If you're planning a summer wedding get ready to fall in love with how Chantal and Stephen said 'I do'. Our fabulous real wedding couple tied the knot in the romantically unique Cloughjordan House in Co. Tipperary and they found so many ways to put their own twist on their special day. Their unique wedding day was soaked in sun-bleached hues, from the mix and match bridesmaid dresses in stunning sugared shades to the dried flowers which will take your breath away. They put their own spin on their big day, from their utterly gorgeous ceremony ritual to their "controversial" menu, their delectable alternative to a wedding cake and how they managed to get the party started even before their guests had sat down for their meal. While we have a no-nonsense guide to help you pick which wedding style is for you, if you have your heart set on a free-spirited aesthetic, then get ready to take notes. Paula Gillespie used her signature modern and alternative approach to capture the excitement, love and joy of their special day. Cue the swooning...
Right, let's begin by learning more about our newlyweds. Chantal and Stephen are both from Dublin but they met in Ibiza in 2012. "It was my last night there. We exchanged numbers and Stephen got in touch when he returned home from holiday a week later and he brought me to McDonald's drive-through for our first date. We made it official a couple of weeks later."
Want to pop the question but wondering how you should propose? This couple's engagement story filled me with joy. Stephen picked a very special day to get down on bended knee because they were moving into their home. Their daughter played an integral and utterly adorable role in the life-changing moment too. "He put a T-shirt on our daughter Quinn which said 'Mammy will you marry daddy?' and Stephen followed her into the room holding the ring." Can you cope with the cuteness because we can't.
Their close friend Amy, who sang at their ceremony, performed during a wedding in the venue years ago and she told them it would be the perfect place for them to tie the knot. "When we got engaged and started looking at venues, nothing jumped out at me."
"Then I remembered Amy mentioning Cloughjordan and we started looking through their Instagram and website and instantly fell in love. We booked it within a few days without viewing it (it was during a lockdown) but we just knew it was the one."
While Stephen did most of the planning, Chantal spearheaded the styling. As they are both lovers of the outdoors, nature was a big influence on their wedding aesthetic. "I wanted a combination of earthy, bohemian and alternative vibes. I used neutral tones with hints of subtle colour with the flowers, bridesmaid dresses and styling," Chantal shares.
She was an impossibly cool bride wearing an ivory satin gown with a wonderfully languid flow which she accessorised with drop earrings comprising of gold asymmetrical flowers and twinkling rhinestones, metallic strappy heels and a whimsical cathedral veil with floral embroidery.
Chantal's bridesmaids looked nothing short of magnificent in mix and match bridesmaid dresses in shades of soft peach and pale ochre. 126 of their loved ones gathered to celebrate their love story on August 4th, 2023, and no doubt they were charmed to no end by the ceremony space.
There are so many ways to bring an alternative edge to your wedding, untraditional bridal parties, fun twists on the bouquet toss custom, cool and fresh wedding bridal fragrances, outside-the-usual hen do ideas... the possibilities are rather endless. With a whole spate of wedding ceremony spots that wow, like the 17th century ballroom and the bewitching forest, tying the knot will always be a magical moment at the Tipperary wedding venue.
Chantal and Stephen exchanged vows in the Woodshed, which is the charming converted barn. Dried flowers is a truly swoon-worthy botanical trend. They bring a rustic and whimsical edge to bouquets and centrepieces and the couple's ceremony display made my jaw drop.
Stephen exuded country classiness in his three-piece brown suit by Louis Copeland & Sons, a style which was mirrored by his groomsmen. The groom added a flash of florals with his colourful flower print tie and pocket square which popped against his cream boutonnière. First down the aisle was their daughter Quinn and son Milo.
The flower girls all carried personlised woven baskets with their names on them holding the ethereal textured blooms. "We didn’t want it to be overly traditional and ensured we didn’t feel pressured to include things you’d see at a 'traditional wedding'. We opted for a humanist ceremony and loved how personal it was."
"We included a sand pouring ritual with sand from our favourite beaches where we spend lots of time as a family, this was one of my favourite parts and our children loved being a part of this." Another treasured moment from their ceremony was when their friend Amy performed Live Forever by Oasis.
We have to say, don't the sweet sugary shades of the bridesmaids dresses and the earthy hues of the groomsmen's suits marry so beautifully with the lush country setting?
The country estate is loaded with stunning places for wedding photos, including the 800-year-old French-style manor.
The newlyweds then stole some time together to take an uber-romantic stroll around the picturesque grounds.
This moment they shared amongst the colourful wildflowers is just so gorgeous. We can confidently wager that their videographer One Fab Day Recommended Supplier Ball & Wolf had a field day filming them in this dreamy location.
The vibe was just what they wanted for their big day. "We’re both laid back so it was stress and fuss free but everyone was full of energy,' Chantal reminisces.
As for wedding planning advice, Chantal says: "Don’t feel pressured to stick to traditions if it’s not what you want. Enjoy the planning as much as you can and try not to get too stressed."
Before the reception, the wedding party toasted to the couple's happily ever after with a chilled out drinks reception on the lawn, with a bathtub of beer and plenty of bubbles to go around.
Their reception in the marquee on the main lawn was so romantically rustic. The tablescape setting was driven by tonal pink shades while delicate clusters of wild flowers were displayed in cork-topped glass containers and vases. Overhead luxuriant foliage hung alongside woven lampshades.
Vivid dried flowers bloomed from baskets at the top of the tables too. We love when brides and grooms get creative on their wedding day, you would be surprised just how many easy and inexpensive wedding DIYs you can do at home. Chantal made all the wedding stationary herself and a loved one gave her a super sweet idea for the reception. "We hand wrote little messages on the inside of the place cards (thanks to my cousin for the idea) and all of the guests loved this!"
Cloughjordan House is adored by wedding couples for its warm atmosphere, it's the ultimate home-from-home wedding venue which prides itself on a premium house party vibe. Judging by Chantal and Stephen's reception entrance you can tell that they partied the night away with their nearest and dearest. Fabulous food was top of their wedding day agenda and they opted for a fully plant-based meal.
"We’ve both been vegan for more than eight years now and liked the idea of not having any animal products as part of the meal (very controversial, I know, but so glad we made the decision as we got great feedback) and Claire the head chef at Cloughjordan was amazing and so excited to create a menu for us. The food was amazing and everyone loved it!" Instead of cake they chose to have donuts. A highly scrumptious move.
The couple put their own spin on the order of their wedding evening too. Their guests were dancing from the minute they sat down for the meal. That's because they decided to have a dinner show and it was a real hit. "It was the best decision ever," Chantal shares. As for their first dance song they chose Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio. Very, very cool!
Another lovely alternative accent was their audio guestbook which is being such a popular trend for wedding couples. The couple celebrated tying the knot by jetting off to the Seychelles in East Africa. "It was one of our favourite countries to visit so far. Would definitely recommend - it was the perfect balance of chilled and adventurous."
Chantal and Stephen, congratulations from all of us at One Fab Day and thank you for sharing your beautiful wedding with us. A huge thank you also to Paula Gillespie Photography for the utterly dreamy wedding photos, you can see even more in the gallery below.
Planning your dream day? Check out our archive of Real Weddings and follow One Fab Day's Instagram for even more inspiration.
