As an Irish wedding blog, every day we show how amazing a wedding in Ireland can be, so how on earth do we rise to the occasion of St. Patrick's Day? Well today we meet the challenge and bring you the ultimate destination wedding in Ireland - the absolute dream of an Irish wedding - a wedding ceremony on the Cliffs of Moher!  Jason and Lauren embraced all things Irish when they decided to get married, the ceremony photographs by Bernard Carolan Photography will blow you away (excuse the pun!) and the sweet and intimate celebration will have you dreaming of an elopement to Ireland yourself. Happy St.Patrick's Day everybody!

Jason and Lauren's get together is a great lesson to people to never judge a book by its cover! While first impressions go along way there is a lot to a person that may just take time to discover, you never know what you could be missing...Jason and I met for the first time at a mutual friend Cathy's send-off party in August of 2011. I had just moved to Atlanta and only knew Cathy and one other close girlfriend while Jason had been hanging out with that group for a while. Honestly when I first noticed Jason sitting in the kitchen, I thought he looked like a beach bum because was very tan and way overdue for a haircut! I found out later that he was actually working on his PhD in Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. I really laugh about that now because I totally had him pegged for a California surfer dude that had gotten lost in Georgia...

As the evening progressed I noticed Jason was being particularly attentive to me throughout the night, which was flattering. And I thought he was pretty cute, but it took me a while to take it seriously, he eventually won me over before the end of the evening due to lots of little chivalrous gestures he made towards not only me, but also my friend. The partied went on until the next morning and while I had to remind Jason that he'd asked for my number, he was still genuinely interested in seeing me again.The next weekend we went on a casual dinner date and ended up staying at the restaurant for almost 4 hours! And no, there was no alcohol to drag the evening out – this was just straight up great conversation and a good date. I remember getting home that night and it was the first time I had gone on a date where I felt like calling my mom afterwards and telling her how great things had gone. We’ve been together ever since.

Jason and Lauren had been talking about getting engaged, so it was going to be tough make it a surprise. So Jason decided to do it on Valentine’s Day, reasoning that such a obvious day would throw Lauren off the scent, though she still harboured some suspicions. To start, he picked her up and took her off on a Valentine’s Day tour of Atlanta’s Botanical Gardens. In such an idyllic setting, Lauren was convinced he was about to propose at every turn, but Jason had a plan up his sleeve for later on that night, that even his sharp-as-a-tack bride wouldn't be able to figure out.  "It wasn’t until the end of dinner that night (around 10:30, so very late in our date) that he proposed. And before I go any further, if you haven’t seen the movie “Ted” with Mark Wahlberg about the grown guy with a teddy bear for a best friend, I will need to explain. Jason had decided to emulate a scene from that movie where Wahlberg’s girlfriend thinks he’s about to propose and he disappoints her with a pair of earrings. So as Jason and I were finishing dessert he brought out a little red box tied with a cream ribbon and handed it to me across the table. I laughed immediately because I knew the scene of the movie very well, as I was appalled for the girlfriend's character when we watched it and told Jason to never make a mistake like that. I jokingly said “These better not be earrings!” and of course when I opened them they were art deco style pearl studs. I was still laughing and had concluded at this point he was just being super-sweet for the holiday and there would be no proposal that night. But when I looked back up at him from admiring the earrings, he was holding out the engagement ring across the table and said, “Is this what you were hoping for?” Then he asked me to marry him. Apparently all of the restaurant staff were in on it and waiting around to take pictures – I didn’t even notice, though!

Lauren's wedding dress is absolutely stunning. The art deco style and beautiful beading is incredible, it's one of those showstoppers that comes around but rarely, and the story of how she came to wear it has a touch of serendipity about it... "After trying a few different shops and never seeing something that was both unique and classic, I finally found my gown at "Bridals by Lori" in Atlanta - this is the boutique where they film the TV show, "Say Yes to the Dress". I was lucky to have my appointment the same day that the boutique was hosting a trunk show for the designer, Lazaro. Not only did I find the perfect dress for me, but I was also able to meet the designer and be assisted by the entire team that I always see on television. And before I left, Lazaro himself made a sketch of the dress for me. It was a very lucky day!" Now that's what you call a wedding gown.

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The style of our day was eclectic –inspired by modern, art deco vintage, bohemian and nature. And there were a lot of noticeable contrasts because of the mix, which I think made the day so special and perfect for us. My Lazaro gown was the perfect blend of artistic detail I was looking for, classic lines that my mom wanted, and an art deco style that I knew Jason would like. So when I found that one I just went with my gut, even though it wasn’t what I had envisioned. And I think it ended up being a beautiful contrast with our setting at the cliffs. Alternatively my bridesmaids’ dresses all had a stronger bohemian feel to them – I loved all of those dresses too.

A wedding on the Cliffs of Moher is the dream of many an Irish-American, but not many manage to make it happen - in Lauren's case, this was a plan a decade in the making, as she explained "I originally told my dad over 10 years ago that I wanted to get married at the Cliffs of Moher. We were on a family vacation in Ireland and it was the most beautiful place I had been. We have travelled a lot, but there is something about Ireland and the Cliffs that put my heart and mind at peace like no other place. My family went back to Ireland a second time and again to the Cliffs of Moher. Both visits were before they constructed the new park and the walls and we were able to get close to the edge of the cliffs. It was that setting I had in my memory. At some point while dating I must have mentioned to Jason that was where I would love to get married, but I never expected something like that to actually happen. Then when we started talking about getting married, he said he would like a destination wedding and suggested the Cliffs of Moher. That conversation sent me spinning and took my breath away, I couldn’t believe something I had dreamed about like that would actually happen. It was Jason’s first time to Ireland and I was really excited to share that experience with him. 

There were a few options for the extact location of the ceremony on the Cliffs of Moher, but the pair decided (that morning) that Hag's Head was to be the exact spot... It was remote, but accessible with a bit more effort and adventure.  The views at Hags Head were exactly what we wanted; and the tower was untouched and we appreciated its character.We were just nervous about making everyone (including my 80 year old grandmother) make the hike. But everyone was supportive, and they just packed their tennis shoes in their tote bags and the owner of Gregan's Castle Hotel let us borrow a little stepladder. Michelle our planner, was able to work some serious magic and locate the owner of the farmland, so he agreed to open most of the gates so we could take the cars up as close as possible to the site. If the gates hadn’t been opened, everyone (including me in my dress) would have had to climb over 4 stone walls and 2 fences." And as you can see, even with the gates open, it's still an arduous trek, the Cliffs are wild and wonderful but not for the faint-hearted. But these guests were well prepared - what a glorious sight they are, the gorgeous ladies in vintage fur stoles, to keep the breeze at bay, looked glamorous even when climbing over stone walls - hats off to you all!

The trek was definitely more than worth it, for an epic vista, and an aisle like no other.

Ultimately for Lauren and Jason, the priority was to have an intimate and special ceremony that was memorable and enjoyable. Jason said from the beginning that he wanted to be able to enjoy his wedding and make memories with our loved ones on that special day. So we knew we wanted something less formal and more personal. We welcomed the unpredictable, to an extent, because it let us really live in the moment the whole day. We definitely got what we asked for!

We wanted our whole wedding to be unique and just ourselves and close friends and family, we only had a total of 14 people including us, because of this I felt we were able to enjoy the entire day with everyone who was there. I constantly had my family and Jason’s family in and out of my suite as I got ready that day, that was wonderful to being able to visit with everyone throughout the day.

Lauren brought butterfly rice to use as confetti and they floated in the air long after the guests had thrown them.

Lauren and Jason really got into the Irish swing of things, adopting a few of our traditions, one hilarious one, featuring a little statue well-known to Irish brides... "Months before the trip, my Aunt Virginia informed us about the Child of Prague and the claim that setting out a Child of Prague overnight before your wedding day will ward off rain. We knew we needed all the luck we could get for good weather, so we bought a small Child of Prague statue and set it outside my bridal suite in the garden at Gregans Castle Hotel, facing it in the direction of the cliffs. I truly believe in that little guy now because we used him again the day of our wedding reception at home in Atlanta. The rain stopped 2 hours before our outdoor event!"

Don't know about you but these photos are making me want to take a trip to the Cliffs of Moher myself, what an incredible backdrop for your wedding photographs.

After all that hiking and being blown around, Lauren's mum had a little luxurious surprise in store for the couple - having booked a wedding car and chauffeur, and the couple were treated to another Irish wedding tradition that was a wonderfully special experience because driving through small Irish towns is completely different than here in the United State, especially in a big town like Atlanta. People on the streets stopped, smiled and waved at us. We felt like we were in a parade or something!" We've a real soft spot for a wedding in this part of the world - we're just suckers for a great love story.

Lauren's bridesmaid dresses were from Ebay, Bluefly and Piperlime. All of the bridesmaids wore different dresses, Lauren picked each one of them out herself to make sure they coordinated  and added a few leather sashes to further coordinate the many different looks. Only Lauren's Maid of Honor and one bridesmaid made the trip to Ireland but she had 7 bridesmaids at her reception in Atlanta, so mix and matching was key, a trend we are found of at One Fab Day. Did you se our Bridesmaids in Patterns post a couple of weeks ago, it will give you tonnes of ideas for an alternative bridesmaid look, that Lauren's ladies carried off so well.

Destination weddings are a huge undertaking, even without heading to the top of a cliff to say I do, so Jason and Lauren should have some sage words of wisdome for any other couples planning on a destination wedding in Ireland.  "My two strongest pieces advice would be to stay true to what you and your fiancé want and make sure you are communicating effectively with one another while planning. Jason had more opinions than I expected him to have about our wedding. It was great because it meant he actually cared and wanted to enjoy the experience; but I also had to learn to listen, interpret and understand what his vision was. Since he was letting me call most of the shots it was important that I keep his priorities in mind as well. Also, while Jason and I were planning, there were so many people – family, best friends – giving us advice and opinions. Of course most was good advice and made with good intentions, but I think it can be difficult to find balance between what you want and what others are imparting on you. Decisions should be ones that you’re happy with and some decisions work better than others (for me it was my dress) but it is worth the extra time when you can be confident you’ve made the right choice."

A huge congratulations to Jason and Lauren on their stunning wedding day! A big Thank You goes to photographer Bernard Carolan and planner Michelle of Waterlily Weddings for sharing this incredible wedding with us at One Fab Day. To see more of Bernard's work pop over to www.bernardcarolan.com and to see more of Michelle's weddings check out waterlilyweddings.com.

The Wedding Details

• Ceremony: Hags Head
• Reception: Gregans Castle Hotel
• Photography: Bernard Carolan Photography
• Planner: Waterlily Weddings
• Wedding Dress & Veil: Lazaro at Bridals by Lori 
• Bridesmaids dresses: Ebay, Bluefly, Piperlime and Haute Hippie
• Shoes: Jimmy Choo "Bello" Wedge
• Flowers: Maddens Florists
• Stationery: Pretty as a Picture
• Groomsmen suits: Jos. A. Bank

• Blue sapphire bracelet: Edwards Silver Jewelry
• Choker necklace: True Alchemy Bridal
• Pendant: Creative ENCI
• Cake: Gregans Castle Hotel
• Car: We Do Limos/Pat McKenna
• Makeup: Caroline Coyne 
• Hair: The Hair Boutique 
• Wedding Bands: Diamond View
• Ceremony/Reception Music: Tommy Keane
• Confetti: Rice Butterflies