Hazel and Andrew married in May this year and they truly created a wedding to be proud of. Black-tie style and an all-white floral palette of beautiful gypsophila made their special day feel like a fairytale. And when you combine the magnificent setting of Gloster House with the lens of Niamh Smith of The Photography Hub, you're in for pure wedding magic. Let's step inside their day...
The elegant stationery by Freckles & Fern perfectly set the tone for the day.
Hazel and Andrew originally met in 2016 and had a few dates before both going their separate ways with Andrew going to Australia to work as a doctor there. Fate intervened and the pair reconnected during Covid, and Andrew returned from Australia. The pair tells, "Things couldn’t have gone better since!"
The pair had a lovely intimate proposal. Hazel fills us in, "I returned home from a weekend in Madrid in late November 2022 with some friends to find the whole place decorated for Christmas. Andrew designed a beautiful vintage inspired ring and had it under the tree. Thankfully he had gotten great advice to book me in for a nail appointment!"
When it came to looking for the perfect spot for their celebration there was only one venue on the couple's list - the gorgeous Gloster House. A private, exclusive Georgian home at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains in Co. Offaly.
"I’ve always loved Gloster House, we didn’t consider or visit any other venues. It has everything on site, the house is beautiful but we fell in love with the white chapel. I contacted Nigel Alexander from Gloster House, in December 2022 and got so lucky to get a cancellation for a date in May 2023. In a bizarre turn of events, I realised later on that the cancellation was my friend who had moved her wedding abroad!"
Although they now had their dream venue secured, this meant the couple had a short engagement leaving them just five months to plan their wedding. Hazel tells us, " we had to be efficient and organised. The main priority was creating a great day that everyone could enjoy. We planned everything as much as possible so that the day itself was totally stress free. We selected amazing hair, make-up, photographers, videographers etc that were incredible on the day."
The pair describe their gorgeous day as "classic, minimal, elegant & romantic." The bride adds, "We kept the whole wedding style very simple and elegant with a black and white dress code in the bridal party and lots of gypsophila. We included pops of gold throughout also (jewellery, my shoes, candle sticks etc)."
The ceremony which was held in the Chapel at Gloster House, was conducted by a the bride's brother. Hazel tells us, "My brother Ross, who is not a registered celebrant performed the ceremony for us. We legally married in the registry office two weeks before with just our parents (again we got so lucky with a cancellation to get a date). Andrew’s family friend Julie Muir is a celebrant in Australia and she helped us write and structure the ceremony. Asking my brother to do the ceremony was the best decision we made. It was very relaxed (maybe not for Ross!) and everyone was laughing the whole way through the ceremony. We also did personalised vows which is daunting but worth it."
Hazel adds, "Laura, Andrew’s sister-in-law beautifully read an extract from Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres. It was the only reading we chose."
The ceremony space is is what wedding dreams are made of. What could be more romantic and feminine than gypsophila? The couple entrusted Parade Flowers to bring their floral vision to life and they were over the moon thrilled with how it all came together.
Exchanging rings from Bespoke Diamonds, the pair said "I do" surrounded by 168 of their family and friends.
After the 'I do's' the couple joined their guests outdoors for cocktail hour to the fun sounds of New Brass Kings.
Yellow Door Catering created the sumptuious canapés and reception meal while Belfast Woodfired Pizza Company provided the perfect late night food.
Hazel's utterly romantic all-lace bridal gown is by Canadian-based bridal label Calla Blanche which she found at Truly Bridal Boutique in Naas. She finished her beautiful bridal look with a full length veil and the Camellia Gold Shoes by Loeffler & Randall which she sourced from The White & Gold bridal boutique.
A wonderfully elegant gypsophila bouquet completed the look.
The ultra-chic black satin bridesmaids' dresses were custom Dresscode creations, while the adorable flowergirl and junior bridesmaid dresses came from Monsoon.
Andrew was dressed in a slick black tux with velvet jacket from Protocol. His groomsmen also looked sharp in their matching classic black tuxedos also from Protocol.
The buttonholes were also made of gypsophila to co-ordinate with the bridal bouquet.
As for words of advice for other couples planning their day, the couple say, "Do it your own way and don’t feel the need to conform. Focus on what is important to you both, that’s all that matters."
The couple scented the day with candles from Rituals & Boujee adding to the overall sensory experience of the day for them and their guests.
The tablescapes featured clouds of baby's breath sitting atop crisp white linens, gold taper candlestick holders, place cards with black wax seals and simple, yet elegant table numbers.
After the celebrations, the couple headed on a minimoon to France. Hazel tells, "We went to Bordeaux and did vineyard tours after the wedding. It was perfect, we ate and drank amazing food and wine for the week. It was a perfect way to unwind, it wasn’t too hectic." The pair are hoping to go on a larger honeymoon trip over Christmas.
Hazel and Andrew's first dance as newlyweds was to Wicked Games by Chris Isaak, which was followed by the retro sounds of Smash Hits who kept the dancefloor full all night long.
The couple created a memorable sparkler send-off moment with their guests, and have two very handy tips for couples who want to recreate the same! "We used giant sparklers from Amazon and we also ordered mini blow torches which speeds up lighting the sparklers.".
Congratulations Hazel and Andrew, and thank you for sharing your elegant fairytale day with us. A big thank you also to Niamh Smith of The Photography Hub for sharing the stunning imagery. Check out the gallery below for even more details from their day.
