From the chic groom's style to the vibrant floral arrangements, eye-catching pops of colour weaved their way throughout our real wedding couple Sarah and Daniel's special day. Oozing with charm and plenty of character, the pair exchanged vows in the idyllic surrounds of Airfield Estate,Co. Dublin, in a spectacular outdoor ceremony in the venue's floral-filled gardens. Nina Val Photography was there to capture their day in all its glory, from their morning preparations to the sparkler exit.
Before diving into the details of their gorgeous wedding day, let's get to know the happy couple first. Sarah, who originally hails from Connecticut and Dublin-born Daniel's paths crossed for the first time while they were both studying a masters degrees at UCD. Sarah was studying International Relations and Daniel, International Political Economy. "We met in a Modern Diplomacy class which turned out to be very useful for the relationship."
Groom Daniel sported a colourful floral tie, pairing his dapper ensemble with a pocket square boutonniere made using a music sheet and fresh florals.
The couple's sweet proposal story began while they were on a stroll together down the Avenue de Liberdade in Lisbon: "We were reflecting on everything that had happened since our last holiday together (COVID, job changes, life changes). We reached the end of that conversation and the question of “what do we do next?” just came to us. We decided that being married seemed like an excellent decision and there sitting on a bench in the sun, with no rings, we became engaged."
During the couple's morning preparations at The Westbury, Sarah's maid-of-honour kicked off the day's celebrations with a fun BFF PowerPoint presentation.
A moment for the dress please! Our glowing bride opted to wear a sublime Sarah Foy Couture gown with a flowing, waterfall effect train in an ombre sunset colour palette.
Under the gentle and creative guidance of photographer Nina Val, the couple used Dublin city's iconic streets as the backdrop for their stylish wedding portraits.
The spectacular Airfield Estate served as host for Sarah and Daniel's floral-filled outdoor ceremony: "Airfield Estate was one of the locations that was within our 5km limit during the pandemic (we moved in together the week of the first lockdown in 2020). We had frequently walked up to the estate and for Sarah in particular it was a matter of “here or we elope.” We loved the lush gardens as well as the interiors of the house, but also the venue’s focus on local produce and being part of the local community. It didn’t hurt that the food from Overends Kitchen was amazing!"
In terms of what inspired the couple's wonderfully vibrant wedding aesthetic: "The estate gardens and Sarah’s love of colour were the starting point for the dress, which then influenced the rest of the decor. We used images of watercolour as inspiration for the dress and stationary, and then included splashes of colour anywhere we could."
"We wanted a 'modern garden party'. The end goal was the best backyard party you’ve ever been to, but with a touch of elegance."
The couple had a relatively short guest list of 30 and it was important to them that their day was: "Small, intimate, guest focused, and easy going. We wanted to have smaller numbers in order to be able to focus in on guest experience and really personalising the day!"
In an extra personal touch, Sarah's 'something borrowed' was her mother’s pearls which were a gift to her mum from her dad on their wedding day 30 years ago and were wrapped around the bouquet.
Surrounded by their 30 guests amongst the beautiful blooms of Airfield Estate's gardens, the newlyweds enjoyed a scenic outdoor drinks reception to the sounds of elegant music performed by talented duo, Edel and Alida of the Harp Duets.
How lovely are the couple's whimsical watercolour stationery designed by the bride herself?
Daniel and Sarah's reception went on to include a golden-hour photoshoot, a first-dance to Baby I'm Yours by the Arctic Monkeys a picture-perfect sparkler exit.
Following their busy day of celebrations, which included an ice-cream cart in place of a wedding cake, Daniel and Sarah have their sights set to the Austrian Grand Prix as their well-deserved honeymoon.
Congratulations Sarah and Daniel! A very special thank you to the couple and to Nina Val Photography for sharing this magnificent Airfield Estate wedding with One Fab Day. There are also plenty more amazing photos from their special day to check out in the gallery below!
Are you tying the knot during sunshine season? Check out the rest of our Summer Real Weddings for loads of inspiration!
