Are you a DIY-loving bride or groom and looking for ways to get creative on your special day? Let this sensational real wedding at Loughcrew Estate in Co. Meath serve as sublime inspiration. Fiona and James describe their big day as a DIT ‘do it together’ event as there were so many hands on deck to bring the celebration to life in all its glory!
They wanted their wedding to be eclectic and quirky whilst also being rooted in the elegant tradition of Irish design. Featuring vibrant seasonal flowers, sustainable décor choices, phenomenal bridal style (including a dreamy veil brimming with meaningful embroidery) and so many sweet personal touches, you’re not going to want to miss a single detail of this family-focused, stylish summer wedding which was wonderfully photographed by Michelle Sobel. Enjoy!
Fiona is from California and she moved to Ireland in 2018 with the intention of staying for only a year. Within the first month, she matched with James, who is from Wexford, on a dating app. “We had their first date on a Wednesday at 3pm at Hogan’s in Dublin City Centre. That was the beginning! We did years of back and forth living between the US and Ireland, and at times being separated for months. We navigated through many hoops with visas and time zone differences but in the end we always stuck together.”
James chose a heavenly place to pop the question, he asked the all-important question while they were in Maui in Hawaii celebrating Fiona’s father’s retirement! “On the second day of the celebration trip, James proposed while walking along the beach at sunset. Fiona’s sister, brother in-law and dad were there to watch – very sweet!”
They describe their June nuptials as a “colourful celebration of love” that was all about their two families coming together. “With the majority of the brides’ family and friends traveling to Ireland for the first time, it was important to us to create a unique and memorable experience for them. We spent a lot of time putting together a helpful travel guide and recommendations for them,” they explain.
Instead of hosting a day two, Fiona and James held a welcome party so that their guests could have time to get to know each other. They had an array of fun activities planned at Causey Farms in Meath such as soda bread baking, custom wedding guest bingo and a herd of Irish wolfhounds even made an appearance!
The couple didn’t want a traditional hotel wedding and they needed the venue that was versatile and that they could personalise. While they looked at several venues in Ireland, they knew Loughcrew Estate was “the one” from the moment they stepped foot on the grounds. “We could have our rehearsal dinner in the converted mill house in the gardens and our families could stay on-site in the estate house. What sealed the deal was the ceremony space, the ruins of St Oliver Plunkett’s ancestral home place.”
They wanted their floral arrangements and bouquets to have a “wild imperfect” look and they were arranged by Fiona’s mother, Mai Dinh. “The flowers were locally sourced through a flower grower based in Kildare with the help from Howbert and Mays in Monkstown, Dublin. The day after the wedding we donated the flowers to a local nursing home to be further enjoyed.”
Their ceremony was a firm family affair as Fiona’s sister and the maid of honour Brigid acted as their celebrant and her sisters sang an acoustic version of Sea of Love by Phil Phillips.
While Fiona and James exchanged their vows privately they opted for a handfasting ritual. Handfasting is a symbolic unity ritual in which a couple stand face to face as their hands are tied together – hence the phrase, tying the knot! As your hands are bound, you can recite words that express your commitment to one another.
The couple’s ceremony was deeply personal and full of love and laughter. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd,” they reminisce.
They used a beloved family heirloom as their ‘getaway car’ a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer named Sally. James’s sisters decorated it with hand-knitted crochet rims, a giant ‘just married’ sign and cans of Guinness trailing out the back tied by satin ribbons.
Something blue bridesmaids dresses are so sweet and Fiona’s leading ladies aced mix and matched looks magically choosing designs with floral prints, puff sleeves, scarf necklines and twinkling embellishments. “All the bridesmaids picked out their own dresses as long as it was a shade of blue. They could wear whatever they were most comfortable in, charity shopping and buying secondhand was encouraged.”
We were utterly wowed by Fiona’s bridal look as she wore the Third Wisdom dress Sandra Mansour. Handmade in Beirut, the draped midi dress boasts long sleeves with ruffled cuffs. Her accessories included crystal-encrusted lilac Manolo Blahnik mules and her engagement ring featuring an antique diamond, orange sapphire and opal.
When it came to ensuring her wedding dress fit flawlessly the bride knew there was no one that could do it better than her friend Taz Moua. A talented tailor based in New York City he counts Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande as celebrity clients.
Fiona wanted her breathtaking veil to take the spotlight and it was loaded with sweet symbolism. Custom made by Dublin-based seamstress Dawn Seymour Klos, it boasted meaningful embroideries including ‘Loch Gorman Abú’ written as an ode to James’s home county, a California poppy and a Wexford strawberry intertwined to symbolise where Fiona and James are from.
Finding a wedding photographer who could capture their day perfectly and that they could vibe with was another huge priority. “We met Michelle Sobel, a photographer based in the US, who was willing to travel for our wedding. Working with her was completely seamless and easy-going from the start. Highly would recommend her if you’re looking for a more documentary-feel to your wedding photography.”
They put their own stamp on their celebration from start to finish be it with their recycled seeded paper envelopes for the invites to handpicking candle holders, vases and picture frames from charity shops around Dublin for the decor. Also included in the reception styling was a disco ball and “wonky” pastel candles that they made with their friends at a house party.
They had a think-outside-the-box wedding guest dress code, with their family and friends scoring extra points for upcycling their outfits or sourcing them secondhand. “One of the groom’s aunts’ wore her daughter’s Debs dress that had been in her closet for over 20 years. We had another uncle who bought a full suit from a charity shop.”
When it come to planning for the big day, they say to choose what’s important and spend your budget there. “For us, our priority was for our guests to have a super special memorable experience so we opted for our spending to go towards an open bar, organised transportation and a fun unique day-before welcome party rather than things like hiring a florist or having wedding favours.”
James’s mother Kay made their darling lemon drizzle wedding cake which was carefully decorated with richly colourful flowers. James loves chess and a king and queen chess piece proudly rested on top, what a cute cake topper idea! Another unforgettable moment came during their first dance to You’re Still The One by Shania Twain as everyone joined in to sing.
Fiona and James jetted off to Corfu in Greece for a mini-moon which was the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. “We took our honeymoon a few months after and traveled through Japan. We are both scuba divers so our favourite was visiting the beautiful island of Okinawa.”
Congratulations Fiona and James on your divine day from all of us at One Fab Day. A special thank you to Michelle Sobel for sharing today’s wonderful wedding. Check out the gallery below for even more images.
Tying the knot? You’ll find so much inspiration in our Irish Real Wedding section!