It was love at first sight for today's real wedding couple, Meena and Thomas. After moving to Ireland from Canada Meena met Thomas and started a romance that looks set to last a lifetime. With family and friends from both Ireland and Vancouver they wanted to bring everybody together to celebrate, somewhere very special that epitomises the idea of Irish luxury. They chose Waterford Castle to have their ceremony and reception (one of our 100 Best Wedding venues don't you know). With its historic feel and beautiful interiors the wedding party enjoyed a cosy and relaxed atmosphere, sharing cocktails and conversation in front of the fire and dining by twinkly candlelight all captured beautifully by Paul of Moat Hill Photography.
After moving from Canada to Ireland, Meena met Thomas on her very first day on the emerald isle and it was love at first sight across the cobblestones of Temple Bar (not usually the most romantic of spots!) "We met the very first night I moved to Ireland from Canada. I moved 8 years ago for school, and my friend and I decided to go out in Temple Bar the night we arrived. I ended up meeting Thomas that night in a bar and we hit it off immediately. We started dating and spending everyday together and the rest is history!"
Meena is a really stunning bride, she chose a Gemy Couture gown from Myrtle Ivory with an embellished beaded detail back. Teamed up with a gorgeous soft pink rose bouquet.
When it came to the proposal, Thomas was full of surprises... "Thomas was visiting me in Canada one Christmas and 2 days after Christmas he said he had to go to a meeting for a potential job. About 6 hours later he called me and asked me to pick him up from a local park, I thought it was strange but of course I went. When I got to the park I found him down on bended knee, with a ring box in his hand. Beside him on the ground were gigantic metal letters lit up with lights and surrounded by red roses, spelling out, “Meena will you marry me”? It was snowing and the all the trees in the park were lit with Xmas lights. He had spent the last 6 hours setting up the letters and the lights in the freezing snow (it was minus 5 degrees!), his teeth were chattering as he asked me, it was the cutest sight and we were surrounded by on lookers. I said yes of course! It was a beautiful, lovely moment."
Meena and Thomas choose the beautiful Waterford Castle to say their I dos, it combined the best of olde worlde charm and all the Irishness the Canadian visitors would expect, with modern luxury and superior service.
A very calm Thomas looks ready to meet his bride - love his cheeky red and blue socks!
The ceremony took place in the great hall of the castle, on front of the enormous fireplace - the room is so special, with its beautiful carvings and panelled walls, complete with secret door (if you're ever down there, try and spot it!)
The lovebirds wandered out into the sunshine to steal a few private moments alone to take it all in, accompanied by Moat Hill Photography to capture. The castle is situated on a private island in the centre of Waterford City as a backdrop the couple headed off for a romantic photoshoot...
Sailing off into the distance may not be an option right now as they have a party to attend but the couple made the most of the habour and coastline for a few fun photos.
The stunning fields of green behind them made for the perfect final shots before heading back to Waterford Castle to celebrate.
When it came to choosing the perfect venue, Meena and Thomas fell head over heels in love with Waterford Castle as soon as they stepped inside... The huge fireplace in the lobby sealed the deal. We had our civil ceremony in front of this beautiful burning fire, and it was spectacular. The historic feel of the castle and the beautiful rooms also sold it.
Starting with cocktails at their drinks reception - I like their style! (Hey, the cocktail posts are my favourites to research and write!)
The newlyweds loved the historic feel of Waterford Castle so they used the epic interiors as their decor and just added a few of their own simple personal touches throughout. Tea lights were dotted around the place, bride and groom signs with delicate ribbon detail, a chalkboard table plan and beautiful flowers made the venue their own, without overpowering the natural elegance of the space.
The vibe was definitely relaxed, we just wanted everyone to have a good time, we wanted a cozy and warm feel, so the fire was lit the whole time and tea lights were scattered around the entire castle. The day was so special because of our family and friends. We both live in Canada, Thomas’s family is in Ireland and mine is in Vancouver, so seeing the two families come together that day, and feeling so much love from everyone, was the most special thing to us.
What was important to you when you were planning your wedding day? The important thing was that we had fun, that we were able to celebrate the day without feeling rushed or feeling like there were a million things to do. And that was accomplished! The other important aspect was the photographer and videographer, we knew we would be with them all day, we wanted someone non intrusive, but attentive, and we got that! The food was a priority, having a delicious wedding meal was really important; we wanted the guests to leave feeling fulfilled. Lastly we wanted the band to get the crowd going and our favourite part was when The Hitmen Trio invited Thomas and I on stage to sing one of our favourite Christy Moore songs!
So having organised a wedding from all the way over in Canada, you must have some words of wisdom for other couples in the same situation? "Don’t stress about the small things, what really matters is that you enjoy the day, take some time for yourselves, leave time for pictures because that’s the time you have with each other to spend together and it is bliss."
Congratulations to Meena and Thomas on their wedding day in Waterford Castle - hope you're loving married life over in Canada! We're sending all our love from home...
Of course a big thank you to Moat Hill Photography for sharing their work with us at One Fab Day. To see more of Moat Hill Photography's work pop over to www.mhphoto.ie
The Wedding Details
- Ceremony/Reception: Waterford Castle
- Photographer: Moat Hill Photography
- Wedding Dress: Gemy Couture @ Myrtle Ivory
- Bridesmaids dresses: BCBG
- Shoes: Jimmy Choo
- Flowers: Flowers by Lucy
- Groomsmen’s suits: Moores Clothing for Men
- Accessories: Jeweliette Jewellery
- Cake: Gracie’s Buns and Cakes
- Wedding Favours: Macarons by Armelle’s Kitchen
- Stationery: Wedding Paper Divas
- Hair: Lorraine Brown
- Makeup: Naomh Kirwan
- Wedding Bands: The Hitmen Trio
