This real wedding couple Joy and Mike took the weather gamble by swapping their summer August wedding date, to a cooler March. And guess what - the weather gods smiled down on their celebration and granted them a sun-drenched day, that proved even hotter than Spain. However, the weather was not the only hot element - so was the style. The groom donned a red wedding suit, while the bride searched high and low for a pair of glamorous sheer bridal gloves, while the bridesmaids style proved how less-is-more is the secret to achieving timeless style! Anna G Photography was on hand, and captured all the magic that took place in the charming Gloster House and we invite you to take a peep at this inspiring Georgian house wedding.
Our groom Mike pulled out all the stops when it came to proposing to Joy, one chilly Christmas night. She says: "Michael planned a Christmas eve proposal. I arrived at his house which had a long driveway and saw loads of fairy lights all lined up the driveway. I hopped out of the taxi and noticed each fairy light had a photo attached to it. In my naivety, I thought it was something his parents had done as for the weeks leading up to Christmas. The closer I got, I realised every picture was of me - or me and Michael! A lot of them were hungover pictures or me making silly faces but by the time I reached the end of the driveway I knew something was going down! I opened the gate and there was Michael on one knee in the garden with candles and music. He popped the question, and I said a massive yes. Michael went to grab the Champagne but instead opened the door to both of our families hiding in the house. Definitely a Christmas to remember!"
TThe groom's outfit is unquestionably full of personality and style. The mulberry suit paired with a black satin bow complemented his velvet black shoes and top hat.
In her breathtaking gown, the Joy shone from head to toe. She took inspiration for her look from a recent bride she saw, as she fell head over heels with her style. She spent a lot of time searching for sheer bridal gloves but ultimately found them waiting for her in a charity shop. She explains: "I would scroll through Instagram looking at weddings trying to envision how ours would look. A podcaster called Gracie Taylor from New Zealand got married about a year before us and her wedding was out of this world. Romantic but classy and looked like a lot of fun. She had a simple dress with sheer gloves which I completely fell in love with. I finally came across them in a charity shop in town. They were the perfect add-on to this romantic day and also very in keeping with the vibe of the venue."
The mother of the bride, looked incredibly chic too, and was right there with Joy to accompany her to her new chapter in life. A poignant moment Joy and Mike recall was the ceremony readings as they included both of their parents' first dance songs in the ceremony. Such a beautiful idea.
The magical March wedding took place in the magnificent Gloster House, a Georgian home at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains in Co. Offaly. The newlyweds tell us what made this venue the one: "The whole venue is breathtaking - a mix of old-fashioned decor with a modern twist. Walking through the venue each room is different, but equally as stunning as the other. The newly renovated chapel sold it for us. This is where we had our dinner reception and dancing, and it's jaw droppingly amazing!" they say.
Joy and Mike set out their wedding priorities early on in the planning process. The three simply were, photographer, entertainment and food! " We got so lucky with our photographer Anna, she is the dream! For entertainment, we had a brass band pop up at the drinks reception to play all the well-known songs to get the day going. Our nighttime wedding band was unbelievable - I was on stage dancing for most of the nigh. And lastly the food, you can’t have a good day unless you're well fed with yummy food!" says Joy. Check out the champagne tower below, a great photo opp to enjoy!
March had record-breaking temperatures, even higher than Marbella at the time! "Having taken the gamble to have a wedding in March since we postponed from the previous August we were nervous about the weather," they say. While the forecast was incredible, they tried not to get their hopes up while planning - it is Ireland afterall. "Our guests were outside in the sun which is so amazing when we get it in Ireland, and it topped off the buzz and atmosphere. We had friends and family members from all over the world come to share in our day."
Can we take a moment for the bridal party. The ladies wore buttery smooth satin gowns, paired with a minimal bouquet made up of fluffy white roses from the talented Room in Bloom! Like the bride they wore their hair in loose curls that fell effortlesly. When it came to advice, the couple echo the words of wisdom that were given to them by Joy's aunt before their wedding, which really put them at ease. "No one knows the schedule of the day and as your guests are there to enjoy the day, if something doesn’t start on time, you and your partner are the only ones who'll notice." she says.
The banquet room in Gloster House is a large light-filled garden room with a dreamy conservatory. As the bustling drinks reception came to an end, it was time to swap the sun-drenched day for a candlelight evening. The room was filled with an abundance of twinkling candles, gilded cutlery and floral bowls with white florals as centrepieces. Sunset Films Cinematic Wedding, the award-winning filmmakers ensured every laugh, smile and moment was caught on film!
Since they met, the couple share a special soundtrack to their relationship - Paulo Nutini's No Other Way. As they embarked on their chapter as husband and wife, this sentimental song was the perfect fit as they shared their first dance in the courtyard under the twinkling stars and enchanting fairylights. The lovebirds kept the celebration going by flying out on honeymoon two days after their wedding to Toronto. "The buzz was still ecstatic and we laughed, ate and drank our way from Toronto to Montreal while finishing the trip in New York City! An epic honeymoon in our bubble of love!"
We would like to thank the couple as well as Anna G Photography for allowing us to share this beautiful Georgian house wedding day with us! To view more of the photos, take a look at the gallery below!
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