Not every couple sets out with a picture of their perfect wedding day, but as Helen & Shane in today's real wedding can testify, once you make one big decision, everything else starts to come together. This Cork-born, Dublin-based couple had no idea how or where they wanted to get married, but on finding Cloughjordan House, the laid-back celebration of their many years together, began to take shape. Their day, doused in flowers, featured a with a heavily personalised humanist ceremony, gorgeous style, great music and a beyond-beautiful reception marquee. Naomi Kamat skilfully documented the lot, so let's have a swoon!
Helen and Shane first met on a bus! “It was way back in June 2003, travelling from Cork to Punchestown to see Eminem. We didn’t know each other at the time but had mutual friends. As luck would have it, we ended up sitting across from each other for the trip. We literally didn’t stop chatting for the journey up or down, or any day since for that matter.”
Shane popped the question 14 years after the pair first met, while they were on holidays in Italy. “Strolling home along the beach after a beautiful night out in Positano, Shane got down on one knee and made the most heartfelt and beautiful proposal,” Helen tells us. "It may have been 3am and we were en route home but of course we turned on our heels and went straight back to the bar to order a bottle of champagne and celebrate! A great idea at the time but had the makings of a very dodgy bus ride to Rome the next day!”
The couple tell us they could not have imagined a more perfect wedding day, “It was a celebration of 16 years together and the beginning of a whole new chapter. A relaxed day, full of love and reflection, shared with the people who mean the most to us. Incredible food, great music and lasting memories. All in the perfect setting of Cloughjordan House, an absolute dream venue.”
The ceremony was a early priority for the bride and groom, “After much thought, we opted for a humanist ceremony. Having the right person to officiate and the music were both key to us. From our first meeting with the wonderful celebrant Brian Whiteside, we knew we had made the right choice of celebrant. Brian helped with all stages of planning and was truly amazing on the day.”
Helen says that having a humanist ceremony meant they could put their own stamp on it, “It was such a meaningful part of the day for us and enabled us to involve family and friends. Shane in particular (who I must say was a dab hand at wedding planning) put endless hours into tailoring our ceremony to be a reflection of us as a couple. He even wrote one of the reflections which my fabulous aunty Bernie delivered perfectly on the day."
I'm just in love with all of the delicate floral arrangements dotted around the venue, the beautiful ceremony barn alone had pew ends, a table arrangement and a gorgeous backdrop.
The couple also funnelled their love of the Beatles into the ceremony, “We handpicked love songs from the fab four’s repertoire, all interpreted on the day by the absolutely incredible Tracy Gallagher. Her cover of ‘In My Life’ still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. What an amazing talent!”
Helen tells us she and Shane had no idea what kind of wedding they wanted initially, “I definitely wasn’t a girl who grew up dreaming about her wedding day. We took a trip to Tipperary to see a few venues and Cloughjordan House was the first stop. We knew the minute we got there it was ‘the one’ and did not have to look any further. We loved the long trestle tables in the marquee overlooking the gardens for dining and really liked the idea of having a barn style ceremony. Cloughjordan just has a fun and relaxed atmosphere and definitely offers something a little different to anywhere else we had seen, an indescribable magic. Peter and Sarah are also a joy to deal with.”
Brownies and bubbly; the dream combination!
You know we love to see a mixed gender wedding party!
This whole dress/bouquet situation is all kinds of dreamy! Helen was glowing in her light and breezy cowl neckline gown from Alice May Bridal, her bridesmaids rocked beautiful mix and match dresses in a muted lilac hue.
Pretty contrasting linens, soft florals, and pillar candles, with foliage hanging overhead, I love how Helen and Shane dressed the marquee in Cloughjordan House.
Long tables are a great way to set the scene for a relaxed, social atmosphere.
These two tell advise other couples it’s important to just enjoy your day, “Don’t strive for perfection - it’s a wedding, it’s meant to be fun, so don’t sweat the small stuff. Also, take some time out at some stage during the day together to take it all in, the day flies by so it’s nice to take a second to let it sink in. All those people are there for you, to celebrate you and your love, that’s all that really matters.”
Blush and burgundy is such a gorgeous colour combination for a contemporary, romantic bouquet.
This pair were sure to soak up the positive vibes on their wedding day, “Our day was so special to us from start to finish, we were surrounded by our favourite people and really felt their love and support on the day. It’s such a unique feeling and something we’ll never forget. The speeches were humorous and heartfelt, the food was off-the-charts, the music was great and there was just a lot of love in the building.”
The newlyweds headed off on a festive honeymoon, “We spent Christmas together in Sri Lanka and absolutely loved it. We travelled around quite a bit and saw as much of the island as possible. Sri Lanka has so much to offer - sunrise hikes, Buddhist temples, cooking with local families, tea plantations, cool beach towns and friendly people. We’d definitely recommend.”
So much prettiness! Thanks so much to Helen & Shane for sharing your beautiful bash with us, and to Naomi Kamat for sending it our way. Make sure you visit the gallery below to see more details of their day.
