“We chose a Vintage theme for our wedding with a modern twist.”
Names: Caitriona & Paul O’Rourke
Length of engagement: 16 Months
Wedding Date: 6th May 2018
Wedding location: Cabra Castle Co Cavan
Photographer: Bruno Rosa
We met on a night out in Copper Face Jacks 10 years ago in Dublin City Centre. Paul was training in Templemore and had travelled back up to Dublin for the weekend. We met every weekend he was back in Dublin after that night.
Our proposal – Paul proposed to me while we were on a weekend trip to Bruges in January 2018. We were walking through one of the most romantic cities in the world and Paul got down on bended knee in Market Square in front of the Belfry of Bruges Tower. I of course replied Yes and we celebrated with Champagne in our 5 star Hotel Dukes Hotel. Paul proposed with a gorgeous ring but told me that the next day he had organised train tickets to Antwerp, the diamond capital of Europe, to design and make my actual engagement ring. We met with a Diamond Jeweller who designed my Engagement ring down to the last detail. We chose the colour, clarity and cut of the Diamond and as we left with the ring it started to snow as Paul put it on my finger, it was a surreal and magical moment.
Our wedding theme/colours. We chose a Vintage theme for our wedding with a modern twist. We wanted our wedding to feel as romantic as possible, so we opted for soft neutral colours to compliment this. Beige, Blush pink, Taupe, Ivory and White tones were used to create a romantic vintage theme. We carried this right through from our bespoke wedding logo on our wedding website to our wedding arch flowers, bridal wear, wedding cars, ceremony booklets, our cake, blush lightning in the banqueting room and our Thank You cards. The modern twist came from the fun aspect of our Wedding such as our Save the dates/wedding invitations, 80’s themed wedding band and flame throwers to reflect our fun side.
Things we DIY’d/made ourselves. We made our Save the date cards, wedding invitations as well as our mass booklets. We made Hangover kits as wedding favors for our guests which included Alka Seltzer, eye masks, ear plugs, Chewing gum, plasters, bobons and kirby grips. We also provided our guests with handmade bookmark timelines for the day so they could plan their day – checking in etc. Paul’s Dad made the most gorgeous Ferrero Roche tree for our pre reception drinks and a beautiful Memory tree where we hung photos of our late relatives to make sure they were present in the church on the day.
My dress was from Designer Justin Alexander and was purchased from the Bridal Outlet, Baldoyle Dublin 13. I chose Justin Alexander as they are well known for making the finest vintage wedding dresses and bridal couture. I wanted to have a timeless dress that when I looked back in a few years at photos would still be fashionable. I chose a lace mermaid silhouette with diamantes and button detail to the back. I chose to wear a veil with matching lace to the bottom of the veil. I opted to accessorise with an Ivory Shoe from Ted Baker and a Pearl detail bag. The jewellery on the day was simple and elegant with diamond stud earrings and matching necklace.
My hair and makeup. I wanted a classic couture look on my wedding day so I opted to have my Hair, styled by Janet Weldon, to be an elegant upstyle that was full of texture. Janet created this gorgeous chignon upstyle which I was delighted with. It was so manageable and worked well with the neckline of the dress. Janet created a gorgeous curly blow dry with a section pinned back for my bridesmaids, I wanted a very effortless look for them as opposed to a structured upstyle.
My makeup was done by Michelle Montgomery, Michelle created the perfect bridal look. Michelle created a gorgeous dewy look with an understated Smokey eye. This was finished off with a pink lip and gloss. I loved my makeup on the day. Michelle just gets what you are looking for and was so open to trying different looks at the makeup trial to perfect what I was after. The bridesmaids all had a very natural look as did my mother and mother in law, who wouldn’t normally opt for much makeup. Michelle created such flawless glamorous looks on everyone.
His suit. Paul, his groomsmen and our fathers were all kitted out by Diffney’s on Henry Street. Paul chose a navy three piece tailored suit to compliment the blush tones of the bridal party. Paul wore a dickie bow to again compliment the classic vintage look and finished this off with a white pocket square and burgundy shoes. The groomsmen and fathers also wore the same tailored 3 piece suit, however they accessorised with blush ties that matched that of the bridesmaid and flower girl dresses. They also wore the classic white pocket square and burgundy shoe. Paul wore a single white rose on his lapel and the groomsmen and fathers wore a single blush rose in keeping with the wedding colours.
Our bridesmaids and Flowergirl wore Blush pink dresses to compliment our wedding colours. The Bridesmaids wore a soft maxi style dress finished with a satin bow. The lace detail on the top of the dress complimented the lace on my wedding dress and the flowy bottom allowed them to look like they were gliding up the aisle. The dresses worked beautifully with the girls soft curly hairstyles and were accessorised with Gypsophila flowers in their hair. They each wore a nude heel and a nude clutch bag. Saoirse our flower girl wore a similar dress in keeping with the Bridesmaids. The lace detail carried through into the top of Saoirse’s dress and the skirt was a satin puffy skirt with tulle to allow for that princess look. Again Saoirse wore Gypsophila in the form of a Halo in her hair. This was accessorised with a little bag and flower wand made by our florist Ann.
Our ceremony incorporated As Gaeilge as my family would come from an Irish speaking background and I wanted this to have a strong representation in the ceremony, therefore we chose to have some of the ceremony delivered As Gaeilge. The music that was chosen were songs that reflected memories during our relationship and with family. We chose to have a string quartet to play at the ceremony as we felt this was more romantic and created such a beautiful interpretation of each song we chose. We chose to have a memory tree made in honor of all our relatives who could not be there on the day but wanted to signify they were in our thoughts on our special day. Once the ceremony had finished we had organised The Vintage Parlour to set up during the ceremony, so once guests left the church they were greeted by the team to serve up Prosecco, Donuts, Ice cream and teas and coffees.
We chose our photographer- after a lot of research and viewing various portfolios and photographers styles, Bruno just ticked all the boxes. His creative eye and imagination to capture those special moments is second to none. Bruno’s style is relaxed and he allowed for natural family shots on the day. There were no forced or posed photos and that can been seen from our album. You never knew he was there. He has great people skills and made everyone feel at ease. His attention to detail speaks for itself. His photographs just encapsulate the emotion and fun on the day. He has a talent for capturing special moments and his passion for what he does allows you to get the most spectacular wedding photos. He really is such a talented photographer.
Our wedding coordinator – when we arrived to Cabra Castle we were greeted by Johnny Tevlin who was just a fantastic support to us from the moment we viewed the venue to waving us off as a married couple. We always felt reassured that everything was in hand with Johnny. It can be quite overwhelming when starting into planning your wedding but Johnny has a way of simplifying everything and you leave feeling like a weight has been lifted each time you meet with him. No request was ever too much! He really is a master of his trade. Everything on the day went off according to plan. From the timings of everything to the finest of detail being covered. The best thing on anyone’s wedding day is to be able to enjoy it together and we got to switch off from everything and just be together celebrating with family and friends. Johnny just made sure it all went off like a dream. We are forever grateful to him for giving us the best day of our lives!
We chose our venue because we just fell in love with Cabra Castle when we went to view it. Paul’s Mother is from Cootehill in Cavan and Paul would have gone here as a child with his family and grandparents so was also so special that we had that connection with the venue. Cabra Castle just had that fairytale WOW moment when you drive up to it. I’ve always dreamt of a castle wedding and without question Cabra Castle stood out as the most gorgeous of the Castles in Ireland for us. The venue just boasts gorgeous rooms and character. You feel like the history there adds to the grandeur of a wedding. The atmosphere is that of familiarity, the staff create an environment of relaxation,
friendliness and old irish charm. The wedding hall though is where the magic is captured in the venue. From the grand red carpet entrance right into the throne seats for the wedding couple, you just feel like you’re in a fairytale. Seeing all my family and friends cheer us on from the veranda while our bagpiper piped us up the red carpeted stairs and into the fabulous venue, was just amazing!! There are no words to describe how special we were made feel, it really was our special day and Cabra Castle encapsulated that fairytale for us.
Cabra Castle will tailor your wedding to what you want and they go above and beyond even before and after the wedding day. We had almost a 3 day celebration in the venue. The day before the wedding we arrived and were greeted by the gorgeous girls in reception who checked us all in. Even with another wedding on that day you are still as much a priority. Johnny had organised a private room that evening in the castle for our rehearsal dinner for 30 of our closest family and we spent a fabulous evening enjoying dinner and drinks along with a karaoke set up in another of the gorgeous rooms in a separate part of the Castle.
The day after the wedding Johnny had organised a BBQ in the same room but this time it led out onto the gorgeous terrace area. This had been set up with pagodas and tables and chairs to eat outside. We were blessed with the weather so all our guests who stayed on the next day enjoyed Charles Kavanagh’s Band on the terrace while playing Jenga and retro board games, it was fantastic.
That Evening the fun continued with a coach collecting our guests and taking them to Dusty’s in Carrickmacross, where Declan the manager looked after us and booked us the private use of the top floor of this cool cocktail bar. We had a band booked who played into the early hours of the night – High Stool Prophets, who I cannot recommend enough for a good trad session. The celebrations finished with a coach back to Cabra Castle where the staff were only happy to facilitate drinks in the residents bar.
The menu we chose was done through a taste testing day in Cabra Castle with other future bridal couples. We attended Cabra Castle almost as wedding guests on the day. The venue was decorated as on the wedding day and we went through the motions of our wedding day but as guests. We were seated at a table with 5 other wedding couples and it was such a lovely way to hear all their ideas and plans for their day, it just created a real excitement about the fast approaching wedding day. We decided on a menu of a starter of Black pudding or Melon. Followed by Celeriac Soup and the most delicious Soda bread. We had 4 main course options, Fillet of Beef, Chicken and Salmon Pesto and Almond Crust, along with a Vegetarian Stuffed pepper option. We opted for the Symphony of Chocolate
Bavarois, Baileys & Malteser Cheesecake, Mini Meringue & Ice-Cream. The food was an absolute highlight on the day. The portions were extremely generous and each course was complemented beautifully by the House Wine. That evening guests were served up Chicken and Chip cones, Sandwiches, Tea/Coffee and the wedding Cake was shared. At the end of the night guests were given Tayto sandwich boxes to make some crisp sandwiches.
For our honeymoon we had a tailored trip organised with Trailfinders and they planned an unforgettable 1 month in America and Mexico. 3 weeks of the trip were made up of an unforgettable road trip from San Francisco to San Diego taking in Monterey, Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas, San Diego and Los Angeles on the way. We then flew to Mexico for 1 week to the All inclusive 5* Akumal Hotel in Riviera Maya which can only be described as paradise. From swimming with Dolphins to romantic dinners on the beach it was the perfect romantic end to a once in a lifetime trip, and the greatest way to finish off our spectacular wedding experience.
My favourite part of the wedding day was walking up the aisle with my dad and seeing my future husband to be looking back at me. I know you dream of this moment but nothing can prepare you for the emotion you feel at the time. Surrounded by everyone you love and know that your dad is about to give you away to marry your best friend, it really is quite emotional and an iconic moment in my life.
My piece of advice for other couples is to make sure you enjoy your day. Find a great venue and coordinator that allows you to enjoy your wedding day and takes the worry out of it all. There is a lot of planning and prep that goes into it but don’t be overwhelmed, take your time deciding on what you want and make sure you find great vendors who you can rely on and will take the worry off you! It really goes by so so fast and dont get caught up in the details on the day. Make sure you take time with your husband and step out for 10 mins together to just take it all in. The best moments are spent together on the day so make sure you have plenty of them. I organised a flash dance for Paul on the day with all my friends after our wedding dance and it was the best surprise ever his reaction was priceless and it is these memorable special moments you should put your energy into and not sweating the small stuff.
What is it that makes your wedding unique? The feedback we got from our day was that it was the best wedding ever!! and I think this was due to the fact that it reflected us as a couple and took in the fun aspect. We had so much fun so our guests did as well. We made sure there was never a lull moment, that there always seemed to be something happening.
From the Vintage Parlour outside our wedding ceremony, where most people find themselves nipping off to a garage for a sneaky sandwich or to the local for a pint, we made sure our guests were catered for outside the church and stayed in company together. As people sat for dinner Manilla Strings went around to each table and sang a song of that tables choice, it was a fantastic ice breaker for the table! When the dinner finished in the wedding room, guests would normally be moved out for the evening set up, we instead had flamethrowers and drummers arranged to take the guests out to the front of the hotel as a surprise. Guests were handed out sparklers to join in the electric performance, which soaked up this turnaround time and got the guests hyped and into the spirit for some dancing after their relaxed dinner. When the band started we had inflatable guitars, saxophones and microphones handed out. And when the DJ set was in full flight we had a surprise Saxaphone player perform alongside him to ensure the energy and party kept going. My friend came up to me at one stage and asked could she run back to her room now or would she miss something!! 🙂 We tried to ensure we had the day filled with fun entertainment or silly bits on the tables such as the funny face coasters to make sure everyone was having a good a time as us. Your wedding day can be planned to be executed with the utmost class but make sure it’s filled with belly laughs of fun also.
Suppliers
Our Wedding Website: View here | Wedding venue: Cabra Castle Co Cavan | Photographer: Bruno Rosa | Planner/coordinator: Johnny Tevlin. Senior Duty Manager, Cabra Castle, Co Cavan | Videographer: Little Bird Wedding Cinematography | Ceremony Music: Dublin String Quartet – Sylvia | Drinks Reception Music: Manila Strings – Amos | Wedding Band and DJ: Spring Break | Saxophone player to Play at DJ Set: Natalia McGough Saxophonist | Day 2 BBQ: The Charles Kavanagh Band | Day 2, Evening reception in Dusty’s Carrickmacross, High Stool Prophets | Hair: Janet Weldon | Makeup: Michelle Montgomery | Dress: Justin Alexander. The Bridal Outlet | Brides Shoes: Ted Baker | Brides Wedding Bag: Lipsy | Suit: Diffney | Bridesmaids/Flower Girl dress: Monsoon | Groomsmen outfits: Diffney | Flame Throwers: Those Fire Guys | Post ceremony catering: The Vintage Parlour | Tayto Boxes: RetroCandyCarts | Cake: Mc Connons Cakes | Celebrant: Fr Liam Kelly | Cars: AT&T Chauffeurs | Flowers: Flowers by Ann | Selfie Mirror: Gers Covers Ireland | Bagpiper: Declan Mc Connon | Church Decór: Aisle Love you | Table Planner: Table Plan Designs | Karaoke: Karaoke.ie
