Our real wedding couple Juniper and Brayden embarked on a journey across the globe for their epic cliffside elopement. Hailing from Canada, the high school sweethearts wanted to tie the knot surrounded by 16 of their closest friends and family members immersed in the breathtaking surroundings of the Cliffs of Moher, in Co. Clare. Featuring an ethereal ceremony perched above the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean and a dreamy seaside photoshoot, this fairytale celebration is not to be missed. Wonderfully captured by Emma Gornall Photography, check out their charming Cliffs of Moher elopement below!
Before we explore the details of their spectacular ceremony, let's get to know the happy couple a little more! Juniper and Brayden grew up just a stone's throw away from each other in their hometown of Caesarea, Ontario, with their parents' backyards only separated by a farmer's field. "We started dating after meeting on the school bus when we were 15 and 16! High school sweethearts, and we have been inseparable ever since!"
Fast forward to their engagement, the proposal came after a trip to an aquarium in Toronto with Brayden's family. After their day out, Juniper had a migraine and was in a "horrible mood" when her now-husband asked if she'd like to go for a walk: "I said no probably 10 times but eventually relented as he would not give up." During their walk through the woods, Brayden's hand was shaking while holding Juniper's and he got increasingly more nervous as the couple entered the pathway, eventually surprising her by getting down on one knee! "I fell to my knees saying yes. Safe to say, my headache quickly disappeared with all of the excitement and tears. It was one of the most wonderful moments of my life!"
Our glowing bride Juniper opted to wear a fabulous mesh embroidered Watters Designs Willowby dress with whimsical botanical appliqués, paired with a copper vine bridal headpiece and matching earrings. Groom Brayden donned a rust-coloured blazer with a maroon tie and patterned shirt.
After planning on "winging" their Cliffs of Moher elopement ceremony and just finding a spot on the day, when the couple arrived in Doolin they realised that they needed to hike two kilometers just to get to the cliffs and more than likely there would be lots of tourists at the scenic attraction. On the eve of their elopement, Juniper and Brayden decided to go on a drive with their maid of honour to scout out a semi-private location when they luckily bumped into an extremely generous local. "In typical friendly Irish fashion, a woman saw us wandering the tiny private roads nearby the famous Hag’s Head and asked if we needed help!" When the couple explained their situation, the woman told them she owned some land on the Cliffs of Moher and offered them space for their elopement!
In terms of their wedding aesthetic, Ireland served as the perfect spot for the couple's day as the landscape embodied the "old world, fantasy vibe" that Juniper and Brayden had envisioned. "We wanted our wedding aesthetic to create the same intensity and overwhelming love that we feel is present between us, with bold colours, movement and hazy romance." The happy coincidence resulted in the woman bringing them to three different potential sites for tying the knot and, as the icing on the cake, also offered them her family barn if the weather turned! "The whole situation felt like fate, and we were so lucky to get married privately under a rock alcove on the cliffs, and in the sunshine no less!" They even picked flowers as they walked along the cliffside!
Against the glorious backdrop of the wild Atlantic Ocean, Juniper and Brayden tied the knot in a tranquil ceremony perched on the clifftop, with the bride making her way down the aisle to a cover of Abba's Chiquitita. Jagged rocks and grassy terrain marked the landscape surrounding their ceremony spot, with their best friend's father reading the verses during the celebration.
In place of vows and exchanging rings, the couple engaged in a traditional handfasting ritual, with their two maids of honour tying their hands together. "Going through that kind of physical binding really made us both feel like we were soulmates, and those moments are some of the most special from our wedding day. Now we use the ties as a garland around our Christmas tree every year!"
Following their intimate wedding, as it was always a goal of the couple to travel to Ireland together and include their loved ones, Juniper and Brayden went on a trip across the southern coast accompanied by all of their guests. Starting in Doolin and ending in Dublin, the couple brought their family and friends together for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure ending the wedding experience with a bang!
After their scenic ceremony, the couple and their wedding party had a whimsical photoshoot amongst the wildflowers, followed by a reception at Gus O’Connor's Pub in Doolin. When planning their elopement the couple envisioned their wedding day as: "Fairies in the woods run away to get married, meets Irish Wes Anderson colours with a whirl of medieval romance. We wanted to feel like we were just a couple of kids in love, running away to Ireland to elope, and we did exactly that!"
The couple have this advice for those embarking on their own wedding planning journey: "Take your time. Our wedding did not happen for four years after we got engaged due to the pandemic delaying travel. Looking back, we are both glad that it happened this way because we were really sure about all of our choices and there was no need to panic since we had so much time to prepare for such a big journey. Everything happens for a reason, and for us, because of the delays, we ended up getting married on our actual 10-year anniversary, which was really special."
Thank you so much to Juniper, Brayden and Emma Gornall Photography for sharing the wonderful Cliffs of Moher elopement with us all at One Fab Day. There are plenty of more images from this enchanting celebration to check out in the gallery below.
Are you thinking of eloping? Check out How To Plan An Elopement: 14 Dos & Don'ts You Need To Read right here!
