Meet Caitríona and Alan! This travel loving couple incorporated lots of personal details into their summer wedding including their reception tables named after places they have visited which suited their theme, Dr Seuss’ Oh, the Places We’ll Go, perfectly!
Couple: Caitríona & Alan
Engagement length: 1 year & 2 months
Wedding date: 2025-07-03
Wedding photographer: Susan Jefferies Photography
Wedding Venue: Brooklodge, Macreddin Village
“We met online using the dating app Bumble. I had to make the ‘first move’, asking what the highlight of Alan’s week had been (despite it being a Monday). Conversations quickly moved from the app into daily messages, and from there we met up for drinks. There was an immediate connection, and the rest is history!”
Alan chose the beautiful surroundings of Sorrento to pop the all important question in May 2024, as Caitríona explains;
“On a visit to Sorrento in May 2024, after a day exploring Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, Alan suggested going up to look at the view from the rooftop of our hotel. While looking out at the beautiful bay in Sorrento as the sun began to set, Alan proposed.”
The couple chose Brooklodge, Macreddin Village to host their wedding day, it held beautiful memories and offered everything the couple were looking for.
“My aunt and uncle got married in Brooklodge, Macreddin Village in 2007, and I remembered what a wonderful day they had. We went down to the venue for one of their wedding showcases and instantly fell in love with the place. Brooklodge has a magical ambiance, and the backdrop of the Wicklow Mountains made this venue the dream location for our wedding. The staff were extremely welcoming and showed us around the venue. We fell in love with the intimate chapel hidden amongst the trees, which was the perfect size for our wedding. The beautiful ballroom was simply something out of a fairytale, with fairy lights strung along the balcony and lanterns set out around the terrace area. This venue had the perfect balance of indoor and outdoor options to suit all aspects of the wedding day.”
Colours for the day were raspberry and sage green which was carried beautifully throughout the day, the theme the couple chose was ‘Oh, the Places We’ll Go’ (Dr Seuss). Caitríona’s wore an ivory gown with sleeveless lace top and flowing tulle skirt from Belle Marie Bridal in Athboy. Her maids wore very red dresses with a pearl trim and pearl jewellery. Alan wore a Herbie Frogg tuxedo from Protocol on Dawson Street. He wore cufflinks with the couples dog, Archie’s face on one wrist and the date of their wedding on the other.
The ceremony took place beside the Ballycrean Brook in the Macreddin Chapel, as Caitríona explains;
“The chapel was the perfect size to facilitate our 90 person wedding, and the atmosphere was absolutely magical. The celebrant was my godfather which added a lovely personal touch to the ceremony. We wrote the ceremony ourselves choosing a variety of poems, traditions such as lighting the candles, readings from literature and some of our favourite songs. A few jokes and anecdotes from my godfather completed the ceremony, and made it personalised to suit us as a couple. Chu Chang provided some beautiful, delicate harp music throughout the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony we rang the bell of the chapel to mark the celebration.”
Our photographer:
“Our photographer came recommended to us by our venue and, as soon as we saw Susan’s work on other weddings, we were certain that she was the right fit for us. We had a long chat with Susan to discuss what we were looking for, and she advised us on the package which would be the best fit for us. We were delighted that there was the option to have two photographers, and that John could shadow Alan on the day and take some more candid shots. From the planning stage to the day, Susan and John were so helpful and adapted to whatever we needed from them. They were incredibly patient on the day and caught everything, from the sweet moments with my nieces and the funny shots with the groomsmen, to the romantic moments in the forest and the posed family shots. The turnaround for our photos was very quick, and once Susan sent on the photos we were able to share photos with our family and friends which was lovely.”
Favourite moments:
The dancing was one of the biggest highlights of the day. Our band, Spring Break, performed our first dance ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ live to introduce the evening festivities. From there we did not leave the dancefloor, dancing the night away to some amazing 80s and 90s music. They included some lovely little extras to keep the night going, such as a limbo competition and a conga line around the venue. After this they provided a DJ who carried the dancing on late into the night. Our family and friends, who would not usually spend much time on the dance floor, commented on how much fun they had.
Advice for other couples:
Pick your vendors very carefully to ensure you surround yourself with people who will enhance your day. All our vendors exceeded our expectations and ensured every single detail was personalised to suit our dream wedding. It is very important to have a hairstylist and makeup artist who listen to what you want and are willing to make alterations to ensure you are happy and comfortable with how you look on your big day. The florist hand delivered the most beautiful flowers to the bridal suite on the morning and ensured the venue flowers were perfectly placed to set the ambiance in the chapel as I walked down the aisle. Our photographers were wonderfully patient and adapted their timeline to suit us. They took stunning shots which we will treasure forever. The harpist was stunning and really brought the fairytale ambiance to the ceremony and cocktail hour. And the band had us dancing the night away, an amazing accomplishment as neither of us are dancers! The right choice of vendors can really make the day special!
Recommended suppliers
Wedding venue: Brooklodge, Macreddin Village
Photographer: Susan Jefferies Photography
Band: Springbreak
Suit: Protocol
Other suppliers
Harpist: Chu Chang | Hair: Louise Carter | Makeup: Asta Kiske | Dress: Belle Marie Bridal, Athboy | Bridesmaids dresses: Lipsy | Flower-girl dresses: Monsoon kids | Cake: Amazing Cakes | Florist: Mermaid Florist | Celebrant: Lorcan Balfe (family member)
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