretty soon he was over chatting to us as he knew my friends and we hit it off immediately. First kiss followed later on that night and we were inseparable within a week!"
A lot of romancing and two little boys later, Bryan finally got one over on Linda and planned a sneaky proposal. Trickster Bryan led Linda to believe she was in charge of their afternoon walk, but he had the plan down to a tee as Linda told us "We were en route to Kerry for a night away when we stopped at Glengarriff to take a stroll. Bryan insisted it was all my doing at the time. He led me to believe going for a walk was all my idea and even let me think I was choosing our route! Little did I know he knew the exact spot that he wanted to propose and was leading me subconsciously. It was very special and a complete surprise."
Linda managed to look supremely elegant and also very relaxed in her stunning Jenny Packham wedding gown, which she got at Sharon Hoey's boutique in Dublin. The floaty ethereal skirt was perfect for the relaxed summer celebration the pair had planned (wait till you see the reception - gorgeous). Linda added a bit of sparkle in her shoes and accessories to match the jewelled belt of her gown and complemented her elegant bridal look with a bouquet straight out of a country garden.
Bryan's good friend BT has a VW Camper van and he surprised Bryan with it as his transport to the ceremony. This was extra-special for Bryan as he had helped BT restore it a few years ago so it was a really lovely touch to have on the day.
Bryan and Linda may be the luckiest Irish couple of last year getting married on one of those memorable hot summer days ( I think we managed a few weeks of bliss in 2013) the pair planned an outdoor ceremony and they lucked out of the day. If you're planning the same make sure to have a Plan B, just incase the Irish weather takes a turn last minute.
As you can see Linda and Byran didn't have to worry about the rain, the sun shone brightly the whole day and made the beautiful ceremony decor look even better.
Accompanied by her Mum, Linda's aisle was an acre of glossy green lawn to where the guests patiently waited, baking under an almost unseasonably fine sky...
The couple sure were lucky with the weather (anyone reading this who hasn't been to Ireland- we are just this obsessed with the weather, we talk about it incessantly) and they really appreciated it, "The weather strangely made such a difference to our day. Having the civil ceremony outside in a garden in 30° in Ireland was like a dream come true. It was as if people were at a wedding abroad but most had only travelled a few minutes. It made for a very special day with all our closest friends and family. Both our godmothers had flown from the States along with more family and that was incredibly special to us. Plus one of my best friends came home from Australia and arrived at my house the night before the wedding as a surprise! It's so special when people come home for your wedding."
What an amazing ceremony, you can't plan that type of weather! Congrats you two!
The setting for all glorious day was Ballinacurra outside Kinsale in Co. Cork, and it was love at first sight for Linda and Bryan when it came to choosing their wedding venue "Once you lay your eyes on Ballinacurra you will understand why it was the one. It is a beautiful house with amazing grounds, wonderful staff, beautiful food and it was just 10 minutes from home!" Not everyone is lucky enough to keep it so local, but when you've somewhere fab on the doorstep it sure does make a difference.
The pair added a few old school touches to their outdoor drinks reception (imagine - the dream of drinking on the lawn came true) with pretty floral teacups and plates, champagne coupes, lemonade from glass drink dispensers and fresh cherries served in paper bags as canapes - a real summer garden party menu!
All of this was exactly what the couple had in mind for their day - "We wanted a fun casual day out for us and our two boys. We had been through a tough couple of years and we just wanted to celebrate our family unit. That was the feel, look and vibe we were after, a celebration of the love the four of us have for each other.We wanted to enjoy our day and we wanted our day to represent us as a family. We didn't want to get lost in the organising and drama that can take over a wedding. At 6 weeks to go we said " Right let's start enjoying every second from now" and we did just that."
Ballinacurra's resident furry friend even got in on the action too. Cheeky pup!
After a little mingling, the couple and wedding party departed for a wander around the estate for those all-important pics. Hope sun lotion was on hand.
We've seen lots of pretty pink blush bridesmaid dresses lately, but while Linda chose a pastel, her bridesmaids looked chic in lilac - light and summery, the perfect colour for the sun-kissed day.
Meanwhile the boys went for some bright blue, Bryan's three-piece Reiss suit is dapper and relaxed the right combination to complement Linda's Jenny Packham gown.
After a lot of fun in the sun for Linda, Bryan and their guests, it was dinner time and the bell chimed...
Flowers were a huge element of Linda and Bryan's decor from the outdoor drinks reception to the indoor dinner reception, including the cake made by a friend. The talented bunch (get it!) behind the beautiful floral arrangements were Hanako Flowers and in a cute touch the pair named their tables after flowers.
For the reception, Linda and Bryan combined lots of love and family fun with beautiful blooms, vintage touches and handcrafted signage to create their perfect summer soiree and we think it looked like one fab party "Remember less is more. When you start planning you will love so many details you see online but remember you can overdo it, just choose what you really like and go with that. Also, flowers make a big statement!" A lady after our own hearts - thanks lovely Linda!
Huge congrats to Linda and Bryan
and a huge Thank you goes to Shane of SOSAC Photography for sharing his work with us at One Fab Day. To see more of Shane's work pop over to www.sosacphotography.com.
All The Wedding Details
- Venue: Ballinacurra house
- Wedding Dress: Jenny Packham at Sharon Hoey
- Bridesmaids dresses: Coast
- Shoes: Dune
- Flowers: Hanako Flowers
- Groomsmen suits: Reiss
- Accessories: Earrings from Links of London, bracelet by Jenny Packham at Knightsbridge
- Stylist: Pearl & Godiva
- Stationery: Elasnik Kinsale
- Make Up & Hair: Jennifer Keating & Up Style Junkie
- Wedding Bands: Collage
- Ceremony/Reception Music: The Merry Stems Trad band
