Okay so *technically* this is an autumn wedding appearing during Winter Wedding Week, but what's so gorgeous about Laura and Ross' Mount Druid bash, is that it proves that rainy day or cold weather weddings don't have to tie you to sparkly dresses, fur stoles and lots of candlelight. Their day was laced with achingly gorgeous contemporary style, pretty floral bridesmaids dresses, playful animal-themed details, spectacular florals and a whole lot of craic. Pawel Bebenca Photography was on hand to artfully capture the love, the style and the details.
Both from Donegal, Laura and Ross first met at a friend’s house when they were just 16. “We played the long game for a few years before finally ‘shifting’ in a local night club at home in Letterkenny on St. Stephens night.”
While the tones are seasonal, we just love the modern aesthetic and variety of textures in Laura's bouquet - proteas in particular are always a hit with us.
First up, Laura's dress is jaw-droppingly beautiful. The striking lace pattern, the long sleeves, dipped back and the sweeping train are just stunning - and I love the pairing with her modern updo. The bridesmaids tied in with the contemporary boho feel in floral dresses with lace panelling, but with dark florals, the dresses avoid looking too summery.
The couple did a stint together living in New York, and took a six-week road trip across the US before moving home. “Stopping off in Big Sky Montana for a day of horse riding in the snow, after we hiked to Ousel Falls, I was taking a Snapchat of the icicles coming from the waterfall when I turned around and Ross was on one knee! We then stayed on 320 Ranch that night and had a lovely dinner and a sleigh ride with the Clydesdales.” Well now that just sounds dreamy!
Not to let his bride down in the style stakes, Ross rocked a cool burgundy tweed suit. We love how he stood out from the rest of the guys, tying their suits together with pocket watches - a sharp touch!
Thankfully the rain didn't last too long, and the couple were able to have some post-ceremony shots taking in Mount Druid's gorgeous grounds.
How cute is this flower girl - her floral wand is giving us goals!
The bride and groom brought a slice of Letterkenny to Westmeath for their wedding. “We wanted a low key, relaxed atmosphere where people enjoyed moving between the different spaces. It was like we were in McGinleys Bar and it just so happened to be that all our family and best friends were there.”
After their ceremony, the couple and their guests gathered in the boat house for drinks and music.
These two made creating the right atmosphere their top priority, “Our main aim was for it to be relaxed with good music in a unique space to celebrate our love with our family and friends.”
What a stylish posse!
Mount Druid was the only venue Laura and Ross visited, “We first thought about getting married in Spain but after seeing the beautiful surroundings, and different elements to the venue like the double decker bus, the boat house and the barn, we knew it was exactly what we were looking for,” this pair recall. “But it was the locals in the Drake Inn with their hilarious stories that really sold it to us. We had pizza and pints there the night before.”
You may have spotted this couple had something of a party animal theme to their celebrations, “The place cards we used were animals that we spray painted in bronze and added a little tag with our guest name on the front and a personal message on the back, a nice touch that our guests really loved.”
After planning their dream day, we hit Laura and Ross up for some advice to pass on to other couples, “Take it in your stride, everyone is there to celebrate with you and to enjoy themselves so it’s important that you do too. The day of the wedding, make sure to give your phone to someone else so you’re not worrying that everything’s getting done and you can enjoy the day with no stress Make sure to wear lots of lip balm, Pawel the photographer makes you kiss a lot for the photos.”
For their honeymoon, the adventurous newlyweds planned a two-stop trip. “We went to Athens and Vouliagmeni in Greece and Istanbul in Turkey.”
Looks like their gorgeous day turned into a magical evening! Thanks so much to Laura and Ross for sharing your day with us, and of course to Pawel Bebenca Photography for documenting it so beautifully. And if you still haven't got your fix, you can watch Laura and Ross' fabulous wedding film here.
