When you're practically bursting with excitement about your wedding, it can be hard to pull back on the details and keep things simple, but if anything will inspire you to refine your style, it's the real wedding we're sharing today! US couple Kelly and Paddy chose a colour palette of deliciously smoky dove greys for their 2019 destination wedding in Ireland, which was hosted at Mount Juliet Estate in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. From the stationery, to the bridesmaids dresses, to the table linen, this timeless theme was so beautifully executed. An epic flower arch by Bella Botanica took things to the next level, but when you see the images by Molly Carr Photography, I think you'll agree that the overall effect is really effortless!

For this couple, a destination wedding in Ireland was inevitable! “Paddy and I first travelled to Ireland with Paddy’s family shortly after first meeting," Kelly says. "It's a trip I will always treasure, both because it cemented my relationship with Paddy, and introduced me to the people I now call family. When we got engaged, it was clear that we needed to return to the place where we first fell so deeply in love for our wedding!"

Kelly tells us that stationery was a top priority for the couple. "Shasta Bell’s beautiful paperie is exactly what I had always dreamed of. It set the tone of our wedding, from the blind-embossed Save the Dates to the hand-calligraphed place cards. She perfectly captured the elegant, garden theme of our wedding in her personalised sketch of Mount Juliet. It rained during our ceremony, but someone thoughtfully grabbed few of the rain-marked wedding programmes and put them in our room. One is now framed in our house and will always be a treasured keepsake."

How pretty are the blue-grey and grey shades of these BHLDN bridesmaids dresses!? Kelly invited her bridesmaids to each choose their own gown from the brand, a system that really paid off!

When it came time to look at venues, the couple had a couple of boxes that they wanted ticked. "Our primary considerations were finding a place that captured the history and tradition of Ireland, showcased the beautiful countryside and fostered intimacy among our guests," Kelly says. "Mount Juliet was an easy choice."

We weren't kidding about that floral arch! Kelly tells us that it was the biggest splurge in the wedding and worth every last penny. "I love Bella Botanica's elegant, yet organic floral designs. She took my Instagram flower arch inspiration and created a ceremony site that took our breath away. I was so worried about not having a floral trial before the big day, but her taste is impeccable and it was better than I could ever have imagined."

The key to this couple's success was hiring the right wedding planner to help them coordinate their celebration. Kelly tells us, "Michelle from Waterlily Weddings was an absolute gem and the experience wouldn’t have been possible with out her. (I actually cried after we interviewed her!) She was indispensable in both curating our amazing Irish vendors, and executing our perfect day. Michelle went above and beyond to help plan all the events surrounding our wedding, including a Guinness Storehouse Tour, welcome party at a local Dublin pub and a rehearsal dinner on the estate grounds, all for 75 international guests."

Kelly chose a sleek and minimal gown by Jenny Yoo for the big day. This is one of those bridal looks that simply won't date!

Although the couple were keen to have an authentic Irish wedding, they were sure to include a couple of extra special touches from home! "Tugboat-shaped macarons were one of the small ways I tried to bring a little bit of my hometown to Ireland," Kelly says. "The green tugboat, the unofficial symbol of my hometown of Leland, Michigan, was hand-painted by Cupcakes and Counting, on white macarons left at each guest’s place setting. I loved this little pop of Leland in our otherwise-traditional Irish wedding."

The visual elements of the day were overseen by Mishy from Waterlily Weddings. "She helped us to create the vision for the day and really helped me personalise our wedding from across the pond. Mishy has both flawless taste and gave excellent advice on what to splurge and what to save on. My absolute favourite design choices were the florals, paper goods and tug macarons."

Vintage-inspired grey table linens and white floral arrangements are such a foolproof combination!

Asked to choose a highlight from the big day, Kelly names the atmosphere created when she, Paddy, and their 75 guests descended upon Mount Juliet. "My favourite thing about our wedding was how personal and intimate the whole weekend was," she says. "From the heartfelt speeches from my brother, Joe Pendergast, and Paddy’s friend, Will Murphy, during the ceremony, to professional piano man and close friend, Benan Avci, playing classic sing-a-long numbers late into the night and, yes, even the rain, we just felt overwhelmed with love. I wish I could relive every moment!"

Before we leave you, we've got to say a huge thank you to Kelly and Paddy for sharing their gorgeous day with us, and to Molly Carr for providing the amazing imagery! You'll find even more detailed photographs from their wedding in the gallery below.