Over the years, we’ve helped many of our couples plan their Irish destination weddings from afar, but Aureana and Gerhart’s Gloster House wedding took long-distance planning to the next level. In fact, neither of them had set foot in Ireland before they arrived for the big day! The couple, who are originally from Hawaii, were based in Japan at the time, so everything was done over video and phone calls. The groom’s request was for a celebration “with no time constraints… We wanted to be able to show up and not have to stress about how everything would come together.” And so we made it happen. From videos of venues being sent via Whatsapp right down to involving them with catering and cake flavours, we made sure they felt connected to the process without any of the stress. The end result was an incredible wedding week, where their 60 guests got to experience the best of Ireland – both city and countryside – combined with a bit of Hawaiian island flair! We were delighted to have this wedding featured on Wedding Chicks recently – be sure to check out the full feature.
When it came to the venue, Aureana & Gerhart had three simple requirements. It had to be available on their lucky wedding date (08-18-2018), it had to allow for an on-site ceremony, and it had to be formal enough for a grand white tie and tiara feast. They left it up to me to choose, and I knew that a Gloster House wedding would give them everything they wanted! This magnificent Georgian property in Birr, Co. Offaly gives couples and their guests the true elegant country manor experience. It has a number of different spaces for the ceremony, drinks and reception, including a white chapel, an elaborate double-height hall with baroque plasterwork, and a light-filled banqueting room. For Aureana & Gerhart, we chose a ceremony in the beautiful Italianate terraced gardens, followed by an indoor reception. Gloster House truly was the perfect setting. Even their famed estate peacocks provided inspiration for the table design!
It was important to the couple to embrace both the Irish setting of their wedding and their Hawaiian traditions. So for the wedding meal, they chose to have a feast, of locally sourced Irish produce, featuring a Hawaiian style suckling pig. Gerhart is a big fan of Guinness, so we were sure to feature this as part of cocktail hour – along with plenty of champagne to go along with the tiaras! They also requested Irish music and dance to be part of the experience for their guests, so we had an Irish harp with a singer for the ceremony, as well as a traditional dance troupe at the reception (when guests were encouraged to join in). This was especially meaningful for Aureana, a renowned Hula artist who teaches dance all over the world. Later in the evening, the bride, a former Miss Hawaii USA, changed into a different gown and performed a hula that she had choreographed for her husband. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house!
To the delight of the guests, every detail of the Gloster House wedding reflected the Irish experience as well as sweet personal touches. The tables were dressed with the most gorgeous velvet linens with romantic floral centrepieces of varying heights with trailing greenery. The plates sported emerald patterns, echoing Irish design. At each setting, guests found place cards personalised with nods to inside jokes with the bride and groom.
Of course, as glorious as the Gloster House wedding day was, that wasn’t all this celebration involved! Because the guests had travelled so far to be there, Aureana & Gerhart wanted to make sure they had plenty of time with them, and to delight them with everything Ireland has to offer. The party kicked off with three days in Dublin, touring sites such as the Guinness Brewery, Dublin Castle, and a romantic rooftop cocktail party overlooking the River Liffey. They then moved on to three unforgettable days at Gloster House. One fun aspect of all the events was that each day had a different dress code (the Hawaiian shirt theme was a stand-out!). It was an unforgettable experience, filled with love and laughter.
Here’s to more amazing celebrations like this Gloster House wedding, where I’m able to meet new friends from around the world! Thank you to Aureana and Gerhart for being such a delight to work with, and wishing you a lifetime of happiness together!
Slán go Fóill,
Tara
Planner: Tara Fay Events | Venue: Gloster House | Photography: Brosnan Photographic | Cakes: MM Cookies | Ceremony Music: Deirdre Seaver | DJs: Darragh O’Dea | Dress & Apparel: Pronovias | Flowers: The Garden | Invitations: Paperless Post | Linens: Tara Fay Events | Reception Music: Seaver Consulting | Rentals: CaterHire | Catering: Yellow Door Catering | Wedding Films: Best Day Productions
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