Clare & Aidan’s Barberstown Castle Wedding

We have another wedding to share with you that coincided with the Royal Wedding on 29th April! Clare and Aidan held their celebrations in Barberstown Castle in Co. Kildare. The award-winning photographer Christina Brosnan shot this fabulous vintage themed wedding, and also Clare and Aidan’s engagement session. 

How we met

Where and when:

At university many moons ago! Aidan was studying Animation and I was doing Applied Arts in the same building at Hertfordshire University.

First impressions:

I thought Aidan was American – I had never met an Irishman before! But was completely smitten when I first met him.

Our first date:

In London showing Aidan the sights on a very cold winter day and eating sandwiches in the park with the pigeons!

The Proposal

Aidan surprised me on Valentines with a romantic holiday booked to go to Italy and Rome the following May. Aidan took me to the Teatro Dell’Opera to see Pagliacci. Afterwards we walked up the Spanish steps and it was a beautiful night and very magical proposal!
Aidan: I felt so nervous that Clare thought I was actually breaking up with her at first!

The Big Day

Wedding Theme:

Vintage

Before I walked down the aisle:

I didn’t feel nervous at all! I just hoped i wouldn’t trip over in the middle of the aisle – I’m not very good in high heels!

When we first saw each other:

I smiled! and I think Aidan was crying!

Our music

Aidan’s sister sang for us which was really special and she did such a great job. I walked down the aisle to Lead us Heavenly Father Lead us – which my mum and sister also walked down the aisle to. A sort of family tradition! We walked out of the church to Mendolssohn’s wedding march.

Menu:

Baked Haddock & Codling Parcels
*****
Roasted Guinea Fowl Dark
*****
Chocolate & Pecan Tart

Most emotional moment:

Aidan: It was seeing my beautiful bride being walked down the isle. It felt like she and I were the only people in the chapel.

Most surprising moment:

Aidan: Clare and the bridesmaid’s dresses were big surprises for me – I was never at any point allowed to see what they were like! I think also the weather was a huge surprise, we got the sunniest week in the whole month. Fantastic.

Funniest moment:

Clare: The speeches- all of them were fantastic, funny and emotional. Particularly our best man’s speech describing Aidan’s ‘classic’ moments of extreme clumsiness and general stupidity. Also when we used the moustache props for our bridesmaids and usher photos!

Most magical moment:

Aidan: It’s very hard to pinpoint any one single moment but I think it would have to be the exchanging of vows and seeing Clare walk down the isle. Also our first dance was pretty magical.

We wanted our first dance to be get the party started and get everybody up on the dance floor so we dance a jive to Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell”, it was so much fun and really went down well, even if we did mess it up a bit and Aidan accidentally elbowed me in the eye! The DJ played a good mix of everything, and we loved all the 50’s and 60’s tunes at the beginning and so did our folks!

Any other memories from The Big Day:

The feeling of being completely surrounded by everyone you love, and being the centre of attention – it’s amazing!

Aidan & Clare’s Wedding Suppliers