Romantic, soft, pretty and perfect are all words that could describe today’s featured wedding. This gorgeous couple, Ruth and Ian, tied the knot in November surrounded by family and friends at Castle Leslie Estate, with photographer Julie Cummins on board to capture every moment. Read on for a touch of idyllic elegance!
Both originally from Monaghan, Ruth and Ian met in school years before their relationship really kicked off just before Ian’s 21st birthday. In September 2012, while they were at Ruth’s brother’s wedding in Brisbane, the couple headed off to Noosa one night for some time on their own. During a walk along the beach Ian asked Ruth to be his wife. 
Back on home soil, Ruth and Andrew set about searching for the perfect venue: “We looked at a few places and actually thought we had a place picked before we visited Castle Leslie, but it was so beautiful we felt we didn’t have to do much – the place just spoke for itself’,” explains Ruth. 
After choosing Castle Leslie everything else fell into place, with the couple choosing a neutral and elegant colour scheme, and although not an actual theme chosen, the day had beautiful vintage style. “There was no theme in mind, although looking back at the photos it does seem as if we went for the vintage theme. I wanted classic neutral colours– nothing to bright for November. The venue was so beautiful and had so much character we didn’t really have to do very much at all. We put effort into the lighting as we knew that as the wedding was in November we would get maximum impact,” adds Ruth. 
“The dress I wore on my wedding day was the first dress I tried on! I rang Kathy De Stafford to make an appointment and they invited me to a fashion show that they were having that week. My mum and myself went along. I wasn’t expecting to try a dress on, it was more to get into the swing of things. Little did I know I would find the very dress I would choose! Of course I had to go through the motions of trying on a lot of other dresses anyway,” says Ruth. 
Ruth and Ian’s day went perfectly with only a few slight mishaps earlier in the week: “The church rang to say we had put the wrong priest on the marriage licence! A few panicked phone calls later we were reassured that it was OK and a new marriage licence was not required. That did make me feel very nervous because at that stage I realized how many small things could potentially go wrong. In between that, with an emergency root canal for Ian and a face of cold sores for me, we both managed to make it through the week and arrive with our photo faces intact!”
Highlights of the day: “It is hard to pick a specific moment, but both of us are in agreement that the ceremony was a major highlight. I’ll never forget my dad walking me up the aisle to Ian. It was a great moment seeing all of our family and friends and sharing it with them all. The church singer, Clara Rose, was beautiful, as was the music. The priest was really lovely and made the whole ceremony relaxed and enjoyable. It was perfect.” 
Ruth’s advice for other couples: “Don’t try to please everyone else. You are having this wedding for both of you. It’s about the bride and groom. Everyone else is along for the ride. If you are happy and everyone can see that, people can’t be anything but happy for you as well.” 
Ruth & Ian’s Wedding Suppliers: Photographer: Julie Cummins Photography. Ceremony: St Patricks Church, Corracrin, Co Monaghan. Reception: Castle Leslie Estate, Glaslough, Monaghan. Wedding dress: De Stafford Bridal, Dublin. Bridesmaids dresses: Fran & Jane. Bridal headpiece: Jules Bridal Jewellery, Blackrock. Grooms wear: Dawson Menswear, Maynooth. Wedding cake: Cute Cakes by Bronagh (Grooms cousin) Flowers: AbFab Flowers, Celbridge. Entertainment: The Panoramics Wedding Band. Marquee Props: Event Planners NI.
