Stephen and Tyrone waited 13 years to be able to finally get married on Irish soil, we we're so happy to be able to share their joy, and their real wedding! Syona Photography did the most amazing job capturing their day in Wicklow's beautiful Rathsallagh House. The celebration was full of love, with their friends and family by their side, along the VVIP guest, "Cuddly Cavapoo", Teddy.
Let's rewind to where it all began for these two, "We met on a blind date! We met at the Central Bank, like so many other couples. From there we just hit it off. We spent that evening talking into the late hours and the rest is history. After 13 years together we FINALLY were able to show the world how we felt about each other. The passing of the referendum was a special time for us. Not only did we feel supported by our family and friends, but we also felt love and support from the majority of Ireland and that was an amazing feeling. It was a natural next step for us.”
After waiting 13 years, Stephen & Tyrone's engagement was always going to be special. “One sunny evening while on a trip to Donegal, Stephen planned a nice picnic on a deserted, beautiful beach in Ballyliffen, (my favourite place in Ireland)," explains Tyrone. "As the sun went down we walked for a while, then suddenly, and to my surprise Stephen got down on one knee and proposed. After I said yes he then lay a blanket in the sand and popped open a bottle of Champagne, which he had hidden in his backpack. There, we sat together for hours as the sun went down and the stars came out.” Now that's too romantic!
Rathsallagh House ticked the couple's two biggest priorities, “We wanted our wedding to be relaxed and fun with amazing food," the grooms explain. "Family is very important to us both, we were looking for a place that gave us exclusivity where we could spend quality time with just our friends and family was a key factor. At Rathsallagh the food was Blue Book and excellent.”
Stephen and Tyrone opted for a spiritual wedding with a handfasting ceremony.
The newlyweds have tips to help other couples enjoy their day, “It's very easy to get caught up in trying to cater to everyone but at the end of the day it is about the couple and what the day represents, nothing else really matters. The day goes by so fast so make sure you take a timeout after the ceremony to spend a moment together and appreciate it.”
Finding a dog-friendly venue was important to the couple - along with four-poster beds, real fireplaces and a friendly atmosphere. “The fact that our dog was able to stay and the owners were happy with the idea of including him was a big bonus.”
The groom's six bridesmaids wore beautiful mix and match navy dresses.
Tyrone got creative with all the details of the day, “As a designer, it was fun for me to be able to put as many of my skills to good use and because of this I was able to add a lot of personal touches. From the invites to the cake topper and the look and feel it was important that everything fit together and told a story about us.”
The newlyweds had a delayed honeymoon, opting for a month in Japan and Australia, "We also had a mini moon after the wedding in a small Thatch Cottage in Donegal. Myself, Stephen and our dog Teddy. Very 'Quiet Man' style. On the hills near Malin Head right beside the beach,” Tyrone tells us - sounds pretty blissful!
Huge thanks to Tyrone and Stephen and Syona Photography for sharing these gorgeous pictures with us. Check out even more from their day over on the gallery.
