Crisp autumn leaves, an abundance of pumpkin decor and candlelight, and a velvet tuxedo - what's not to love about an October wedding? Jess and Kyle, our real wedding couple mixed minimalist style with autumnal touches to their Northern Ireland wedding day, along with special surprises, including a fun choreographed wedding party dance routine and a fireworks display that wowed! Iain Irwin captured every moment, and trust us when we say, this is a wedding to have your Pinterest boards at the ready...
A successful double date, arranged by mutual friends, led to this wonderful wedding day. Before we get into the wedding specifics, let's talk about how these two lovebirds got engaged! "I proposed to Jess on the 20th August 2021 at Salisbury Crags in Edinburgh. Edinburgh didn’t have any such meaningful connection to us, I just liked the idea of proposing whilst we were away on a city break! We both fell in love with the city and would love to go back soon, maybe for an anniversary. I felt relaxed about the proposal. I asked Jess to stand for a picture and just before I took a timed photograph, a family came and sat down beside us in a really remote spot and that threw me off a little bit. By chance there was also a man that parachuted off the cliff face beside us, it was all quite chaotic!" laughs Kyle.
Kyle looks incredibly of the season a deep burgundy velvet tuxedo! Accessories such as an engraved watch, a pocket watch and a matching velvet tie, meant Kyle was nothing short of dapper when it came to his groom style!
Jess looked stunningly beautiful as she made her way down the staircase for a first look photo with her dear dad. Her minimalist off-the-shoulder gown allows for extra glam touches, such as her delicate pearl drop earrings and subtle yet smokey bridal makeup. Her bridal bouquet was comprised of neutral tones, pampas grass, eucalyptus and a pop of burgundy to complement her husband's style.
Evie and Imogen stole the show in rustic flower crowns as they take on the very important role of flower girls!
Jess and Kyle say their autumal wedding day was utterly magical and everything they'd hoped for. "It had a nice relaxed feel and our guests made it really special for us with an upbeat atmosphere throughout the day. For our theme, we doubled down on the autumnal vibe and we had maybe 60 pumpkins dotted around the venue. Mostly white pumpkins of all sizes. Some green, some blue and our florist actually spray painted some larger ones white on the last day before the wedding," says Jess. How creative, a DIY wedding tip for all you autumn brides- or grooms-to-be!
Now that is what you call a ceremony backdrop. A moongate dressed entirely with foliage and paired simply with pillar candles on wooden slices and white pumpkins!
The guests took to their feet when Dreams by The Cranberries began to play to welcome Jess down the aisle. A very much loved song for the couple that was made even more special when Hannah and James - the ceremony musicians - were able to cover it. A special moments for the couple was when Jess’ Aunt Debbie shared a reading, along with having a close family friend who travelled all the way from the USA to officiate the wedding. They say: "He did an amazing job which made us both feel relaxed and the moment even more special. Jess’ grandad Joe also drove her to the ceremony which was a really nice touch also," says Kyle.
The wedding party were perfect in the softest of pinks with bouquets that matched the bride's. They also chose a soft curly half-updo hairstyle whilst Jess rocked an elegantly loose upstyle!
Looking to get your hands on the bride's ravishing style? Jess's wedding gown was purchased in Co. Antrim and is from designer Ronald Joyce. We have all the supplier details tagged below!
The magical day took place in The Wool Tower in Broughshane, Co. Antrim. A charmingly rustic wedding venue located on an idyllic waterside setting. Our couple tell us what made this venue the one: "Initially we had nearly ruled our venue out before viewing it! We liked two others that we had viewed before it. But honestly, within five minutes of being there, we both fell in love with it. The Wool Tower has so much character and it really suits an autumn wedding so effortlessly with its rustic look and the foliage nearby," they say.
Oh hello there, is that a cocktail tower we see? A tasty twist on the classic Champagne tower!
The modern meets rustic charm continues to its way into the reception room. Check out the showstopping neon 'Happily Ever After' gold backdrop finished off with an abundance of seasonal flowers. The tables are effortlessly dressed with burlap runners, wooden slices, and crisp golden leaves along with a personalised edible wedding favour for the guests!
Simply having all of their family together, healthy and happy meant the world to Jess and Kyle. "We were able to involve so many family and friends in different little parts of the day. From having my brother and sister involved in the bridal party, to having Jess’ sister as a flower girl and Jess’ brother as an usher. We had a friend make us our wedding cake with amazing personalised flavours which included banana and caramel, pear and elderflower and a Victoria sponge, which is her speciality!" says Kyle. A pure white naked cake topped with delicious figs and a rustic wedding cake topper worked perfectly to blend the minimalist aesthetic with the autumnal season! The kind couple also decided to make a donation to charity instead of favours, choosing IncredABLE, a social enterprise for young people with additional needs.
As for advice to those who are on their planning journey, they simply said not to panic or get stressed as everything will come together! And of course, to just have fun on the day and savour every minute. To continue the celebrations, they jetted off on honeymoon to Cancun and New York City just three days after their rustic wedding. "It was amazing to go from the craziness of wedding week to then chill out on the beach in Cancun. By the end of our stay in Mexico, we were relaxed and ready to take on the city. It was an amazing time and our highlights were swimming with dolphins in Mexico to Jess loving her shopping on Fifth Avenue!"
A mesmerising firework display lit up the sky for the guests to enjoy before they hit the dancefloor! Little did they know what was coming next...
As Jess is a certified dance instructor, the couple decided to do something a little bit more special! For their first dance, they did a mashup of You Send Me by Aretha Franklin mixed with Love Never Felt So Good by Michael Jackson! The groomsmen even showed off their moves to a choreographed dance to Stayin Alive by The Bee Gees and of course, the talented bride alongside her bridesmaids concluded the show with Lets Get Loud by Jennifer Lopez! Check out Jess' costume change for the big moment!
Thank you so much to our lovely couple and Iain Irwin for sharing Jessica and Kyle's super fun wedding with One Fab Day!
Check out these gorgeous autumn-inspired wedding cakes, flowers and invites here!
