Our real wedding couple Hannah and James travelled from Washington, DC to Dublin for their fairytale Luttrellstown Castle wedding. With its storybook façade, picture-perfect lake and surrounding lush parkland, the 15th-century castle made for an idyllic backdrop to their glorious celebration. Featuring a surprise fireworks display, a Celtic Handfasting ritual and a fabulous sequined reception outfit, this breathtaking wedding, captured by Paul McGinty Photography, is not to be missed!
Before jumping into their spectacular September wedding day, let's get to know the happy couple a bit more. The couple's worlds collided in a bar in Greensboro, North Carolina: "It doesn’t get any more classic than 'boy works at the bar, girl walks into the bar, and the rest is history!'"
Fast forward to the proposal, James chose the perfect opportunity to get down on one knee, on the day of Hannah's (whose dad is originally from Dublin and moved to America in the 80s) parents' annual neighbourhood St. Stephen's Day party. Knowing how special this day is to Hannah and her family, James surprised her at her family home and popped the question during a stroll along the beach later that day. With her closest friends and family awaiting their return: "The St. Stephen’s Day party turned into a surprise engagement party!"
Donning a gorgeous glittering tiara perfect for the castle setting, bride Hannah arrived in style at Luttrelstown Castle, which played host to Victoria and David Beckham's iconic 1999 wedding. Wearing a fabulous Rosa Clará floral appliquéd tulle gown, she made the way down the aisle holding a chic bouquet of long-stem white roses. "This was many of our guests first time to Ireland and visiting and celebrating in such a beautiful castle was an experience that will last a lifetime!"
Hannah and James' picture-perfect ceremony in the magnificent castle surrounds included a Celtic Hand-Fasting ritual preformed by their two closest friends. "I have so much family in Ireland, I love the idea of being able to visit the venue in the future and hopefully bring our future family by to tell them all about the incredible day we once had there years before!"
How stunning are Hannah's bridesmaids mix-and-match dresses in a medley of coordinating forest green shades. So fitting for the setting.
With so many guests making the long journey over to Ireland, from the outset Hannah and James prioritsed making sure their friends and family had a good time. "We really wanted to make sure that our guests had an experience that they would never forget. From making sure that the venue was convenient for our guests to get to, to making each and every person who was there feel special during our wedding. We really wanted to make sure that our guests felt our love and gratitude."
We're totally swooning over how dapper groom James looks in his slick white tuxedo jacket from Hugo Boss.
Hannah and James have this advice for anyone embarking on their own wedding planning journey: "Leading up to the wedding, be as organised as you possibly can so that on the day you don’t have to worry about any logistics. There were definitely some things that we had overlooked that I wish I had planned ahead for that would’ve made the day run a bit smoother before the ceremony. Also, remember that the day truly is about you. Relish in that. Let your friends and family do things for you. The more you can let go and stay in the moment, the better and more enjoyable the day will be."
Featuring personalised table names with customised illustrations of meaningful things and places to the couple, their fun-filled reception went on to include a first dance to an acoustic version of Sam Smith's Latch.
After going back and forth between booking fireworks for their reception and ultimately deciding that it wasn't something they'd be able to prioritise, the couple's friends and family surprised Hannah and James with a gift in the form of a spectacular fireworks display.
As a final stylish addition to the night, the bride transitioned from day to night with a sparkling draped gown from ASOS, kicking off festivities with a first dance with James, followed by a father-daughter first dance, and a mother-son first dance.
Following on from the busy wedding festivities, Hannah and James hopped on a plane once again, this time around to the south of France for a well deserved honeymoon. Calling the trip their "party-moon", the pair travelled from Nice to Paris accompanied by eleven of their closest friends.
A very special thank you to Hannah, James and Paul McGinty Photography for sharing this magical Luttrellstown Castle wedding with One Fab Day. Make sure to check out the gallery below for more shots from their spectacular special day below!
Dreaming of a castle wedding? Check out our list of Fairytale Castle Wedding Venues in Ireland.
