A vintage inspired wedding with a stunning bespoke wedding dress.

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Our laid back real wedding pair Sandra and Dara got engaged and then did very little planning until the engagement of a friend spurred them into planning mode. With a summer 2015 date, set they decided upon a casual vintage theme - "Dara was casual, Sandra was vintage." Incorporating muted tones of lavender with a stunning bespoke vintage inspired wedding dress, this ceremony at The Lodge at Ashford Castle by Tomasz Kornas combines the very best of both worlds. Now just wait until you see the scenic portraits...

The Lodge at Ashford wedding by Tomasz Kornas | onefabday.com

Sandra and Dara met in 2005 while studying for a Masters in Archaeology in NUI Galway. Sandra tells their tale..."We had managed to do a degree in Archaeology for 3 years and never met but we ended up sharing an office while researching for our theses. We were friends first and got together in 2007. We graduated on the same day in 2008."

Six years later on New Years Day Dara proposed, Sandra remembers..."We got engaged on New Year's Day 2014 in Amsterdam while we were away over Christmas. It was quiet in the city and we went to the Rijksmuseum in the morning and then went for a walk around the city. We walked to the Vondelpark and towards one of the bandstands (which turned out to be locked!) Dara changed plan, got down on one knee and popped the question. It was a complete shock for me as we had never talked about getting married despite being together for 7 years at that stage! Dara had only told one person about his plan and that was our future best man Neil. He advised him to have a promise ring and to leave the choice of engagement ring to the bride! We chose a 1920s art deco ring from Tempo Antiques in Galway when we arrived back home."

From the start Sandra and Dara decided they wanted their wedding day to be relaxed, with Dara adamant he would not wear a traditional tie or bowtie with his suit. Sandra's 1920's engagement ring then added a subtle vintage theme to proceedings.

After getting ready at home Sandra was brought to the church ceremony in a classic 1974 MG Roadster, which they hired on a self drive basis so Dara could drive them to their venue later.

The church ceremony was decorated with aromatic lavender, and flowers put together by Sandra's aunt and mother. One of Dara's colleagues then took care of the church music, making the ceremony a real team effort and super personalised.

How picture perfect is Sandra's gorgeous hair?

To compliment her vintage engagement ring Sandra chose to have a bespoke vintage inspired wedding dress made which she accessorised beautifully with a vintage brooch in her hair and a dainty pair of vintage earrings.

The Lodge at Ashford wedding by Tomasz Kornas | onefabday.com ..

Sandra's equally stylish bridesmaids wore bridesmaid dresses in muted hues of purple and matching pearl necklaces which Sandra gifted them on the day.

To match the relaxed vibe of their wedding day Sandra and Dara chose photographer Tomasz Kornas, who captured each moment in the exact style they wanted. She told us,"Tomasz was such a pleasure to work with. He was so easy going, relaxed and friendly and it was easy to work with him. He was such a gentleman and extremely professional. He did his homework and scoped out the venue before hand which meant that we made the most of the venue. Not only were we impressed with him, but the guests commented on his friendly, laid back manner. From the minute we met him, he took on board what we wanted, offered advice, and most importantly created amazing pictures. The pictures are beautiful and we are so delighted that we chose Tomasz to capture our day."

Their venue of choice was the gorgeous The Lodge at Ashford Castle, which Sandra and Dara decorated with lots of DIY details. Sandra remembers..."We chose to do a lot ourselves: invitations, menus, table numbers, favours, jars for the tables, picture displays, mass booklets, signs, church flowers, which was a bit ambitious. It was a bit frenzied in the two weeks before the wedding. We had a lot of lists!! But we got there in the end."

Such beautiful surroundings for portraits...

To fully remember the day Dara's cousin thoughtfully acted as videographer, recording each detail for Sandra and Dara to cherish as a memento in years to come.

As a final DIY detail Sandra and Dara created a memory wall with old family pictures hanging in wooden frames. Sandra explains..."We had a display of old pictures from both families which was a great talking point among the family members. Dara made two frames. We scanned the pictures and printed them in FujiFilm in Galway and used mini pegs to hang them." A very simple idea to replicate, and a great way to incorporate family who can't make it on the day.

After lots of dancing and many cheers Sandra and Dara escaped away on honeymoon to Isola del Giglio and Venice, Italy. Huge congratulations to you both and thanks so much for sharing your The Lodge at Ashford Castle wedding with us all. A big thank you also goes to Tomasz Kornas for sharing his work with us, to see more from Tomasz Kornas visit www.tomaszkornas.com