A New York Bride & an Irish Groom - Kate and Alan's Classic Wedding at Kilshane House

Kate, a New Yorker and Alan, an Irish man, met through mutual friends at a 4th of July party at Alan's apartment in NY. They were instantly smitten and on their third date Alan told her he knew he was going to marry her. "As crazy as it sounds, I knew too. I felt different with him than I had with anyone else. He felt like my best friend almost instantly and the more I got to know him, the better I knew that he was the one." Just over a month later Alan surprised Kate with a flight to Ireland to attend a friend's wedding. "I fell in love with not only the country, but Alan, his friends and his family. I met many of his good friends at the wedding, and stayed with his brother and sister-in-law who I have become very close to. It was a magical trip. I pinched myself often."

6 months later, Alan proposed on a private sailboat at sunset in beautiful St. Lucia. "Right after we got engaged, I told Alan I wanted to get married in Ireland. Ever since our first trip there together, it had held a very special place in my heart and was a big part of the evolution of our relationship. I had been to countless local weddings in NJ, NYC, etc and I wanted something “different.” Many of my friends were so excited because they had never been to Ireland! 

We saw at least five venues in Ireland, mostly in Cork. Within five minutes of arriving at Kilshane House, we knew that it was our venue very quickly. It felt very special. I loved how our guests would get to stay in the various houses spread out over 300+ acres of land, and how our rehearsal dinner and the day after BBQ could be in completely different rooms, and the amazing feedback I had heard about their food. The staff were lovely. After our cocktail hour, the owners (also an American and her Irish husband!) took us into the sitting room for a special toast. They have weddings practically every weekend, but we felt very special. My favorite part of the entire weekend, was that we had 3 whole days to spend with our loved ones. Our wedding lasted all day and all night, but I was still so happy that we didn’t have to say goodbye! Everyone was invited to our BBQ the day after. We had traditional Irish music and good hangover food for everyone.

"Our wedding theme/colours were soft greens, pale/blush pinks, cream. We really wanted a wedding that felt classic and timeliness. I love peonies and it was important to me that the flowers didn't overwhelm the church or the guests’ tables, but add to the décor." 
"My dress was by Alvina Valenta from Wedding Atelier in NYC. I have known forever that I wanted a ball gown style dress. I figured it was the one day to wear a DRESS…something that makes a statement on the one day where you are supposed to feel like the most beautiful woman in the room. I also wanted to wear something very traditional and classic. Nothing too trendy that would look dated in a few years. I had fun putting my own touches on it. I added some lace to the straps to make mini sleeves, and to the back to raise it up a bit. It really felt like mine."

"I fell in love with Michelle's style of photography. She is very editorial and not overly staged or posed. She really captures the moment. Capturing candid moments, and the beauty of our venue and its grounds, and the special people who attended our wedding, was very important to us. We were able to meet over Christmas in Ireland, and I found her so sweet and kind. I was so happy to work with her, and so excited to hear she was going to be a bride a couple months before me!"

"My favourite part of the wedding day was walking down the aisle towards Alan. I wasn’t nervous in the slightest. I had never been so sure about anything in my entire life."

Congratulations Kate and Alan! It was a pleasure to capture your day :)