Our real wedding couple Whitney and Harry celebrated their special day in style at the spectacular Killruddery House in Wicklow. Whitney, who originally hails from California, and Dublin native Harry flew from their home in Oregon for a fun-filled, colourful celebration at the idyllic country house. Surrounded by 800 acres of rolling parkland, vibrant shades of red were effortlessly weaved into a pastel summer palette, from the plentiful rose and anthurium floral arrangements decorating the venue and table settings, to the bridesmaids’ mix-and-match dresses. Featuring a stunning reception outfit change and a heartwarming first look photo, this stylish wedding day was captured in all its perfection by Aspect Photography below. Let’s take a look…
Before we dive into this gorgeous wedding day, let’s get to know the couple a little bit more! After Whitney moved to San Francisco from Los Angeles in 2013, the pair matched on the online dating website OKCupid. After feeling a connection on their first date the couple made their relationship official a few months later!
Fast forward to the proposal, while on a romantic twilight stroll near Harry’s parents house in Dublin, he popped the question. The proposal took Whitney by surprise although she immediately said yes! “Harry chose Herbert Park as it’s a very special place with lots of happy memories, and he wanted our proposal to be one of them.”
Before heading over to the gorgeous light-filled Orangery at Killruddery House for the ceremony, the couple had a first look photoshoot in the country estate’s picturesque gardens, which never fails to get us all teary here at One Fab Day. From the outset, getting married in Ireland was very important to Whitney and Harry and with the bride’s family members flying in from America she wanted them to experience something special and unique to Ireland.
Our glowing bride Whitney opted for a stunning satin square neck gown with ruffled tulle sleeves by Danielle Frankel, pairing her bridal look with statement baroque pearl earrings, a bold burgundy lip by talented makeup artist Fiona Harrison and a colourful, eclectic and utterly modern bouquet filled with vibrant red roses, anthurium, orchids and a spray of baby’s breath.
The Orangery, a lofty Victorian conservatory adorned with marble statues and exposed stone walls lined with trails of ivy, played host to the couple’s stylish ceremony. In terms of their wedding aesthetic, Harry wanted a sense of grandeur and history and Whitney was influenced by her Californian roots, where things are “much more casual,” and has a more eccentric style. “I wanted something where Americans would feel comfortable, but was also a unique Irish experience. Nothing too fussy, or too formal, and at the same time effortlessly beautiful and cool.”
A hugely important element of the couple’s wedding day was their wedding processional. “Both Harry and I have similar music tastes, and it’s something we bonded over when we first got together.” The couple recreated Chaostrophy by Coil with the aid of a string trio and sound engineer Marc Aubele. “While it’s a typical wedding song, we felt like it told the story of us getting together and is just generally a beautiful song.”
How fabulous are Whitney’s bridesmaids’ mix-and-match dresses in coordinating shades of coral, pale pink and rich berry? They pick up the contrasting shades in the florals perfectly.
After their romantic portraits with Aspect Photography, the couple made their way to the country house’s rustic Grain Store space for the reception.
The exposed stone building decorated with dried hanging flowers, festoon lighting, soft candlelight and rose bouquets, served as the perfect reception spot where the couple felt they could really let their hair down! The couple’s relaxed, laid-back evening went on to include a buttercream cake dusted with gold, a first dance to Lee Hazelwood’s Your Sweet Love and Butlers chocolate wedding favours.
As a final stylish addition to the night, the bride transitioned from day to night with a a gorgeous, ruched satin mini dress outfit change paired with chunky black flatforms for a decidedly louche vibe. As the venue is close to Dublin, the couple organised bus transfers to and from the city for their guests “which hopefully made their experience a stress-free and fun one!”
A very special thank you to Whitney, Harry and Aspect Photography for sharing their beautiful summer wedding day in Wicklow with us all at One Fab Day! There are plenty of more gorgeous photos to check out in the gallery below.
Find more inspiration for your Irish summer wedding here or dive into One Fab Day’s Wedding Venue Guide and take your pick from the array of breathtaking locations for your big day.