Today’s real wedding whisks us away to a jaw-droppingly dreamy location in Portugal. Lan and Donal celebrated their love their way as they said ‘I do’ in the centuries old wine estate Quinta da Bichinha in Lisbon. It was a haven of serenity for their two-day fusion wedding which included a fabulous tea ceremony to kick off the festivities followed by a beautiful wildflower ceremony and reception the following day. The wedding photos by Pedro Filipe Fotografia will leave you absolutely spellbound. Enjoy!
Their celebrations kicked off with a traditional Vietnamese ceremony in the elegant courtyard. Lan tells us, “For me and parents, it was so important to bring our traditions to Portugal. We brought in décor to decorate for the ceremony such as lanterns, lucky money boxes and tea set. Since all décor can be done in house, we showed Diogo our idea of how we wanted the long table set up and he delivered on all fronts. It was decorated with gorgeous red roses and candles. It was absolutely stunning.”
The bride-to-be was utterly dazzling for the tea ceremony wearing a scarlet beaded dress with a semi-sheer neckline which she styled with a stunning fascinator while dapper groom Donal opted for a traditional Ao Dai in royal blue.
Lan is from the US while Donal is Irish and they live in Abu Dhabi. Lan reminisces on their love story, “We met through good ol’ Tinder while both working in the United Arab Emirates! Donal was living in Dubai at the time and I was living in Abu Dhabi.”
Lan’s bridal beauty was so timeless and she was absolutely glowing with her dewy makeup and a soft yet dramatic smokey eye.
Donal was his wife’s something blue on their special day as he donned a stunning blue linen suit and he added a tonal twist to the look by wearing a navy tie and navy suede loafers.
Lan left us mesmerised with her ethereal wedding day ensemble which comprised of an off the shoulder A-line gown with accents of floral appliques, sequins and a frothy tulle skirt. She added to the romance with her floral crystal and pearl drop earrings and her cathedral veil.
The couple exchanged vows in breathtaking fashion, with a lakefront ceremony. Their ceremony styling included a breathtaking floral arch display peppered with pink, peach and cream blooms.
Lan’s brother acted as their celebrant and it made their ceremony so special. “Having someone marry us that knew both of us so well made the whole thing even more touching.”
“We had a very untraditional wedding. We wanted to make the day as easy as could be for everyone so we chose not to have a bridal party,” they reflect.
The courtyard provided a wonderfully romantic backdrop to their celebrations.
They wanted to make it as easy as possible for their guests to join them. “With us living away, we understand how difficult it is to come to weddings due to time off, finances, and/or plenty of other reasons. We didn’t want to put any pressure on anyone, but were so blessed that so many came anyways.”
We’re swooning over their table plan idea!
They chose a colourful wildflower palette for the ceremony and reception. “It was the complete opposite of the first day. We felt it would give the guests a different vibe to the first day. With it being a destination wedding, we appreciated not having to do any DIY projects for the actual wedding day.”
They fill us in on their wedding venue hunt, “There are soooo many Facebook groups for couples who were planning on getting married in Portugal. Quinta da Bichinha was highly recommended and after speaking to Diogo, the lovely amazing venue coordinator there, we knew it was the perfect location and the perfect team to work with to have a hassle-free destination wedding. They were actually the first team we spoke to and we have ZERO regrets. The two days there were absolutely magical!”
“Lan joined a Facebook group that was specifically for brides who go married at Bichinha so they were always bouncing ideas off of each other and providing photos, tips and tricks. Other than that, we did not see the venue until a week before the date. Sounds so scary doesn’t it? We had that much faith in Diogo and his team,” they explain.
Adorning your summer wedding cake with lush florals will always leave your guests wowed. Their wildflower-dappled cake was absolutely gorgeous.
Lan served up another stunning bridal look as she changed into a sleek short wedding dress with a halter neckline and a flared skirt.
As for wedding advice, Lan and Donal say, “Relax and enjoy your big day. I promise, all the small things you worry about coming up on the day, you will NEVER think about again because it’s the big thing – you, your husband, family and friends being together that matter the most.”
A very special thank you to Lan, Donal and Pedro Filipe Fotografia for sharing today’s downright divine destination wedding! Be sure to check the gallery below for even more inspiration.
Want to tie the knot abroad? Check out our Destination Wedding section here!
