Set in the idyllic surrounds of the Monaghan countryside, our real wedding couple Rebekah and David celebrated their love in complete bespoke style at Hilton Park. They planned and styled their summer celebration which was so wonderfully personal and unmistakably theirs, with a relaxed atmosphere that was full of love. Elegant, timeless and absolutely magical, their multi-day wedding boasted a simply stunning white and black colour palette along with oodles of thoughtful personal touches which 125 of their loved ones were so very lucky to experience.
With a fairytale-worthy wedding dress from Justin Alexander, stationery designed by the bride, classic white flowers, fabric signage, bow bridesmaids dresses, an interactive seating chart that got guests in the mood to party, and an epic champagne tower, there is so much to adore – we could go on and on and on! Every moment of their dream day was preserved by Viorica of I.D Photography to be cherished forever and always.
Dublin couple Rebekah and David through mutual friends. They tell us, “They had been suggesting for a while that we might be well matched, but we didn’t think much of it at the time. Even though we grew up just 15 minutes down the road from each other, it wasn’t until our friends properly introduced us at a New Year’s party in 2016 that we actually met. We didn’t stay in touch straight away, but the following summer we reconnected at Electric Picnic and started dating soon after.”
The spectacular bridal robe, the wedding newspapers, and the darling personalised bows for the champagne glasses… Rebekah’s wedding morning was brimming with steal-worthy inspiration for brides-to-be! “I made newspapers for our guests, with details about the day and wedding party and activities like a personalised crossword and photo challenge. They seemed to enjoy competing with each other and seeing whether they were featured for an award, like who RSVP’s first.”
Back to their love story and we’re diving right into their gorgeous proposal. Rebekah reflects, “We bought our first home together in November 2023. It came after so much hard work, saving and patience, and David has since admitted that once we found the perfect place, he secretly knew it was where he wanted to propose. He also knew I would want something private and personal, just the two of us. In January 2024, we were due to go out for dinner to celebrate my birthday. I was upstairs getting ready and taking my time, completely unaware of what was about to happen. I did get a little suspicious when he brought me a drink and asked me not to come downstairs yet, but I hadn’t had time to get my nails done and was planning to do them myself, so when he casually told me I didn’t need to bother with my nails, it completely threw me off the scent.”
She continues, “When I finally came to the top of the stairs, I saw them lined with candles. David took my hand and led me down the candlelit path into our living room. The room was still completely empty of furniture, but he had roses, petals and candles all around us. What struck me most in that moment was the sheer thought and effort he had put into creating something so special. He got down on one knee and emotionally said some lovely things, even though neither of us could remember a word after. I was in total shock; it didn’t feel real. We had been together for over six years, and I felt like I had waited so long for that moment that I couldn’t believe it was actually happening. Afterwards, David showed me that he had secretly set up his phone to record everything, knowing how much it would mean to me to be able to look back on it.”
As David popped open some champagne to celebrate, Rebekah rushed to do her nails and it was then that the emotion caught up with her and happy tears flowed. “We went out for our birthday dinner and drinks as planned, but we didn’t tell anyone for hours. We wanted to keep the moment just for ourselves, fully live in it together and enjoy being in that bubble before sharing the news. We did end up bumping into a friend, which led to a couple of late-night calls to some close friends before the night ended. The next day, we visited our families and told them in person, and the celebrations continued – fuelled by prosecco and champagne for days afterwards. We still feel incredibly lucky, it was everything we could have hoped for, and we loved every single part of how it all happened.”
From the very beginning of the wedding planning journey they wanted to create a celebration that was completely bespoke to them. “Choosing a venue where we felt at ease and our guests would be comfortable was really important, especially with family and friends to consider from an accessibility point of view. We wanted everyone to enjoy themselves from the start, have plenty of good food and drinks and dance the night away without worrying about getting home, and for our family and wedding party staying on site for the whole weekend. It mattered to us that the day felt personal and unmistakably ours, a celebration that brought everyone together in large spaces, not separating them.”
A type of first look that every little girl and proud daddy dreams of!
They wanted a venue that would let them feel at ease and ensure that their guests would be comfortable especially with family and friends to consider from an accessibility point of view. They wanted a venue that was brimming with character with oodles of beautiful spots for photos and with a relaxed atmosphere so they could feel at home and stay for the whole weekend. Their dreams came true at Hilton Park.
Their family and wedding party arrived at the venue the day before and they held a welcome dinner locally in The Creighton Hotel. “They organised a beautiful private room for us with bespoke menus and a welcome sign, which made it feel like the perfect way to kick off the weekend together.”
“We loved that we could completely bespoke our ceremony with Graham Barrett, it felt so special being able to include more friends and family into those elements too,” she reflects. “We loved it all and chose everything very specifically because it had a special meaning to us.”
They took an untraditional approach to some of the ceremony music and included instrumental versions of songs from some of their favourite movies such as You’ve Got a Friend In Me from Toy Story and All Star from Shrek. “Watching that moment of realisation on people’s faces and then singing along was so funny.”
Rebekah was a modern-day princess wearing a Justin Alexander wedding dress with an asymmetrical neckline and tiered ruffled skirt. She accessorised with Carvela heels, MoMuse pearl floral drop earrings and a sparkling Swarovski bracelet. Also glittering gorgeously was her pear shape diamond engagement ring from Gear Jewellers.
They knew their venue was ‘the one’ as they were able to build their day their own way and host the entire weekend in one place. “From the moment we drove up and took in the beauty of it, we were completely taken aback. The character of the manor house, combined with the rustic setting of the wedding colonnade and beautiful bar, just felt right. Meeting the people behind the venue sealed the deal for us, as everyone was so warm and welcoming. No matter where else we looked, we couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
There were so many moments that made the day feel really special and personal to them, the bride reflects. “I loved doing a first look and having a drink with a couple of my closest friends who I wasn’t able to include as bridesmaids. Having that moment with them before the ceremony meant so much to me.”
They chose a formal/black-tie optional dress code, a monochrome theme and classic white flowers to lean into the venue’s aesthetic.
Rebekah designed, printed and assembled all the stationery herself which exuded elegant glamour.
They were blessed with soft sunshine for their outdoor drinks reception across both days which was such a highlight after the rain that had been forecast! “Being surrounded by all the people we love and seeing everyone enjoy themselves made it a weekend we’ll never forget.”
They got married on the same weekend that Rebekah’s parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary and during the sing-song on their day two Rebekah made a short speech dedicated to them. “Our friends on guitar then led everyone in a rendition of Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis, and it was such a beautiful, meaningful way to mark their anniversary together,” she reminisces.
They basked in the architectural beauty of the beautiful manor house during the reception with the tablescape styling including menus adorned with black bows and tables bookended by exuberant combinations of white blooms with greenery.
Look at that Krisy Kreme glazed donut tower!
Their celebration included a wonderful interactive table plan which doubled up as their wedding favours. Rebekah’s father built them a beautiful stand to hold mini bottles of Baileys with their guests’ names and table numbers on them. “It made finding tables fun and interactive, and so many people thought the stand was part of the venue itself.”
She has loads of sage advice for couples planning their big day and top of the list, “If people genuinely want to help, let them. There’s so much to do in the lead-up to the wedding and having support makes it so much easier to actually enjoy the process.”
“Celebrate all the moments, not just the wedding day itself,” she adds. “We organised a date night on the 18th of every month leading up to the wedding and one a week out to kick off the celebrations. We also made every milestone feel like an occasion. It doesn’t have to be fancy, some nights we marked it by cooking a nice meal together at home, banning wedding/budget talk and opening a nice bottle of wine. It made such a difference and allowed us to really enjoy and embrace the engagement instead of putting all the pressure on one day. We now have so many lovely memories from the entire year.”
Finally on the day itself, stick together! “We agreed on this beforehand and made a conscious effort to do it, and it made the day even more special. We now share the same amazing memories together, felt really connected and truly lived in and enjoyed every moment.”
Food was a huge priority for the couple and they wanted the dinner to feel like them while making sure there was plenty for everyone to enjoy. They brought the idea of giant grazing table for canapés and tapas-style for the main meal to their caterers Olive & Vine Catering who were just as excited as they were to make it happen. “It was absolutely delicious, and our guests were buzzing when they realised they didn’t have to choose just one or two dishes. People still talk about the food now, and one of our friends even has our menu stuck on their fridge!”
Rebekah swapped her dreamy veil for a sweet bridal bow. It was a small style change with huge impact!
With a natural and documentary-style approach videographer Nadine Hyland of Forget Me Not Weddings was on hand to capture every magical moment and stunning detail.
Their friends Laura and Brian performed a custom version of Canter by Gerry Cinnamon for their first dance. “One of our biggest surprises and highlights was finding out a few days before the wedding that they were going to play and sing our first dance song live for us. It was incredibly special and such a memorable moment from the day. We wanted the first couple of verses to be slower so we could take that moment together, and then for it to kick in so everyone could join us on the dancefloor!”
The couple went on their mini-moon to Albania straight after the wedding. “We would absolutely recommend a few nights away together if you can make it happen. We were completely exhausted but still on such a high, so having that quiet time to relax by the pool and just be together was exactly what we needed. It was also so special getting photos and videos from our photographer, videographer, content creator, and from family and friends, and being able to relive the weekend just the two of us.”
They want to go to Japan for their honeymoon and maybe somewhere else in South East Asia! “We haven’t booked anything just yet. We can’t wait – and really need to get on that!”
Rebekah and David your special day was spectacularly magical, we’re so delighted to shine a spotlight on it on One Fab Day! A very special thank you to our lovely couple and to Viorica of I.D Photography for sharing this captivating Hilton Park wedding, check out the gallery for more images.
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