After their engagement, Claire, a dual citizen of Ireland and the United States, and TJ, an American with deep Irish roots felt compelled to plan their wedding in a place uniquely special to them both. A 45-minute drive from the Dublin city center, Luttrellstown Castle played the storybook setting for Claire and TJ’s wedding day. 

“When we imagined our dream wedding, and more importantly who we wanted to be there, which included lots of Irish cousins, grandparents, godparents, aunts, uncles, etc., we knew that there was no other alternative than a wedding in Dublin,” Claire says. “Not to mention, our American friends were more than happy to fly over and build a summer trip around the wedding!”

Serendipitously, just a few weeks into becoming a fiancée, Claire jetted off to Ireland for a pre-planned visit with family. While there, the bride-to-be toured her top two venue options with her sister and cousins to bounce ideas and opinions off of. The couple’s original top pick turned out to be lackluster in person, making the next stop that much more appealing. Upon driving up the winding, iconic driveway of Luttrellstown Castle, Claire became enchanted with visions of her and TJ’s fairytale wedding day amongst the storied castle halls.

“Luttrellstown’s wedding manager, Paulina, who conducted the tour, was extremely professional, knowledgeable and made us feel comfortable that their team was beyond capable of executing the wedding of our dreams.”

Having learned a valuable lesson in experiencing venues in person prior to booking, Claire returned to TJ in the U.S. with a yearning to plan the dreamiest of weddings. In the year leading up to the event, the couple’s frequent calls with Paulina at Luttrellstown and their five-star, U.S.-based planner, Tyler Speier, gave the couple confidence that no stone would be left unturned. 

All of the couple’s vendors–whom they found primarily via Instagram–came from local businesses, including musicians, wait staff, the cake designer, the hair & makeup artists, and catering. Additionally, being so familiar with Dublin already, Claire and TJ knew which centrally-located hotels they wanted to work with for their wedding guest block. 

“We were so touched that so many of our American and international friends flew over for the wedding and wanted to ensure that they would be able to enjoy the (very walkable) city,” the groom says.

Upon arrival in Dublin, a welcome bag awaited each guest in their hotel rooms that included local goods, some personalized items, and stationery with the schedule of weekend events plus a list of “places to have a bite” and “places to have a pint.” 

The couple’s welcome event kicked off festivities, taking place at The Long Room at Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest university in the heart of Dublin. Trinity is a very special place for Claire’s family, as many of her family members, including her dad, graduated from there. The Long Room is also extremely important to Ireland’s history, as it houses important cultural emblems, including the Book of Kells and the Brian Boru harp. 

“We were so honored that Trinity made an exception to allow us to host our welcome event in the Long Room – the last event in that room had been for Queen Elizabeth II!” the bride says. “It made it all the more special to show our American and international guests the magnificence of the Old Library and the importance of the university to broader Irish culture and history.”

On the day of the wedding, a torrential downpour moved the ceremony indoors to the castle’s entry hall. With an arsenal of stellar vendors and a planner quick on his feet, the pivot in plans led to an intimate setup with floral arrangements filling the foyer with life and color as all 150 guests created a semicircle around the altar. The ceremony, led by a celebrant hailing from New York, Michael Grace, melded the typical elements of an American wedding with the Irish traditions that keep the couple tethered to their heritage. 

“Rain was NOT in our plan for the weekend, which meant A LOT of emotional turmoil and stress around watching the weather the week (and even the morning) leading up to the wedding,” Claire says. “However, the magic Tyler and his team were able to create for our indoor ceremony was beyond anything we could have ever even imagined. Ironically, the indoor ceremony was one hundred percent our favorite part of the entire weekend, and most of the guests didn’t even know that it was not ‘The Plan.’” 

Even in the face of challenges, Claire and TJ’s Ireland destination wedding left a beautiful impression of Ireland on the wedding guests and solidified precious memories of the couple’s experience tying the knot.

As far as advice goes, the couple left us with the following words of wisdom:

• “Stay up-to-date on all expenses you’ve committed to, as you go. Also, when it comes to managing the running total of expenses, put the higher end of any range provided by vendors so that you and/or your family are not caught off guard later.”
• “Our advice in finding and working with vendors is to reach out early, ask questions, and be clear with your expectations, likes, dislikes, and overall vision for the vibe of the day. Overcommunication and clarity are your best friends.”
• “Also, especially for an international wedding, it’s so important to respect the cultural norms and work within that framework. And closer to the actual event, triple confirm the schedule and arrival times in writing with each vendor so that on the day you are not worried about logistics!”

Vendors: Photographer: Brosnan Photographic; Planner & Florist: Tyler Speier Events; Wedding Venue: Luttrellstown Castle; Stationery: Cheree Berry; Cake: Synnott Signature Bakes; Hair Stylist: Hair by Caoimhe Smith Walsh; Makeup Artist: Nas Ghaedi Makeup; Gown Designer: Pronovias at Kleinfeld’s Bridal; Groom’s Clothing Designer: Alton Lane; Celebrant: Michael Grace; Welcome Drinks Venue: The Long Room at Trinity College Dublin; Welcome Party Dress: Zimmermann; Music: Avoca String Quartet & Bentley Boys; Transportation: Corduff Buses; Rehearsal Dinner Venue: The Grayson; Decor + Furniture: Total Event Rentals