Right out of a fairytale… This real wedding will enchant you to no end. Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Danielle and William chose a storybook-perfect location in Ireland to celebrate their joyous day. They were joined by 28 of their loved ones for their Waterford Castle wedding with a fairytale theme which was coloured by romantic autumnal shades. If you’re searching for autumn wedding inspiration with an ethereal twist, we know you’re not going to be able to stop swooning over all the details from the goddess bridal gown to the floral displays full of roses and lush foliage. Get ready to pore over the details in the sublime imagery by Irina Duane Photography below.
Danielle shares the sweet story of how their happily ever after came to be, “We met through a mutual friend group back in 2019. There were a few years where I was not hanging out with the group as much but then at the end of 2021 Will kept reaching out to me to get me to hang out. After a lot of persuading, we started to hang out with some of our friends together. Our first official date Will was nice enough to go to an event I really wanted to go to out of town. However, my keys were lost and Will had to work the next day. Luckily, I had an amazing brother that drove us all the way back home which was two hours away. I was afraid there may not be a second date but luckily Will called me the next day for another date and the rest is history!”
As for their proposal, “William took me on a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains where he had a photographer set up to catch the proposal and then get some beautiful photos that would capture the memorable day.” How gorgeous!
Their destination wedding answered a dream of Danielle’s. She had always wanted to go to Ireland, so many of her favourite books were based there. “I was supposed to study abroad back in college, but scheduling classes in Cork would not line up with my classes in the states.”
How romantic are their wedding flowers, with flowing foliage and thistles and berries adding to the stunning texture.
A first look is one of the sweetest things you can do on your wedding day, and the couple opted for a first touch which is a pre-ceremony ritual we absolutely adore too. Not only is it such a touching and intimate moment to share with your true love before you exchange vows, but it also can help with the butterflies before you head to the aisle!
An ethereal goddess. Danielle’s utterly breathtaking illusion lace wedding dress was created by Olia Zavozina Bridal. Boasting whimsical sheer cape-like sleeves, the bride wore a dreamlike cathedral veil and a series of stunning and sentimental accessories including her bracelet which was a gift from her grandmother, her something borrowed was a bracelet from her mother-in-law-to-be and she wore earrings that were gifted by her father.
The bride tells us more about the stunning aesthetic, “Fairytale was the main theme. I really wanted the fall colours to be the backdrop for the wedding and was hoping for some rain to give the day the romantic feel I was hoping for. Waterford Castle and the weather did not disappoint. We were inspired by Ireland in the fall. The chill in the air and the fog on the water.”
Their immensely beautiful ceremony was officiated by Jessica Statham and music helped bring the service to all new heights of magical with songs including All I Ask of You from Phantom of The Opera, Beauty and the Beast, and Timeless by Taylor Swift. “Libra Strings did an incredible job at providing our favorite songs in a very elegant way.”
Their ceremony readings certainly have our seal of approval as they are true favourites with One Fab Day couples. They included Wedding Poem by Whitney Hanson and there wasn’t a dry in the house after All I Know About Love by Neil Gaiman was read.
Their handfasting was another cherished moment of the ceremony and sweetly the couple made their handfasting cord together.
Having the Celtic Quaich for the toast after the ceremony was amongst the many unforgettable moments from the autumnal fete.
When it came to wedding venue hunting, they really wanted a captivating location that showcased the rustic romance of the autumnal season. Castlecore wedding accents are trending and Waterford Castle is the perfect venue to glean inspiration too!
The 16th-century luxury castle hotel sits on a spellbinding 310-acre private island. As soon as they set eyes on the red vines on the outside of the castle they knew they had found their dream wedding venue. “Gillian, the wedding coordinator at Waterford Castle, with her expertise and recommendations made the process seamless. Without Gillian this wedding would not have been so perfect. She made the dream come true.”
Having so many of their loved ones making the journey all the way from the US absolutely made the celebration for them. For Danielle and William it was also so important that they honoured their loved ones who are no longer with them during their wedding and it helped make the day so touching and special.
Such style! While Danielle’s bridesmaids wore tonal shades of green, Danielle and William’s groomsman and groomsmaid opted for suiting in grey and black.
The bride created personalised champagne flutes for all of the female guests and it made toasting to their happily ever after all-the-more chic and memorable.
Their unforgettable day of love included a scrumptious naked wedding cake, an enchanting sparkler photo, a dazzling dress change from the bride, and dancing into the wee hours.
We were absolutely blown away by the beauty of Danielle and William’s wedding so we wondered what advice they’d have for couples planning their big day. “Take a breath, enjoy the process and on the day of the wedding, just enjoy every moment,” the bride says.
They kept the celebrations going as they were joined by many from their wedding party on an adventure soaking up the sights in Cobh, Dingle, the Dingle Peninsula, Conor Pass, and Killarney.
A huge congratulations Danielle and William from all of us at One Fab Day! A very special thank you to Irina Duane Photography for sharing today’s magical real wedding, even more inspiration awaits in the gallery below.
Dreaming of partying like royalty on your special day? Check out 27 Fairytale Castle Wedding Venues in Ireland!
