Church wedding on a rainy summer in Cork
Peach Perfect and our planner Ciara were amazing! I could not recommend them more. Ciara was incredibly responsive and flexible, and worked hard to make sure we got the most we could out of our wedding while staying within our budget. All of their vendors (photograph, hair and makeup, flowers, etc.) were top notch. I could not have asked for a better experience. They took (almost) all the stress away from hosting our families for an international wedding. Thank you!!
The Story
Ireland is a beautiful place for nature weddings amid the great outdoors and the lush landscapes of the Emerald Isle. But aside from nature spots for weddings, Ireland is also dotted with beautiful chapels and churches where couples can have religious ceremonies with a solemn ambiance.
That's the kind of ceremony that Ana and Jackson wanted for their destination wedding in Ireland, and when they saw this lakeside chapel in Cork, they immediately fell in love. Keep reading as we share with you how their dream wedding in Ireland came true from the early stages of planning until the actual day they said their I do's.
Planning their destination wedding in Ireland
Eight months of wedding planning felt like a whirlwind since Ana and Jackson contacted Peach Perfect Weddings last December. During that whole period, our wedding planner in Ireland exchanged emails and had calls with the couple to curate a destination wedding that fits their vision.
Ana and Jackson wanted a legal wedding in a church, and there could be no other option for their dream ceremony than a lakeside chapel in Cork with amazing nature scenes outside and a solemn ambiance for intimate weddings inside.
After picking the perfect venue, we helped them plan what happens before and after the ceremony, from getting ready to the lunch reception. They sent their preferred hair and makeup style as well as bouquet design and added a little more detail to make their dream wedding come true.
Ana wanted a minimalist small-sized bouquet with sprinkles of green elements. She wanted her hair tied for the ceremony for a neat and classy look.
About the wedding venue
Ana and Jackson picked a small chapel in an islet at the heart of Gougane Barra Lake for their legal ceremony. It's a unique lakeside chapel isolated from the rest of Cork as it sits in the middle of a lake, surrounded by vibrant greenery. It offers a peaceful environment for small weddings.
The chapel is fully consecrated and available for traditional Catholic wedding ceremonies. It fits only 40 people, making it perfect for intimate celebrations. It was too spacious for Ana and Jackson, who only had a little over ten guests for the ceremony.
The chapel interior is beautiful, with light blue and pink wall paint color, lovely arches, and a neat and minimalist altar in front. Outside, it has monochromatic gray brick walls, a black pointed roof, and an attractive wooden door.
The romantic wedding day that was
Ana and Jackson's day started early, with the makeup artist arriving at 9:00 AM. At about that time, the couple and their guests got ready in the room where they checked in. The bride and groom were in separate rooms, so they wouldn't see each other before the first look.
The couple's first look is one of the best parts of their wedding day. It happened amidst the scenic nature outside the wedding chapel, with the calm and quiet lake, vibrant greenery, and the rugged mountains in the background.
After seeing each other for the first time in their wedding attire and having photos of their first look, the couple went to the chapel at noon to begin the ceremony. It was a short but meaningful ceremony with a priest officiating their legally-binding union.
The after-ceremony photoshoot
After the ceremony, the couple had three more stops before the reception to make sure they have plenty of photos for their wedding in Ireland.
Their first stop was a beautiful castle ruin thirty minutes from the wedding chapel. Their photographer took photos of the couple with the 16th-century tower in the background. The castle ruin is surrounded by endless greenery, making it a perfect scene for wedding photoshoots.
Their second stop was an 18th-century country house with beautiful gardens and an elegant facade. Ana and Jackson took the chance to have their wedding photos in front of this historic building and in the middle of its royal gardens.
Their third and last stop was, of course, a traditional Irish pub in Cork. Irish pubs are certainly must-visits when you are eloping in Ireland because their cozy and very Irish ambiance is worth capturing in your wedding photos.
They capped the day with an intimate reception together with their small group of favorite people. But just before they headed to the reception venue, they walked along the streets of Cork, with the Irish establishments in the background and the friendly locals giving them warm smiles as they passed by.