We have a black-tie real wedding with the most beautiful botanical twist for you today. Derry couple Caterina and Caolan picked the fairytale wedding venue, Castle Leslie Estate in Co. Monaghan, and their magical monochrome celebration had a white rose theme. It was a floral fantasy from their cathedral ceremony to their marquee reception, the couple even had a breathtaking first dance under a sea of blooms.
With a crisp, elegant and utterly timeless aesthetic, the bridal party shone in all white, the stationery was modern and refined and just wait until you see the absolutely darling bow wedding cake. Hello Sugar Photography was behind the lens capturing every moment of magic from their summer wedding. So here we go!
We’ll start things off on a very sweet note, with their love story! They are both from County Down, Caterina is from Killough and Caolan hails from Portaferry. They met in a bar in his hometown and Caterina says, “My goodness it feels like a life time ago, I suppose 10 years ago is a long tome! We had mutual friends. Caolan worked in a local bar and was due to work that night but had hurt his elbow during a match so couldn’t work! He instead called out to the bar for a while and the rest is history.”
Caolan popped the question in their favourite hotel in London, the Shangri-La Hotel. “Our proposal was so lovely. It was my dream and all I ever wanted. I genuinely do not know how Caolan pulled it off. He planned a trip away for us because it was his birthday, this kept it all under wraps! The day was full of surprises. He sent my mum and I for afternoon tea in the Connaught Hotel. This was so he could get everything organised! He then came to ‘collect me’. And on our way he told me that we were going to the hotel for drinks.”
“When we got there people were greeting him as if he had been there before so I got suspicious. We then got in the lift to take us to the bar. We got out at the bar and then Caolan whisked me into another lift. We got to the floor where our room was and when we got out of the lift and turned to corner I seen rose petals in the hallway… I knew? I walked into a room of roses and he got down on one knee in front of the window overlooking London. We stayed for two nights. The next day he booked out the spa room and we relaxed.”
The couple opted for a black-tie wedding with a rose theme, which is Caterina’s favourite flower. The elegant bloom informed every element of their styling, from the roof to the tables! “We wanted everything clean, fresh, crisp and looking elegant.”
How gorgeous was Caterina’s first look with her father? The bridal party were all in white too and her mother looked sensational in a caped midi dress from Reiss.
As for the glowing bride, she was a vision of timeless elegance in a Milla Nova ballgown wedding dress with demure bow straps. She accessorised with a veil with a floral lace scalloped edge, diamond drop earrings, Christian Louboutin heels and a delicate bracelet that was a wedding gift from Caolan.
Their ceremony was a floral fairytale, from the stunning floral church doorway display to the displays on tall brass stands on the pew ends.
Such cuties!
Caterina travelled to the aisle in serious style by limo. Debonair groom Caolan exuded suave sophistication in his black tuxedo. He wore a white rose buttonhole pinned to his velvet blazer which married with the rose bouquet Caterina carried. Sweetly, his wedding ring was crafted from sentimental jewellery.
165 of their nearest and dearest joined them on the day and a true highlight of their ceremony came after they exchanged vows when their friend Cora gave a spine-tingling rendition of Forever by Chris Brown. “This song will always be ‘our’ song. It means so much to us.”
The couple dreamed of a fairytale castle wedding and they fell in love with Castle Leslie Estate. “It was the only venue we viewed. The first time we visited it, I got butterflies as we drove to the castle. It just looked magical. We wanted a castle wedding but in a marquee style and this was everything the castle was. We also knew we wanted something exclusive which we got from castle Leslie.”
The couple wanted to ensure they could experience the splendour of their big day together. “Our main priority was to enjoy the day, the two of us and that is what we done. I genuinely think we lived in a bubble that whole day together. We wanted to make sure that we were surrounded by the people we loved but to be together and to soak it all up.”
The wedding signage was sleek and minimal in style. Searching for wedding guest book ideas? We love their creative take with the Post Office stand.
Their reception styling was vividly romantic, with a monochrome palette and roses playing a starring role. Crisp white tablecloths adorned the tables, black napkins added a pop of sophisticated contrast and cream taper candles were displayed in modern brass candle holders. Flowers bloomed on tall brass stands and they flourished along the main table, there was even a sea of roses suspended over the dancefloor.
Caterina has the following wedding planning advice, “Make lots of lists – get all the thoughts out on paper. It really helps. Each couple needs to remain true to themselves and only plan things they want and will enjoy! Try not to get worked up over the planning because it will all work out and what doesn’t wasn’t meant to be! Only you know the fine details so don’t stress over the little things. As long as the guests have a full stomach, good music and are surrounded by love they’ll have a great time!”
Of course, the newlyweds took full advantage of the stunning scenery when it came to their wedding photos as they explored the picturesque gardens and they ventured down to the edge of Glaslough Lake.
We can all agree that the wedding party looked smashingly stylish. White bridesmaid dresses have become one of the most elegant bridesmaid style trends. Her ladies wore sophisticated off-the-shoulder gowns from True Violet.
Caterina had a style surprise up her sleeve with her dazzling dress change. She sparkled with every step in her glittering dot print Milla Nova gown which boasted a curve-hugging silhouette and a flowing train.
They opted for a refined, tiered cream wedding cake with the velvet black bow being the stylish cherry on top. Summing up their special day, Caterina says, “It was perfect. All we could ever dream off and more.”
For their first dance, they chose You by Dan + Shay. Their honeymoon was absolutely “magical” as they jetted off to Italy and soaked up newlywed life in Sorrento where they stayed at the luxurious hotel, Bellevue Syrene.
A very special thanks to Caterina, Caolan and Hello Sugar Photography for sharing this incredibly chic Castle Leslie wedding with One Fab Day! You can check out more gorgeous images in the gallery below!
Tying the knot? Be sure to check out our extensive Irish Real Wedding archive!