Adare Manor wedding bride and groom

Black Tie Adare Manor Wedding | Brooke & Stephen

Brooke and Stephen’s Adare Manor wedding was stylish, sophisticated, and so much fun! Incorporating both Irish and American traditions, it was the perfect celebration of love for this transatlantic couple. The pair met working at Google while Brooke was on rotation in the Dublin office, and nearly a year later, found themselves both in the NYC office. They’ve been inseparable since. Their families also share a very special bond, after Stephen’s mother, unfortunately, had a fall on her first visit to Chicago and had to be hospitalised. The next few weeks included lots of quality time, a tear or two, and plenty of laughs. At the time, Stephen also confided in his mother that he was planning to propose to Brooke, and soon wedding planning was in full swing! This gorgeous Adare Manor wedding was recently featured on Wedding Chicks – be sure to check out the full feature here.

Adare Manor wedding venue in Ireland

Bridesmaids getting ready

Welcome bags with custom destination wedding design

Suzanne Neville Swanson wedding dress

Stephen was born and raised in Wicklow, Ireland, while Brooke has lived in various places, from Chicago to London, Hong Kong to Singapore, Austin and New York City. Before deciding on their wedding location, they opted to visit Ireland for a week-long venue tour. They were looking for a wow factor property, a stunning setting, plenty of local accommodation options, and accessibility for international guests. So, of course, I knew that the luxurious Adare Manor in Co. Limerick had to be top of the must-see list! And, having driven through the charming thatched village of Adare into the lavish manor grounds, they quickly agreed that it was the perfect place for their Irish destination wedding. The reception was set to take place in the showstopping Grand Ballroom, which we transformed using the color navy to complement the stationery and bridesmaid dresses. Although it was a bold choice, since the ballroom is large and light, it worked beautifully with the tall, colourful floral arrangements and hundreds of candles on the tables. The lights reflected in the sparkling chandeliers that hang from the ballroom ceiling, creating an intimate, opulent atmosphere.

Traditional Irish church wedding

Irish destination wedding church ceremony

Traditional church wedding ceremony in Ireland

Ceremony exit Limerick wedding

Another important aspect to the design of their Adare Manor wedding was that Brooke and Stephen wanted to give their guests a true taste of Ireland, while also incorporating American traditions. Working with a calligrapher, we came up with a design that highlighted the guests’ nationalities as well as the couple’s history. We used this beautiful watercolour motif throughout the destination wedding, from welcome bags to table plans and table names. Brooke and Stephen also came up with a limerick (a tribute to the wedding location of Limerick in Ireland) that was given to guests on a printed card when they checked in:

We are so excited to welcome you to Adare.
Jetlagged or not, we don’t care.
We expect you at 2,
So this is your cue:
Get ready to go on the tear.

Adare Manor wedding couple shoot

Adare Manor wedding grounds scenery

Adare Manor wedding Limerick Ireland bride and groom

Adare Manor wedding navy blue bridesmaid dresses

Adare Manor wedding groomsmen

Bride hair and makeup touchup

Of course, another Irish tradition is the weather, and the rain started just as Brooke and Stephen were leaving their traditional church ceremony. Naturally, we had lots of umbrellas on hand! However, they did manage to get outside for some beautiful photos during a dry spell. Brooke was a little frozen afterwards, so we brought her into our production office space and had four hairdryers warming up her feet and drying the hem of her wedding gown. All whilst her glam squad worked their magic to touch up her hair and makeup! When she was all fixed, we replaced our team with her bridal party and the photographer got some great shots. Spontaneous moments like these often make for the best memories – and pictures!

Brooke’s wedding dress was an absolute dream! She wanted a simple gown with no lace or embellishments, but with a ball gown silhouette to suit the black-tie wedding (and who doesn’t love an excuse to dress up!). Pockets were also a must-have. As soon as she tried on Suzanne Neville’s Swanson, with its Jackie O-style collar and open back, she fell in love. The dress was brought to Ireland the August before their Adare Manor wedding, and we worked with a Dublin seamstress to create the perfect fit. It looked incredible!

Adare Manor Grand Ballroom entrance with floral arrangements

Wedding seating plan with custom destination wedding design

Adare Manor wedding reception in Grand Ballroom

Adare Manor wedding gold tiered cake

Brooke and Stephen love to dance, so as a nod to American tradition, we arranged for a big band at the reception, and had a father-daughter dance. Brooke and Stephen worked with a dance teacher and choreographer during the week of the wedding in Ireland, and their first dance was a hit with the crowd! Afterwards, Brooke changed into a white beaded one-shoulder Retrofete dress that was short, fun, and sparkly – and most importantly, would allow her to move around on the dance floor! She paired it with her favourite platform Supergas, that kept her dancing until 4am!

But the party didn’t end there! The wedding cake was a beautiful, tiered creation featuring three of Brooke’s favourite flavours. She was worried that not all the guests would have the chance to taste it, so the day after the wedding, they hosted a tea party with champagne and wedding cake. Later that day, the couple also hosted a traditional Irish pub night, complete with Irish musicians for the enjoyment of their guests from around the world.

Bride and groom reception entrance

Adare Manor wedding guests

Cutting the wedding cake

Big band for Adare Manor wedding

Second bridal dress for dance floor

Congratulations again to this wonderful couple!

Slán go Fóill,

Tara

Planner: Tara Fay Events | Venue: Adare Manor | Photography: Christina Brosnan | Flowers: The Garden | Dress: Suzanne Neville | Bride’s Second Dress: Retrofete | Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo | Bride’s Jewellery: BHLDN | Groom’s Suit: Hall Madden | Video: The Story of Eve | Stationery & Invites: Appleberry Press | Dinner & Reception Music: Connor McKeon | Ceremony Music: Seaver Consulting | Band: Connor McKeon | DJ: Gordon Johnson | Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Hair: David Cashman | Makeup: Christine Lucignano | Cake: MM Cookies | Aisle Runner: Original Runners | Lighting & Staging: Gorilla Design | Linens: Total Event

 

You might also like:

Ireland’s Best Historic Wedding Venues
Getting Married in Ireland: Where to Start
7 Irish Wedding Traditions to Include in Your Destination Wedding