Almost every couple tells us they loved their wedding day, but it's rare they say they'd as relaxed and stress-free a build-up as Natalie and Conor in today's real wedding! Not only did this pair luck out with their laid-back vibes, but they had an amazingly helpful (and large!) circle of family and friends by their sides, incredible spring weather, and a camera-wielding bridesmaid in the form of Tanya of Bronté Photography on hand to document all the celebrations! Clonabreany House was a beautiful backdrop for both their ceremony and reception, and it even had enough room for the groom's 29 (yep, 29!) nieces and nephews!
Natalie and Conor had actually been friends for about 10 years before they started dating. “Conor was in Australia for six years,” explains Natalie. “We had met up in Australia, New Zealand, the full moon party in Thailand, and anytime he came home, but always as friends. Then 2014, the stars aligned, Conor asked me out on an official date and that was it. Oh and Conor’s sister is married to my brother - I always leave that bit to the end when people ask us how we met!”
Conor planned a special birthday proposal for Natalie at the Giant’s Causeway, “Conor was planning to do it on the rope bridge, but it was closed so he had to keep his hand in his pocket for hours hiding the ring box, was very funny.”
We love the sound of Natalie and Conor’s stress-free celebration, “Our wedding was a relaxed, beautiful sunny day in April. There was no drama or hassle, it was all very easy. It was about spending the day with our guests, who ranged from 2 to 80 years of age. We really enjoyed the day with everyone.
We love how Natalie’s dad kept himself busy on the wedding morning, "My dad had breakfast ready for the bridesmaids, Mam and me when we came back home from the hairdressers on the morning of the wedding. He even had his wedding china out. We ate outside and was lovely. I will remember it forever.”
For Natalie and Conor, enjoying their wedding day to the max was a top priority! “We had the photos before the ceremony so we didn’t miss any of the reception. We had the ceremony in Clonabreany so that we didn’t have to drive. We just loved the flow and feel of the day. There was no drama, it was just 170 people eating, drinking and dancing and having the best day.”
The couple made the day their own with the help of friends and family, “My cousin Fr. Patrick Donnelly married us, having a close family member marry you is lovely, his sister was my bridesmaid, was definitely a family affair. Conor’s parents’ friend Peter sang, he sang at all his brothers’ weddings so this was a nice family tradition continued.”
For the styling of their day, the couple opted for a clean and relaxed floral look, with rustic touches, thankfully the weather played ball too! “It was the first sunny day of the year, seven weeks after the big snow. So the feel was summertime chillin!” recalls the bride. “We were outside all day from breakfast to dinner, it was surreal. You know that first sunny day you have a bbq in your house and your friends come over and no one can believe it’s Ireland and we are outside? Well that was April 21st”
In order to have their ceremony on the day in Clonabreany, the couple had a beautiful church ceremony a few days before their wedding. “We officially got married in Colinstown Church in Westmeath, by Fr Patrick. As Clonabreany isn’t a religious venue he couldn’t officially marry us there. We got married at 6pm with our immediate family and then we went for a family dinner. Then on the Saturday, Patrick did a blessing and we could be more flexible with the ceremony. It was the best of both worlds and Wednesday was really intimate and personal to us and our families.”
The couple had some amazing helping hands in the lead-up to the day, “Almost everything was done by friends,” says Natalie. “Our photographer was Bronte Photography, aka Tanya, who is my best friend and was my bridesmaid, so her sisters, Tara and Andrea, who are also talented photographers and my close friends took our photos. My flowers were by Maire Kiernan, who is one of my mother’s best friends. Music was by Paulie Martin who I have known for years and Peter Tierney who Conor has known all his life. Hair was by Emma in Profile, who I have known since I was five. Having people who we know do the bulk of the jobs meant we were so relaxed and knew it would all go to plan.”
Let's take a moment for this stunning posse of pals! Natalie's wedding day look was elegant and timeless, her short hair with a jewelled accessory is beyond chic!
Conor and Natalie’s sage works of wisdom to other couples? Simply, relax and enjoy the day! “Make sure the day reflects you both. If you like daffodils have daffodils. Don’t do things because you think you have to do them. This is the most expensive day of your lives so have it the day you want it to be! And remember that everyone at your wedding loves you so take five minutes during the day and take it all in. It will never happen again. Don’t stress and when planning, ask for help, friends are great and I have learnt that any job asked is asked better with a bottle of prosecco and a few glasses! Also wedding organisers and suppliers are great and will pretty much do whatever they can to make sure you have the best day so just ask and let them work their magic.”
To ensure as many of their family and friends as possible could make it, the couple chose a wedding wedding venue close to home, “Conor has 29 nieces and nephews who all wanted to come, having it at Clonabreany meant that they all came and the younger ones were collected at 6pm and their parents got to enjoy the night child-free,” explains Natalie. “We also wanted to have an exclusive venue, I love that it was just us there for the day. It was like being in our own super fancy house and made the day more intimate.”
But it wasn’t just the proximity to home that sold this pair on the venue. "Clonabreany is beautiful; the marquee is gorgeous, the courtyard was perfect for the sunny days reception and the shebeen late bar was great craic until the early hours. It had everything we were looking for. The food was also a little different and delicious. And the staff are so nice, Dearbhaile was our wedding planner and she was simply brilliant.”
After all the fun of their wedding day, Conor and Natalie jetted off to Sri Lanka for an amazing two week honeymoon.
Thanks so much to the gorgeous Natalie and Conor for sharing your day with us - and to Bronté Photography for sending the images our way. Hit the gallery for a further look at their spring wedding.
