A Magical Marquee Wedding at Home by Couple Photography

Real Weddings

“It started out as a bit of a joke to have the reception at home but it just snowballed from there really!”

The couple: Stephanie Sandes & Adam Waghorn
Length of engagement: 7 months | Wedding Date: August 21st 2015
Wedding ceremony: St. Michael’s Church, Aghold, Co. Wicklow
Wedding reception: Marquee Reception at Bride’s Family Home

Photographer: Couple Photography (Roslyn Byrne)

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We met… at a work offsite in Geneva in 2007. We hit it off straight away over a lost scarf and a dance off and after many flights back and forth between London and Dublin, Stephanie moved to the UK in 2008.

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Our proposal… after 8 years together Adam proposed during a weekend away in Bath in January. I had no idea anything was happening as Adam was so cool the whole day, even with the ring in his backpack! That evening then when we were getting ready, Adam said he gotten me a present and produced my gorgeous ring. I was so shocked even after all that time.

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My hair and make-up… The amazing Leavern Oman and Anne Hutton did my hair and make-up. Both are based in Carlow but came to the house the morning of the wedding to make myself, my mother and three bridesmaids extra gorgeous! Both Leavern and Anne are so lovely and talented. I knew how I wanted my hair and make-up to look, both were able to exceed my expectations! I wouldn’t have changed a thing!

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My dress… was by Ellis Bridal and was purchased from Aurora Bridal in Worcester Park (UK).  I didn’t have a specific idea of what I wanted but knew once I tried on the dress that it was the one. It was so light and comfortable and I knew it would work well with our reception venue. The dress was a 1920’s style with lovely beaded detail so looked really beautiful on. It got lots of compliments!

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Our ceremony… We opted for the traditional ceremony with our nephews and Godchildren reading the prayers for us which we were delighted about. They all did such a great job. It was really important to me that we got married in my local church, St Michael’s, as it’s such a quaint and beautiful church and holds a lot of memories for my family. The music provided at the wedding was stunning and the girls were so accommodating with our song choices, even learning ‘How Sweet it is to be Loved by You’ for us because we wanted it played when leaving the church. It was the perfect ceremony for us.

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Our wedding theme/colours… We didn’t have a specific theme. The colours were based off the bridesmaids dresses, so the colour scheme was various shades of coral and white. We wanted to keep our wedding personal to us and to have lots of fun. Stephanie’s Aunt Majella took charge of all the beautiful floral decorations both in the church and reception venue and a lot of our bits and pieces like table plans, favours etc. were sourced online.

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We chose our venue because… We’d been to visit several venues and none seemed to be’just right’ for us so it started out as a bit of a joke to have the reception at home but it just snowballed from there really! In the end it was perfect for us as it’s a special place with lots of fantastic memories and helped create the relaxed and informal atmosphere we were going for.

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We chose our photographer because…  We chose Couple Photography because the style of Ros’ photos look so happy and casual (not stiff and posed) and you can almost sense the feel of the day from looking at them.

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My favourite part of the wedding day… Without a doubt my favourite part of the wedding was the reception and dancing!!! We really wanted a great party as it’s what the guests remember the most. We were so happy with our band and DJ Ultrasound who were just amazing!! The dance floor was full all night and the tunes just kept on coming.

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Our menu…we wanted to keep the meal very relaxed with a sharing theme and go for food that Adam and I really like to eat! After speaking with a few caterers Ali and Clodagh (Ali Davis Food Caterers) brought us through the options open to us and there was no other choice for us. The food was different and beautifully presented and the staff were so helpful. The dessert table in particular was a hit with the guests and has long since been talked about!

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My piece of advice for other brides… Remember that it is your day and focus on what is important to you. Also it might be time consuming but the more organised you can be in the run up, the more you can enjoy the pre-wedding build up and the day itself. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help! I would have been overwhelmed with all of the planning without the support of my mum, bridesmaids, neighbour, family and friends. It really does take a village!

Suppliers

Venue: St Michael’s Church Aghold, followed by Marquee reception at “The Arena” | Marquee: Pavilion Marquees | Caterers: Ali Davis Food Caterers (Dublin) | Celebrant: Venerable Andrew Orr | Dress: Ellis at Aurora Bridal Worcester Park | Hair accessories: Lily Bella | Hair: Leavern Oman | Makeup: Anne Hutton | Bridesmaid’s Dresses & Accessories: B Couture Bridal Wear Arklow | Groom’s Suit: Ted Baker, John Lewis | Groomsmen Suits: Ted Baker, Moss Bross | Photographer: Roslyn Byrne – Couple PhotographyBouquet & Buttonholes: Claire Brennan, Tullow Florist | Wedding Band: Ultrasound | Cake: The Cake Creator, Gorey | Wedding Stationery: Freya Jones – Br&new Weddings