Ireland is a unique place in that it can really accommodate any kind of wedding, any size, any style, and budget. In particular, however, it seems to really fit the niche for intimate weddings. Not to be confused with elopements, intimate weddings are full weddings with a smaller guest list — usually not more than 20 or 30 people. The entire day begins and unfolds as a normal wedding would:  waking up, getting ready, ceremony set up, reception to follow, cake after dinner, music, etc. But the big difference in an intimate wedding is because the guest list is so small, the couple getting married really do get to experience their special day one-on-one and on a more intimate level than if there are hundreds of people. For some couples, this really is the best choice, and such was the case with Andrea and Daniel.

We love their effortless style. The flowers designed by Fussy Peacock were a perfect pop of color against the gorgeous countryside of eastern Ireland. We love Andrea’s dress — an exquisite back with spectacular beading and hair perfectly suited to show it off in an effortlessly elegant way.  Every couple is different, and they really paid attention to what they wanted and how they wanted their day to unfold.

Waterlily Weddings is excited to show you their wedding day, beautifully captured by Shane O’Neil of Aspect Photography. This, is their story…

Andrea and Daniel met seven years ago in college, at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania. They hung out together in the same crowd, finding themselves crossing paths more and more often as their group of friends would get together for dinners a few times a week. Dinners led to dates, and eventually Andrea and Daniel became a couple. Daniel proposed and Andrea said “yes,” and a wedding in Ireland was soon in the works!

They live in Woodlawn, a heavily influenced Irish community in the Bronx in New York, and found great inspiration at every turn in their hometown. As wedding planning began to get more serious, they realized that a big New York wedding wasn’t for them; they’d rather take the opportunity to explore a new location, put to use the Irish inspiration, and take their closest friends and family to Ireland for an unforgettable wedding.  They came in contact with Waterlily Weddings who were excited to get to work. After talking to Andrea and Dan about what they envisioned, Tinakilly House quickly rose to the top of the list and was a slam dunk first choice. The rest of the details fell into place pretty easily, and Andrea and Dan’s dream destination wedding in Ireland was well underway to becoming a reality.

  

  

The end of May was soon upon them, and Andrea and Daniel together with their family and friends, made the trek over the ocean to Ireland. They were greeted with a spectacular steady stream of rain, effectively pouring just two days before they were set to say their I Do’s. As many first time travelers to Ireland do, Andrew and Daniel lost hope their day would be rain-free. But Ireland certainly has a way with the couples who come to get married here, always seeming to come through in the end and parting the skies just enough for couples to host their wedding ceremonies. And such was the case here. The  morning of the wedding came and although the sun did not shine, a cool breeze on a slightly overcast day was a welcomed reprieve for the couple who wanted an authentic Irish wedding!

Andrea and Daniel woke their wedding day morning together at Tinakilly. They enjoyed a delicious breakfast together, had a chance to spend some quality time together before taking their separate ways and getting ready for the day. Andrea wasn’t nervous at all; rather excited, really, her smile broadening with every peek in her room and wedding morning wish offered by her family and friends. She was joined by the rest of the ladies who got ready in her room, surrounded by love and laughter, well wishes and lots of positive energy; it was exactly what Andrea dreamed her wedding day would be.

The ceremony was held indoors at Tinakilly. The 4-star, Victorian-style estate boasts the best of both worlds in Ireland — expansive gorgeous countryside and view of the sea — and is one of the hidden gems in Co. Wicklow. It is a perfect venue to host your dream destination wedding in Ireland.  Ti na Coille in Gaelic, it means “house of the wood” and was built in 1883 in the Victorian style. It boasts 7 acres of pleasure gardens alone, in addition to the other 7 acres of countryside, incredible views of the Irish Sea, and is easily commutable to nearby Dublin (less than an hour’s drive) and various incredible sight-seeing including Powerscourt House & Gardens, Glendalough, and more.

        

 

The ceremony was a mixture of spiritual and religious elements. Andrea and Daniel chose to host their ceremony indoors, after falling in love with the interior of the house, and used the expansive grounds of the estate for incredible pictures. Dara, their celebrant, conducted a traditional spiritual ceremony with some Irish traditions including the hand-fasting ceremony and ancient Celtic blessings. Andrea’s girlfriends were invited to share a reading, including Anamchara (“Soul Friend”).  One of the highlights was Tim, Daniel’s best friend whom also lived with the couple for five years. He was asked to be the ring bearer for the day, and taking his role extremely seriously and seeing that the couple did not have a formal wedding party, he decided to take on the roll of flower girl also and surprised Andrea with a spectacular carpet of bright colored flowers (taken from an undisclosed location), much to the couple and guests’ delight!

After exchanging vows, Andrea and Daniel were pronounced husband and wife. They kissed to seal the deal and rejoiced to the resplendent applause of their family and friends.

    Everyone made their way outdoors to enjoy the fresh air and take in a bit of the garden while the couple retreated to the grounds with their photographer, Shane, to take pictures. Afterwards, everyone gathered in the Victorian dining room for a full multi-course meal including Potato Leek Soup, Caesr SAlad, Cheese Potatoes, vegetables, and Atlantic Cod or Beef as the couple’s favorite tunes quietly played in the background. For dessert, a creme brulee (with a side of mini chocolate chip cookies) and of course, a slice of carrot cake with buttercream frosting for the wedding cake! They all ate to their hearts content, grateful that the kitchen at Tinakilly accommodated their dietary restrictions.

After dinner, everyone made their way into town to The Bridge Tavern for live music and entertainment, and everyone laughed and danced and sang well into the night. A true Irish evening indeed!

This intimate wedding was exactly what Andrea and Daniel had in mind for their dream wedding day in Ireland: full of Irish traditions and meaning, hosted in a gorgeous location at a beautiful venue demonstrating the peek of Irish hospitality. Everyone was comfortable and excited to celebrate Andrea and Daniel’s special day and take in a bit of Irish celebration as well.

Congratulations Andrea and Daniel! We hope to see you again in Ireland for your anniversary and to many, many years of happiness and love!

THE SHORTHAND

Venue: Tinakilly House  ·  Celebrant: Dara Molloy  ·  Photography: Shane O’Neill, Aspect Photography  ·  Flowers: Fussy Peacock  ·  Cake: Timeless Cakes 4 U  ·  Music: Dearbhail Finnegan (harp)  ·  Hair: Michelle O’Hare  ·  Make Up: Aushra Lauren  ·   Dress: “Wonder” by Jenny Packham  · ·: Dessy Group  ·  Suit: My Suit (Westchester, NY)  ·  Special Details:  hand-crocheted shawl by bride’s friend Meghan  ·  Something Blue: Andrea had her friend write a message in blue ink on the bottom of her wedding shoes

Favorite Moments: “Taking our photos with Shane — that was the only time in days we had together, just the two of us; getting ready in the morning with my closest friends and moms. We loved everything about Tinakilly House. We will definitely be back and would love to make it a tradition.”

Bride’s Piece of Advice: “WORK WITH WATERLILY WEDDINGS! I’m extremely hands-on and love to be in control of every bit of the planning process in my every day life so I thought letting go would be hard and it wasn’t at all! Michelle and I were in contact at least once every other week until every last detail was planned. If your’e stressed don’t be!”