It is just about one of the oddest Friday’s I can remember in 14 years of running Waterlily Weddings. Instead of being knee deep in confirming final wedding details and the minutia of on the day schedules, we are helping couples uproot their original plans and dates and move to a completely different time of year or a date a full 12 months later then planned.

I am so incredibly grateful for the positivity, support and professionalism of all our partners in the industry in making the very best of this terrible time. We are all very much in this together and 100% focused on doing whatever we can to help couples through this time.

I wanted to end the week shaking off the challenges of the last two weeks and focus on the happiness, the love, the beautiful of the wedding days we create. I picked this wedding because of the smiles, the good memories, the partnerships and the beauty. Here is to doing this all again SOON.

Not even the Irish mist could put a damper on Hanna and Patrick’s wedding at Virginia Park Lodge this past August. A gorgeous floral arch served as focal point for the completely bespoke ceremony, wildflowers in bright white and ivory tones mixed with gorgeous emerald greenery lined the aisles and danced under the fairy lights in the tent during the reception. The day was relaxed, full of fun and incredible food (seriously — Virginia Park Lodge has a legendary breakfast and quite literally life-changing mashed potatoes), lots of laughs and everything you want out of a good wedding! And there to capture the day were some of our faves — The Lous!

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A Family Tradition At the Lodge

Hanna and Patrick met in school, both studying neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh. They dated about 8 years before getting engaged on a beach in the Bahamas. When it came time to plan for a wedding, they knew off the bat they would have a destination wedding in Ireland. “Patrick’s grandmother and great aunt got married at Virginia Park Lodge and Patrick’s mom is from Cavan,” explains Hanna. “We also loved the idea of taking over a property for the whole weekend and we knew Richard wouldn’t let us down with the food (we’re big foodies!).”  We couldn’t agree more!

The Details

Irish mist decided to bless their wedding day, so their ceremony took place under a tent on the expansive grounds of the estate.  A gorgeous circular floral arch served as focal point throughout the ceremony that included the music of Gordan Lightfoot, a reading reflecting their love of food written by Hanna’s brother, and an Irish toast delivered by Patrick’s sister.  “We wanted love and emotion and for everyone to really connect with us as a couple. The ceremony was focused and meaningful for us!” We love a lot of the personal details incorporated into the day including brain-shaped programs for the ceremony (!), the table numbers were all named after streets in Edinburgh where they met, a photo collage of Patrick and Hanna from childhood to now (love this!), and to top it all off — a super flash mob performed by their friends singing Proud Mary.  Hanna’s look was amazing in a custom Hayley Paige dress and custom designed earrings (designed by her mom!), but our favorite detail is the lace inside her dress was from her grandmother. Canada made an appearance throughout the day as well, in the form of socks for Patrick and the groomsmen and the seriously adorable buffalo plaid ensembles in the morning!  The ceremony space and reception riffed on the garden theme in glorious detail — emerald green tones and bright, soft white and ivory notes are a classic combination that worked just so beautifully and added a really elegant undertone to both spaces.

Looking Back

It’s the little moments that often end up being the most memorable of the day. “Getting a pint of Guinness in the main house together when no one else was around” recalls Hanna as a favorite moment of the day. The music, the surprise flash mob, the FOOD, and just looking out on all their friends and family in the tent enjoying themselves and there to support them and celebrate together in such an incredible setting is what makes the best part of the day. “The only thing we’d change is make the party a week long!” gushes Hanna.

A Piece of Advice

“A wedding is one day, a marriage is a lifetime. Remember the important things!”  Simple. True. And a good piece of advice.

Hanna and Patrick — we wish you a wonderful life together filled with laughter, great food and drink, and more trips to the Emerald Isle! Congratulations!