Our real wedding couple Hayley and Dave threw a once-in-a-lifetime party in five-star surrounds. The Dublin-based couple dreamt of a timeless and elegant Luttrellstown Castle wedding and they tied the knot in a dreamy garden ceremony which was followed by a stunningly sophisticated reception in the ballroom. Glowing bride Hayley exuded modern elegance while the bridesmaids looked utterly incredible in mix and match blue bridesmaid dresses and suave groom Dave added the sweetest personal touch to his timeless tux. The couple wanted a Gatsby-style party and they dialled up the fun with wonderful touches, from the fabulous foodie wedding favours to their sparkling champagne tower and a dazzling fireworks display. Elouise Photography captured their summer wedding in impeccable style, prepare to swoon aplenty.

Right, let's begin with Dave and Hayley's love story. While Dave is from Dublin, Hayley grew up in the US in Denver, Colorado. The stars aligned and the couple met when Hayley was studying abroad in Ireland during her junior year of college. "She was moving into a new dorm half-way through the semester, and Dave was close friends with her new housemates. Dave would crash in their spare room when they would have a night out."

"Their first conversation consisted of Hayley awkwardly handing over Dave's overnight bag - it was the perfect meet cute!" Dave popped in February 2021 and even though they were in the depths of the pandemic, he still managed to pull off an unforgettable engagement (with the help of Hayley's friends). "We were in the middle of Europe's strictest lockdown; we weren't allowed to go outside of a five kilometre range from our homes."

"We had been discussing getting married for a long time at this point. Hayley knew Dave had grand plans for a proposal that kept getting squashed due to the pandemic. Dave and Hayley’s maid of honour Hannah worked together to put on a picnic in Phoenix Park complete with flowers, cake and champagne. Her bridesmaid Rachel had the job of distracting Hayley for the day while they set everything up."

"With all the odds stacked against us, Dave still managed to surprise Hayley! It was a perfect afternoon of champagne and cake in the park along with excited phone calls to friends and family." They wanted their big day to have a timeless and elegant aesthetic and they wanted everyone to have a lot of fun. "We had family travelling far and wide following the pandemic, some people we hadn’t seen in years, and we wanted to treat everyone to a big blowout with a Gatsby-like party."

Their guests were their top priority for the wedding. "We wanted something tasteful and beautiful, but at the end of the day it meant to world to us to have all of our favorite people gathered in one place. After being so separated from the world with Covid, it was that much more special getting to spend that time together."

The couple fell head over heels for Luttrellstown Castle. There's no wonder either, the 15th-century estate boasts magnificent ballrooms, character-filled entertainment spaces and sprawling picturesque grounds offering style, splendour and sophistication in all in one. "We immediately fell in love with Luttrellstown - the classic architecture, natural light from the original windows, and the artwork were all to die for."

"We loved that it was such a statement in and of itself, but still felt intimate due to the layout and the features of each room. Also, we are obsessed with the Library." When it came to bringing their special day to life they gleaned inspiration from their parents' weddings. They were also influenced by a series of celebrity weddings, with Hayley adoring the classic style of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr’s wedding day.

They tied the knot the same year as Sofie Richie and Elliot Grainge, and they were inspired by their big day too. Dave looked immensely dapper in his made to measure tux from Louis Copeland & Sons which was personalised with the date of their wedding day on the collar. "Their attention to detail was unparalleled!"

Hayley looked absolutely phenomenal in her French crepe curve-hugging wedding gown with an elegant cowl back and a train. She accessorised with pearl drop earrings while her "something old" and "something blue" was her grandmother's turquoise bracelet. She slipped into a pair of ivory designer wedding heels and added a flowing cathedral veil.

White wedding flowers are sophisticated and romantic and they were the perfect accompaniment to Hayley's timeless wedding look. Dave's mother handpicked their wedding bands. For an extra special "something blue" Hayley's bridesmaids wowed in mix and match bridesmaid gowns in tonal shades of blue in a range of materials from vivid floral print to shining satin.

Hayley created the stunning stationery for their special day which included a gorgeous illustration of their lavish wedding venue by her maid of honour Hannah. "It’s a thoughtful touch we’ll always look back on." How precious was the first look moment between Hayley and her father?

120 of their nearest and dearest celebrated their union on June 24th, 2023. Music played a key role in making the event unforgettable. Hayley and Dave are huge fans of JRR Tolkien and Dave walked down the aisle with his groomsmen to a string quartet version of Concerning Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings soundtrack. For the processional, the string quartet performed Simply the Best by Tina Turner, which has always been their favourite song.

They exchanged vows in a garden ceremony and they found sweet ways to have their family and friends involved. Their dear friends Ashley and Leora acted as their officiants. "We were so lucky to be married by our close friends who know us so well. It made the day that much more special to have our loved ones officiating."

Hayley’s cousin Craig and Dave’s aunt Donna read their ceremony readings. "It made the ceremony so much more special, as it was lead by people who really knew us and our love story."

The flower girls looked adorable in dresses with balloon sleeves with cute frill and scallop detailing and they wore sweet baby's breath flower crowns.

We couldn't help but smile as we saw the pictures from their ceremony and the couple say: "We could not have asked for a better photographer, Elaine captured our day so beautifully and made us feel comfortable in front of the camera."

They praised their videographer for his "incredible artistic vision". "Tom was brilliant to work with and it has meant to much to us to be able to watch back all the interactions between our loved ones on our wedding day."

How sensational did the wedding party look?! So chic and cool.

They held their reception in the grand ballroom where glittering chandeliers overhead while a delicate dash of lushness was added to the tables courtesy of foliage snaked around candlesticks. "Our florist was a dream to work with a brought our vision to life! I had dreams of a floral arrangement over the fireplace mantlepiece in the dining room, which he brought to reality for our day."

The couple opted for a sweetheart table and it made their reception all the more special. "We were so happy we went with a sweetheart table for dinner - it gave us a chance to catch our breathe and connect just the two of us in the middle of the day - the night flies by in a blur!"

Foodie-related wedding favours are amongst our favourites and the couple gave their guests custom cookies boasting their wedding details and mini bottles of Jameson.

When it comes to wedding planning, the couple have plenty of advice to share: "At the end of the day the little details won’t matter, you won’t even remember them! If you’re having fun, your guests will too - you set the tone!"

"Also, everyone is there for you - so make decisions that feel in line with what you two want rather than the 'right way' or what’s expected." The couple toasted to their happily ever after in sparkling style, with a champagne tower. "We were so excited about our champagne tower - we looked forward to that from when we first toured our venue and poured the champagne after our welcome speech!"

One tier wedding cakes have become immensely popular and we can see why. Small and sweet, they place substance over style. Hayley and Dave's cream cake with chic sugar flowers was just divine.

Inspiration can come from anywhere when choosing first dance songs. The couple chose You Send Me by Aretha Franklin. "Hayley loves the movie The Holiday and the scene where they’re dancing on New Year’s Eve always stood out to her."

For their father-daughter and mother-son dance, they chose a special song that had a lot of meaning for their families, Wildflowers by Tom Petty. They had a dazzling surprise for their guests as they had planned a fireworks show that they kept under wraps.

"We kept it a secret from our guests and it made it even more special when they went off - we'll never forget that moment!" The couple celebrated saying their 'I dos' by jetting off on a minimoon to Cascais in Portugal. "It was the perfect long weekend away! We are planning our full honeymoon for somewhere tropical in early 2025!"

We'd like to say a huge congratulations and thank you to Hayley and Dave on their utterly gorgeous Luttrellstown Castle wedding. A special mention also to Elouise Photography for the excellent photos, you can see more in the gallery below.

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