A Co Down couple have shared a look inside their classic wedding day at Carton House in Kildare.
33-year-olds Laura Porter and Michael Keating who live in Hillsborough got married on July 2, 2022. In Be 's weekly feature Inside My Wedding, couples are delving into their special day to give bride and grooms-to-be some top tips.
Laura told Be : "We met through friends! Michael used to play rugby professionally and moved to England to play in the Championship. He then moved in with one of my good friend's boyfriend, now husband!
Read more: Inside NI childhood sweethearts' beautiful castle wedding
"I was living in London and Michael was living in Sheffield. She was over visiting and met Michael and thought we would be really suited and Whatsapped me saying 'I think this is the guy for you' LOL!
"I didn't think much of it but agreed to go to watch a rugby match that he was playing in, in London so I could meet him. And since then we have been together. This was back in April 2014!"
Tell us all about your wedding day!
It was the most magical day of our lives. Having all our good friends and family under one roof was such an amazing feeling. We arrived at our venue, Carton House, the day before with our families and bridal party (& their partners). We hosted a lovely dinner the night before which was meant to be a rehearsal dinner but we were too busy having the time of our lives to bother rehearsing anything! This was a very surreal moment for me. I am not going to lie, it was very moving.
Our ceremony took place in the beautiful garden in the most gorgeous marquee which was all organised and decorated by the amazing Frogprince. The ceremony was at 2pm but we decided to host welcome drinks at 1pm. Michael was able to say hello to everyone before the madness kicked off! I on the other hand was busy getting beautified by the two most talented ladies in the world. Danielle Whelen, hair stylist and Lisa Shannon, my make-up artist. The morning of the wedding was so much fun! We were all just so relaxed. Lisa and Danielle made me feel so at ease and were the kindest souls. Before I knew it, it was time to get married. I had a lovely first look with my dad Jim, which was the one and only time we all shed a little tear surprisingly!
Aoife Kelly played and sang for us at our ceremony and drinks reception, she was amazing. Emer Dillon was the humanist for our ceremony and it was just perfect. Frogprince did all our florals and decor/table scaping. I could not believe it when I walked down the aisle. Everything they did for us was beautiful. My vision had completely come to life and I can’t thank them enough! When I walked into the ballroom for the dinner reception I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was better than what I had ever dreamt.
Before the wedding I had asked one of my good friends Anna to give me a thumbs up once I got up the aisle to tell me everything was ok… all I remember is catching her eye and seeing her beautiful smile and a big thumbs up - which I responded to with a big thumbs up back forgetting I was at the top of the aisle in front of everyone. At that point I knew I could relax!
We danced the night away to DJ & Sax who kept the party going into the wee hours! My feet were so sore from all the dancing! Our family and friends made the wedding so perfect for us. We are so lucky to have these people in our lives.
All I remember is being so happy and nervous when I was about to walk down the aisle. I couldn’t wait to see everyone! Within a blink of an eye we were married. I can remember thinking how lucky we were! Our reception was the best fun ever! We wanted lots of energy and laughter and our MC Tom absolutely brought that for us.
The food was exquisite and every guest has not stopped talking about how amazing the food was. Our chef was Senoy Gervasis. I cannot recommend Carton House enough, everything was absolutely perfect. Our cake was by Creative Cakes and it was so delicious. They did such a great job!
The whole day was exactly what we wanted. We wanted a classic feel but we also wanted lots of energy and fun.
How did you begin planning your wedding?
We started with the venue. We felt if we nailed down a venue it would set the theme of the wedding! We looked up venues' tagged photos via Instagram as that is how you can see the venues from a realistic point of view. Carton House took my breath away the moment we drove up the driveway. It was absolutely out of this world.
I knew it was the venue for us at that exact moment. We then moved on to the suppliers that would create the look we wanted.
How did you decide on the venue?
We received such a warm welcome from Carton House the first time we met them back in 2019. Our wedding was meant to be July 2021 but Covid had other plans for us. Carton House was so helpful when moving the date to the following year. The main reasons we picked here was because it was a stately home combined with a hotel that had plenty of accommodation.
We wanted a venue that could house all our guests to avoid guests staying off site. Carton House has beautiful gardens and two amazing golf courses, we knew the photo opportunities were endless. They made our day so special and I love all the staff dearly!
Tell us all about your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses and suits!
I got my dresses from Forever Bridal Belfast. The designer for my ceremony dress was Riki Dalal and my evening dress was by Wona Concept. Forever Bridal was amazing from the moment I walked in. They were my therapists as well whenever I would have a little wobble or doubt my decisions. I highly recommend any new bride to go and visit them, you will not be disappointed! The bridesmaid dresses were from ASOS believe it or not! They were beautiful and my bridesmaids loved them. The suits were from Bogart Menswear in Belfast who were absolutely the nicest and most helpful bunch of men about. Stephen at Bogart looked after us from day one, a true gent! The guys all wore black tie.
What was the best part in the build up to your day?
I think the week before was the most enjoyable. Most of the planning is done by then so it’s just a case of going to all the beauty appointments, collecting suits and dresses, and chatting to all your friends in the run up etc. The week before is when you realise 'we are actually getting married, it's actually happening' and the butterflies most definitely set in. It’s such an exciting time and I remember just wishing time would slow down!
What was the best moment of your day and your other favourite parts?
The moment when I was about to walk down the aisle, I was so nervous and so excited all at the same time. All I can remember is saying to myself "don’t walk fast and don’t trip". Walking down the aisle with my Dad Jim was such a special moment and I will cherish it forever. It was so lovely seeing all our lovely friends and family and then seeing Michael at the top of the aisle. It was such a surreal moment.
What would you tell other bride and grooms to plan first & what are your top tips?
I would try to think about what size of wedding you want first. Do you want small and intimate or do you want over 100 people? This will help you determine your venue. From there think of the location - is it at home or is it abroad? However, there is no right or wrong way but for us this was the most logical way. I feel that nailing down a venue first helps everything fall into place!
What were the hardest parts to plan?
We felt the hardest parts were the flowers and the decor. It's hard to visualise everything especially when you are not an expert in that field. You can spend a lot of money on flowers so you want to ensure that it’s what you want. Don’t be afraid to ask for extra meetings or send a few extra emails to your supplier. So yes, I really struggled with this part as I felt this was such an important part to plan as it really sets the vibe/style of the wedding and I really wanted to get it right!
Did you have a theme?
We didn't really have a theme but wanted to keep things classic with a hint of contemporary. I would say we kept things very soft and romantic. Colours were subtle and there were lots of candles on the tables. I really loved our room for the dinner reception. It was better than I ever imagined! Frogprince nailed it! Our dress code for the wedding was black tie. It’s such a classic look that never ages. All our guests looked so wonderful!
Would you do anything different or wish there was anything you didn't worry about?
We wish we didn't care so much about everyone else. We completely forgot about how we would feel or what we wanted and worried about keeping everyone else happy... We put our feelings on the back burner. And this shouldn’t be the case. You must remember that the day is about you two and only you two, no one else matters. Pick the things you want, do the things you want and do not worry about anyone else. Enjoy each moment as it goes in a blink of an eye!
All photos by @undertheveilweddings, www.undertheveil.ie.
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Do you want to tell us all about your wedding day? Email be@belfastlive.co.uk to be featured!
