Today's real wedding, by Photos by Annie, is pretty much a lesson in chic, understated vintage style. Cork couple, Brian & Vivienne married with a personalised church wedding (Vivienne's own gospel choir sang her up the aisle!) and a pretty vinyl-clad reception at Inish Beg Estate. From the dresses (both the bride and the bridesmaids look fab!) and the suits, to the repurposed gramophone and the clever centrepieces, there are subtle throwback touches dotted throughout, with details carefully put-together by the couple and their ever-helpful friends and family. Oh and wait 'til you read about how Brian proposed... Let's just say these two had one of their very own, "Glory Days"!
The couple met over 11 years ago at a pal’s 21st, “We were both very aware of each other and finally the stars aligned and by chance we met on a night out in Cork. We instantly clicked and the romance blossomed from there!”
Vivienne having the pre-wedding chats with Morgan the dog.
Brian & Vivienne have a pretty cool proposal story. Brian surprised his bride-to-be with tickets to Bruce Springsteen in Dublin. “The sun was splitting the stones and the atmosphere was electric. During Brian’s favourite song The River he proposed!It was so romantic and a moment I will never forget! It was absolutely perfect!”
These baby blue bridesmaids' dresses are so chic!
Brian & Vivienne say their wedding day was better than they’d ever imagined, “We enjoyed every minute of it and never laughed and smiled so much! It was the best day of our lives! The beautiful weather definitely helped and we were so lucky the sun shone all day for us! We wanted a very relaxed and romantic vibe. We had made a lot of the décor ourselves with the help of our wonderful family and friends.”
For Brian & Vivienne having their friends and family involved, made their day doubly special, “All those involved in the ceremony were friends of ours including Fr.John O’ Donovan and the Frankfield Gospel Choir and this meant so much to us. My brother helped to design our wedding invitations and did a superb job! Our parents were so involved, from making the wedding cake to knitting the cardigans for our pageboys and flower girl. We couldn’t have done it without them. Our friends did beautiful artwork and the bridal party went above and beyond to help us set up the day before and ma
The couple say they knew the venue was ‘the one’ the moment they set foot in Irish Beg, “Inish Beg is the most beautiful and picturesque woodland setting with spectacular views over the river Ilen, a magnificent walled garden, a cherry avenue and orchard that are picture perfect and three stunning ponds that are like something from a fairytale! The owners Paul and Georgina Keane and manager Josephine were an absolute pleasure to deal with.”
Vivienne says it’s important to try not to get overwhelmed amid all the organising, “It can be easy to get carried away but you need to think of the bigger picture and not to get too stressed about the finer details. Take it step by step and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
These two say their first priority was their family and friends, “It meant so much to us that people travelled from near and far to be with us on our special day. We wanted everyone to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Inish Beg, great food and drink and to have an enjoyable day and night!”
The couple went for a rustic vintage feel for their decoration, with wild flowers, a lace tablecloth, a gramophone and vinyl record centrepieces. “We bought items from Mother Jones Flea Market in Cork and gathered old jars and wine corks to complete the table centrepieces. My father was busy making homemade easels and made the amazing table plan using old pallets, moss and natural wood slices.”
The couple had trip of a lifetime on their honeymoon in South Africa, “We travelled from Cape Town to Kenton-On-Sea over two weeks, stopping off in the most beautiful towns and villages on our way. We finished our holiday with a safari in Kariega Game Reserve which was amazing. I would highly recommend South Africa for the fabulous scenery, friendly people, amazing culture and exquisite food. We booked it through Travel Counsellors and they were a pleasure to deal with.
So much prettiness! Thanks so much Brian & Vivienne for letting us in on their beautiful Inish Beg wedding. And to Photos by Annie for sharing her candid shots of the day.
