Dreaming of a summer wedding that blooms to life in the prettiest pink palette? You've just found it. Christabel and Alex tied the knot at Borris House in Co. Carlow which oozes Regency era grandeur and their romantic-themed wedding was coloured with an evocative colour scheme of dusky pink, earthy tones and dashes of gold. It was a modern celebration featuring elegant bridal style, delicate pastel blooms and a stunning ombre cake. Their big day was laced with wonderful party-starting touches from a sophisticated jazz soundtrack to personalised boozy wedding favours. The newlyweds even drove their guests wild with an electrifying first dance performance that was choreographed by Christabel herself. Miki Studios used their signature boutique photography style to capture the vivid beauty of their ultra-chic Borris House wedding.

So let's get to know our newlyweds first. Christabel is from Singapore and Alex is from Paris. They brought us on the enchanting journey of how their happily ever after began. Alex tells us: “Although we worked in the same office since 2018, we never had the opportunity to meet. We used to see each other at the lift, pantry and even at office parties but we never spoke."

"We didn't strike up a relationship until one year later when we connected through a mutual friend. When the pandemic hit in 2019, I (who always had a crush on Christabel) finally took the courage and got her number from the mutual co-worker who was a good friend of Christabel. As soon as lockdown was over, I asked Christabel out on a date and we hit it off on that first date and the rest is history. That’s how our love story started.”

Alex proposed when they were visiting his mum in New York City. He picked a truly magical time of year to pop the question and a stunning location too. Christabel reflects on the life-changing moment: "It was during the Christmas season, the city was just gorgeous and all Christmassy. The proposal was in Brooklyn surrounded by views of the Brooklyn Bridge with the backdrop of Manhattan’s skyline."

"We took the ferry across from Manhattan and all I thought was we were going for a lunch in Alex’s favourite spot in Brooklyn. The proposal really caught me by surprise and it was so beautiful because I was not expecting it at all. When Alex got down on one knee, my heart skipped a beat, it was so surreal and I could not believe it was happening." Today, they call Dublin's fair city home.

Ireland holds a special place in their hearts as it was the first country they moved to together as a couple, so they knew it was their dream place to tie the knot. "The day was not just about us but about our friends and family that had come from all over the world. It meant a lot to us to have them there. We wanted a wedding that would bring everyone together for a memorable weekend."

With their nearest and dearest jetting in from across the globe, finding the appropriate venue was their number one priority. "We wanted to pick a place that was not only meaningful for us, but also a beautiful destination for our family and friends to enjoy. The venue that we were looking for had to have a stunning exterior with a classic interior. We also wanted a wedding that was very intimate and fun and would last as long as we wanted into the night."

Working in the creative industry, it was important to Christabel to "choose a location where the space was already part of the décor" and would work with their theme and aesthetic. "Borris House Estate was exactly that. What struck us was its breathtaking architecture and beautiful gardens which provided the perfect setting for the wedding we had always dreamed of."

"We had moved away from our friends and families, so our wedding was our chance to hang out with them again. So we liked the fact that a lot of our friends and family would be able to stay on the grounds with us."

They opted for a romance-themed wedding with an amorous colour scheme grounded with natural shades. Their wedding day on August 19th, 2023, came to life in a whimsical palette of dusky pink, earthy tones, gold, and greens. As their families are quite traditional, they exchanged vows with a church ceremony. Their floral fantasy began in the church as beautiful collections of light-hued blooms sprung from the ends of pews.

Their flower girls Isla, Ava, Arielle, and Kyrene were absolutely adorable in their A-line dresses with tulle skirts and they wore flower crowns made from baby's breath. Their page boy Fin was a real dapper little dude in his navy suit which was styled with a navy tie and runners with pops of bright blue.

"Four-year-old Lyo made his big-day debut as ring bearer and stole the show. Lena our little one-year-old niece was too shy and despite her dad trying to get her to walk she was a little scared."

Christabel was mesmerising in a white column gown which had a plunge neckline featuring a delicate lace insert and the dress boasted a low back and an elegant train. The radiant bride accessorised with a cathedral veil, white heels, pearl earrings, a sparkling tennis bracelet and a delicate necklace.

Her maid of honour and bridesmaids looked sensational in satin olive green gowns which set off the delicate shades in the wedding flowers beautifully.

Suave groom Alex wore a sublime navy double-breasted suit by Louis Copeland & Sons which had satin lapels and he accessorised with a crisp white shirt, a navy tie, black patent brogues and a light peach boutonniere.

150 guests joined them for their wonderful day of love. One of the most unforgettable moments of their wedding came during the ceremony as the string quartet and choir performed Stand by Me by Ben E. King as the couple completed their vows. "Everyone joined it and it just made the whole ceremony so special."

We are always on the lookout for incredible mother of the bride and groom style and the ladies in question certainly dazzled. Christabel's mum who is of Malaysian-Chinese heritage wore a traditional Chinese Peranakan outfit known as a “Kebaya”. "It is considered part of the cultural identity of the Chinese Peranakan and the Nonya Kebaya is also regarded as a distinctive Chinese Peranakan art form."

Jazz and swing band Trio Royale provided a sophisticated and exquisitely chilled soundtrack throughout the day.

The celebrations kicked off at the luxurious Carlow country house with a drinks reception where guests could peruse the stately rooms or soak up the sun and atmosphere of love as they explored the gorgeous grounds. The couple added a dash of zest with delectable "his and her" cocktails.

The “Blushing Bride Fizz” comprising of pink gin, slim line tonic and hints of berry was perfect for sipping in the sunshine while “The Irish Mule” was a crowd-pleaser too with whiskey, ginger beer and lime. They also had artisanal lollipops all the way from France, Niniches from La Maison d'Armorine.

Their ombre wedding cake created by Empire Bespoke Cakes was a simply stunning sight to behold. With a whipped cream hue descending into soft blush, the two tier cake was adorned with pink and white roses.

They also arranged a polaroid photobook so their guests could capture beautiful moments that could be cherished for a lifetime.

"It was a very popular activity as we received so many cute messages. It’s so much more cost efficient than a photobook and more personalised." Little did the guests know, but they were about to be welcomed into a world of true romance for the reception.

They held their reception in a stunningly rustic space with Georgian windows, French doors, natural stone walls and high ceilings dressed with rich wood beams. We absolutely loved their seating chart where guests were treated to a shot of tequila as they found their seat.

The tablescape was dressed in an enchanting palette with candied pink taper candles and napkins along with earthy grey table runners.

"At dinner it was important to have the dinner table full with flowers and candles to add romance and magic to the night. We were most pleased with the décor and flowers that both Tina and Grace helped me bring to life."

The couple chose a very chic tipple as their wedding favours: cocktails. "We wanted to let the guest take away something that they could remember not just the wedding by, but the country so it had to be something that was made in Ireland. When we came across the cocktails we knew that it would be the perfect gift for our guests. We had them personalised with each guest name on them."

They had all bases covered, as they also designed welcome kits for everyone that stayed at the venue. "It was a post wedding kit that contained everything you need to nurse your hangover the day after!"

Before taking to the dancefloor, the bride enchanted their guests as she changed into an ethereal and flowing tulle white dress. She made the phenomenal dress change for a very special event, their first dance as a married couple. They performed a dazzling dance to Leave the Door Open by Bruno Mars which was choreographed by none other than the bride who did ballet growing up.

“With ballet as a background, it was easy for me to choose a piece and to choreograph a dance around it," Christabel shares. "I included a lot of twirls and turns in the dance. As I pirouette, spun and twirled, I wanted my dress to billow and ripple which it did so well! We even finished with a big dramatic dip. I think the coolest part was when Alex lifted me into the air. It was a hit and we drove the crowd wild.”

They have wonderful wedding planning advice for engaged couples. "Make sure you have enough time to plan and don’t rush into wanting to set the date because you would not be able to get the venue and suppliers you want to work with."

"Your day will be filled with so many guests but always remember to spend as much time as you can together as newlyweds. Don’t panic if something goes wrong as no one will notice it except you! Even if your planner is planning everything, it will be special to get her to include some personalised items that could represent the both of you."

"Always have your photographer stay until the end so he can capture every single bit of it as the day goes by so quickly and when you look back the best way to remember it is through photos and videos." Speaking of which, how cool is this picture of their reception entrance which began with a shot?

Christabel and Alex say their wedding day was "just magical in every way" and it felt like "a dream". "The joy and love emanating from every person at our wedding was the greatest gift of all. We can’t describe in words seeing our friends and family revelling in all the small details we spent planning – the wedding favours, the beautiful flowers, the dinner setting, the church music. Everyone still talks about the magic of our wedding."

The newlyweds received an incredible wedding gift from their friends in Singapore: a mini moon! They jetted off to Italy basking in the romantic surrounds of Venice and the Amalfi Coast. "We 100% recommend everyone do a mini moon or honeymoon after the wedding. After all the buzz it was really nice to wind down and enjoy the both of us. But we are still planning a longer trip at some point!"

A huge congratulations and thanks to Christabel and Alex for sharing their utterly gorgeous wedding day with One Fab Day and to Miki Studios for the wonderful photos.

Tying the knot? We've even more Irish Real Weddings for you to check out!