Today’s real wedding feature really does have it all; not one, but two unique wedding venues, epic style, multicolour hues and relaxed vibes all round. Travel-lovers Emma and Hernán planned a wedding that was true to their relationship – fun, laughter-filled and full to the brim with colour. From the bride's epic alternative bridal look down to their fun wedding transport, their vibrant summer wedding in Dublin City was a hit with guests. The pair were married in a ceremony at Smock Alley Theatre with 120 of their faves watching on, followed by a fun-filled Urban Brewing brewery wedding reception. The amazing Lucy from Leanne Keaney from For Tomorrow Photography did a stellar job at capturing the bright, laughter-filled day which we can't wait to share with you.

So first things first, let's get to know our fabulous couple a little better. Bride Emma hails from Donegal and groom Hernán from Buenos Aires in Argentina. The pair are currently based in Dublin.

The pair met on a night out in Dublin City. Bride Emma tells us more, "We meet in Izakaya in Dublin on a night out.  Hernán only had three more weeks in Ireland and somehow convinced me to go with on a trip him to Madrid for a few days before he left for Argentina.  We kept in touch while Hernán was back home in Argentina and after a few months he said he was going to Colombia and asked if I wanted to go with him.  We’d only ever spent three weeks together, so what could go wrong flying across the world?  We’re both avid travellers so I figured at least I’d get to see Colombia if nothing else.  Naturally we had a blast and the rest is history."

The proposal happened a year while the travel lovers were on an overnight hike up Cerro Tronador in Northern Patagonia, Argentina.  Emma fills us in, "We had set off later than planned and it was getting dark as we reached the most treacherous part of the hike, the icy rocky scree near the summit. I was petrified we were going to have a serious accident because we couldn’t see anything, and Hernán, already pretty nervous, was thinking the whole thing was not going to plan and was considering abandoning the plan for another moment.  Luckily we made it to the top and in classic Argentinian style we even managed a steak and red wine at over 2,000 metres above sea. Being truly Argentinian, this calmed Hernán and he mustered the courage once again.  The next day, while finally catching a glimpse of the breath-taking glacier, Hernan proposed.  And feeling on top of the world, I said yes."

Once the planning began, the couple set about creating a wedding that was truly unique to them. Emma says, "We wanted the day to be a bit different, mostly that it would be personal and true to us.  Hernan, is a spray artist and street performer, so I knew that the wedding, much like our lives, wasn’t going to be traditional.  We tried to incorporate lots of meaningful, thoughtful details to the day, like having pampas grass, which is native to Argentina, instead of flower arrangements, or the fact that all the music at the ceremony and reception was performed by Hernán’s friends who are musicians and buskers. We had my aunt, who I’m very close with, as our celebrant.  We also tried to incorporate Dublin city murals into our photos as a nod to Hernán’s work as a muralist. Finally, we made sure the DJ played our Latino playlist which filled the dancefloor!"

Emma walked up the aisle with her dad to the sounds of the Asturian bagpipes (gaita) played by their good friend, Xerman.

Emma's aunt Judith Young performed and officiated the ceremony, the bride noting, "She worked so hard to create an unforgettable ceremony that perfectly captured me and Hernán both as individuals and as a couple.  Judy mixed beautiful ethereal and earthly elements to create a truly special and spiritual ceremony for us.  For example, as guests arrived they were each given a small stone that had been collected from local beaches, and during the ceremony guests were asked make a wish or intention for our marriage and all the stones were collected - we have kept them all as a reminder of all the positive energy from the day.  She also did a water blessing that mixed waters from Argentina and Donegal with holy water that my grandmother had from Lourdes.  She managed to incorporate so many elements of who we are together and separately to make a totally original, moving and memorable ceremony."

The couple were joined on the day by a very important guest, their little daughter Maya who was 6 months old at the time. 

Although the couple had an epic and unique Dublin city wedding celebration, the journey to finding the perfect location and venue for them and their 120 guests wasn't an easy one. The bride tells us, "It was a long journey to selecting the venue.  We were engaged in 2019 and then moved to Myanmar.  From there we started planning the wedding and hoped to marry in Spain. We thought Spain was an easy destination for all our guests travelling from all over the world.  We had researched many venues and were about to book a gorgeous finca near Barcelona when Covid happened and put paid to all our plans of a destination wedding.  I was in Argentina in March 2020 when Covid started and had to get a repatriation flight home to Ireland as the Argentinian border was shut. Hernán couldn’t come at the time and we ended up apart for almost 6 months.  Wedding planning was the last thing on our minds.  Hernán eventually made it to Ireland and soon I was pregnant and again so wedding planning was put on the long finger again."

She adds, "We finally decided on having a city wedding in Dublin as it meant less travel for guests coming from overseas.  We had a few places lined up to see but as soon as we viewed Smock Alley we immediately knew we didn’t need to see anywhere else.  I loved the history of the venue and Hernán, who is a performer, loved that it is one of the oldest theatres in the world.  We had a similar experience with the reception venue, Urban Brewing.  We wanted something intimate and alternative and Urban Brewing ticked all those boxes. As soon as we experienced the atmospheric vaults, which are over 200 years old, we knew we didn’t need to see anywhere else. It also helped that the meat in Urban Brewing was spectacular, this was really important to Hernán who is from Argentina where they revere their beef."

Looking back on their favourite memories of the day, the couple tell us the ceremony was their favourite moment and the bride loved the international element. "We had friends and family travel from all over the world like Tanzania, Kenya, all over the US including San Francisco, New York, Milwaukee, Virginia, and Connecticut, as well as from Spain, France, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay. We are so lucky to have these amazing people in our lives and after two years of Covid we were so grateful they could all make it." She adds, "For Hernán, it was undoubtedly the dinner - delicious steak, red wine, and good company, "

Music was also an important factor in their day, and provided the couple with some sweet memories. For Emma, one in particular was Javi, their pianist and close friend, playing Tabhair Dom Do Lámh.  Emma says, "This was no easy feat for a Spanish pianist but he is incredibly talented and it was so beautiful."  For Hernán, it was the Tango played at the post-ceremony reception by another friend, singer and gustarist, Gustavo Ecclesia.

For her bridal look, Emma choose a chic midi dress and Kimono combo from Bibiluxe Studio. She completed her look with the gold Penny mules by Loeffler Randal which she sourced at The White & Gold, along with gold accessories from Betty and Biddy.

Hernán chose navy trousers and a navy waistcoat which he paired with a pink jacket from Penthouse Menswear and white trainers. His groomsmen also wore navy Penthouse Menswear suits, while the bridesmaids wore perfectly mis-matched satin dresses which the bride sourced on ASOS.

The couple organised a 1966 Vintage Routemaster bus called ‘Richie’ from Dualway to bring their guests between Smock Alley Theatre and Urban Brewing.

Summing up their day, Emma and Hernán tell us it was "Like most things we do, it was an eclectic mix of all things we like with lots of colour and pattern." They add that it was, "original and authentic to us.  There were lots of personal touches that made it really unique to us."

The couple tell us they were both having too much fun that they missed their first dance!  "We were both mingling with our amazing guests when the DJ wanted to play our first dance song.  It was supposed to be Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen."

The couple had planned to go on honeymoon to Cuba, but plans for the travel-loving couple are currently on hold as they were joined by new addition to the family, their little daughter Lola.

In terms of advice for other couples planning their big day, the couple say, "Enjoy the party! Having your nearest and dearest all together is so special."

A very special thank you to Emma, Hernán and Leanne Keaney from For Tomorrow Photography for sharing their epic theatre and brewery wedding with One Fab Day. There are also plenty more gorgeous photos from their glorious special day to check out in the gallery below!

Find more real wedding inspiration here or dive into One Fab Day's Wedding Venue Guide and take your pick from the range of breathtaking locations for your big day.