Stylish, fun and energetic, happy tears flowed and laughter filled the air as Caitlyn and Gareth said yes to their forever at Boyne Hill House Estate. The East Belfast-based couple planned and styled their springtime wedding themselves and they were focused on creating a vibe that was completely unpretentious and relaxed so their guests could enjoy every single moment. The aesthetic was downright dreamy as they opted for a timeless and polished look that complemented the character-filled venue in Co. Meath.

Music played a huge part in making the day feel like "them" with a whole host of local Northern Irish musicians creating the perfect party atmosphere. They buried sausages and put out the Child of Prague the night before and they were blessed with glorious sunshine. Their ceremony in the walled garden is sure to take your breath away and their celebration was packed with so many steal-worthy ideas. Experience all the joy and style which was exquisitely lensed by photographer Pawel Bebenca below.

Caitlyn is from Holywood and Gareth is from East Belfast and while they went to the same secondary school they never properly met as they were three years apart. Gareth was friends with Caitlyn’s sister Jordan at the time, who was in the same year as him at school, so they both knew of each other. Fast forward 13 years and their story began at their hockey club end of season dinner dance on March 12th, 2022.

They tell us, "Gareth had been a member for years but Caitlyn had only joined the club at the start of season, having moved home from London that year due to the Covid pandemic. Caitlyn recognised Gareth instantly but Gareth was wondering who the girl in the gold sequin dress was. After a bit of sneaky asking around to check if each other was single, Caitlyn made her move. Armed with a bit of prosecco courage, she spotted a drinkless Gareth in the lobby, marched him straight to the bar, and chatted his ear off all night. Gareth was quietly taken aback, wondering if this was Caitlyn's attempt at flirting. He successfully secured a first date by the end of the night and the rest is history."

Now we know you'll want to hear all about their gorgeous proposal. They had planned a weekend trip to London, they both used to live there and they love to revisit whenever they can. Gareth had a special surprise up his sleeve as he suggested extending the trip by taking an extra day off to stay at their favourite Northern Irish spot, Galgorm Resort, for a night before heading to the airport. “When we checked into our room, there was a lovely card welcoming us as 'returning guests' to a special drinks reception in the Chandelier Garden that evening. Gareth put on a full Oscar-worthy performance, pretending he wasn't sure if he felt like going, knowing Caitlyn would never turn down a free glass of fizz!"

"After a relaxing afternoon in the spa, we got ready and headed down. Gareth kept the charade going by stopping at reception to ask for directions to the party, knowing full well where it was since he’d secretly visited the hotel the week before to put the plans in place with the staff. We were even greeted at the entrance by a man with a clipboard checking off our names and room number, the final piece of the act! Caitlyn was still completely clueless, even pausing to take photos of the stunning setup 'before the other guests arrived.' It wasn't until she spotted a bench ahead with just two glasses and a bottle of champagne on ice that the penny dropped: the drinks reception was only for two."

The moment Gareth proposed couldn't have been more perfect. "He got down on one knee right under the chandeliers, and after a very excited yes, we Facetimed our families and friends to share the news. When we finally walked back to our room, we were met with red roses across the bed and floating balloons with photos attached from our memories of our years together, that Gareth had prepared and provided to the hotel that week. It was so special, followed by an amazing weekend of celebrating in London after a quick stop back home to see family!"

They had two main goals for their wedding day: they wanted to spend quality time with their families and they wanted to throw an epic party for their guests!

Their loved ones were the heart and soul of their special day. "We're both really close with our families, so we wanted them heavily involved. Everyone in our immediate families had a part to play - from bridesmaids and MC duties to readings, speeches, and signing as witnesses. It made the whole day feel like a real celebration of both sides coming together."

Caitlyn and Gareth knew they had found the venue of their dreams the second they arrived at Boyne Hill House Estate. "We loved it; the style was totally unique compared to everywhere else we’d looked. As we walked around, the practical flow of the place really sold us. There was plenty of room for both of us to get ready separately with our bridal parties, which wasn't easy to find elsewhere. It even had a proper hair-washing sink in the bridal suite so both of our mums could get a blow-dry on-site by our hair stylist, Nicola. The pool table and snug gave Caitlyn’s dad a space to (try to) relax while he waited for Gareth, his dad and the groomsmen arriving later that morning. We also loved that there were multiple distinct spaces for guests to move through, so no one was stuck in the same room all day."

It was the outdoor ceremony space in the idyllic walled garden that cemented it as 'the one'. "Early on, we had considered getting married abroad, but seeing the secret garden made us realise we could get the Italian garden feel right here at home. We also wanted plenty of indoor space in case of bad weather, but luckily the sun came out so we could hold the ceremony and drinks reception in the gardens!"

Caitlyn walked down the aisle with her dad to one of their favourite songs, Guiding Light by Foy Vance with Rachel Toman performing a stripped-back piano version that set an emotional tone. She sang There She Goes by The La’s beautifully as they signed the register. "Both choices, and their lyrics, just felt so fitting for those exact moments."

They chose a ceremony reading adored by One Fab Day couples, Scaffolding by Seamus Heaney which was delivered by Caitlyn’s brother Mark. "With us as newlyweds about to start building our new home together, the words really resonated with us. It felt like a reassuring, symbolic start to this next chapter."

Writing their own vows was easily one of their favourite decisions from their entire celebration. "It gave us the chance to inject our personality into the ceremony and make those very niche, personal promises to each other in front of everyone."

Their colour palette and dress code was driven by the pretty pink Manor House so avoiding any clashing colors was their main priority. "As we were planning an outdoor ceremony surrounded by the gardens, we wanted a look that felt summery yet elegant. Black tie for the groom and groomsmen felt classic and timeless. Gareth chose a different coloured blazer which helped make him stand out from the group and the beige colour felt appropriate for the sunshine. For the bridesmaids, black felt a bit too rigid and lacking in colour, so we went with chocolate brown dresses instead. It gave us that softer, richer tone while keeping the same level of elegance."

The blooms were essential to bringing their aesthetic to life and they sent swatches of the bridal party outfits straight to their florist, Suzie James Floral Designs, to ensure the tones of the flowers pulled all the colours together seamlessly. "Pinterest was also a lifesaver for visualising how the different textures and shades might look side-by-side, and in the end, it all came together even better than we’d pictured."

Caitlyn's bridal look was timeless elegance personified! She styled her Vagabond wedding dress with several stunning sentimental pieces. "Her 'something old' was her earrings and bracelet that belonged to her granny Margaret who sadly passed away two years ago but was a huge part of her life, and her bouquet was wrapped with a locket containing photos of both of her grannies. Attached to the locket was her 'something blue' - a small Forget-Me-Not flower representing the Alzheimer’s Society, in memory of her granny who lived with Alzheimer's before she passed away. Her 'something borrowed' was extra special: her veil, which had just been worn by her cousin, Emily Nesbitt, at her own wedding the week before."

Adrianna Dryniewicz and Ann-Marie Lynam were on makeup duties and they were joined by hairstylist Nicola Dooley. They made an absolute dream team!

The mother of the bride and groom wore custom dresses by Una Rodden. "We had an amazing experience with her! She made both mums feel amazing on the day, and took the challenge out of what had previously been a stressful journey to finding the dresses. Both mums were able to put their own spin on their outfits and they were really personal to them."

Their sun-kissed celebration included fun lawn games and customised pick 'n' mix bags as favours using treats beloved by their families. "Gareth is obsessed with sweets and safe to say, not a single one went to waste!"

Caitlyn and Gareth designed their stationery themselves in Canva. “We saved on our budget by using a site like With Joy for details and RSVPs. You can buy a cheap, customisable template on Etsy and send out physical cards with the key info and a QR code linking straight to the site. Or if you’re feeling confident, put your own stamp on it and create your own invite style! It’s surprisingly fulfilling."

It meant the world to the couple to have their families involved in their celebration from start to finish and it made the celebration feel immensely personal. "Caitlyn’s twin brother MC’d the speeches, and knowing everyone so well, he kept the energy high with plenty of inside jokes. He wrote a poem to introduce Caitlyn, and brought out some very specific gifts, like a giant rubber duck for Gareth’s dad, which he had our guests sign during dinner. Don’t ask!"

If something doesn't go quite as planned on the big day just shake it off and keep smiling, they say. "Once the big day arrives, just let go and enjoy it - your guests feed off your energy, and they’ll have the best time knowing that you're loving every second of it. Remember: only the two of you actually know what was supposed to happen, so your guests won't know the difference anyway!"

They were absolute pros at planning their big day and they have plenty of practical tips to share. Keep photo sessions short, they advise. "We knew we didn’t want to spend hours getting our portraits taken and Pawel our photographer, was immediately on board. He kept it pretty short, 45 mins max, which we loved. He captured loads of our guests as well, and us mingling with everyone. As it turned out he kept everyone on time on the day as well." On that note, ask your venue to save a plate of canapés for you while you're taking photos - it's a long stretch to dinner without food! If you are wearing a dress with a long train and it’s going to be
a hot day changing into a shorter dress for the evening is a lifesaver, the bride adds. It meant she could dance all night long (and it gave her hen-do dress another run-out!).

Another top tip they have is to think about accessibility early. "Keep accessibility front of mind when touring venues. It didn't cross our minds until after we'd already booked, but thankfully Boyne Hill House had great options. Finally, are you thinking of doing an engagement shoot? Caitlyn and Gareth would definitely recommend it. "It gave us a chance to practice being in front of the camera, something we had no experience of previously and by the end of the session we felt more relaxed. We were able to use the photos from our engagement shoot on our invitations and website as well."

Caitlyn and Gareth made their reception entrance to Fireball by Pitbull, we love it! "It definitely didn't carry the same sentimental weight as our other music choices, but walking into a room with all eyes on you can sometimes feel a bit awkward and Fireball completely erased that. We danced in to everyone on their feet, swinging their napkins, and shouting the lyrics at the top of their lungs. The energy in the room was unbelievable, and it ended up being one of the biggest highlights of the day."

Boyne Hill House Estate ended up being the ideal venue. "Since it's a bit of a drive from Belfast, having enough on-site accommodation for as many of our guests as possible was essential. Later in the evening, the pub-style bar area was great for getting everyone off their seats and onto the dance floor late into the night."

Entertainment after dinner was by Danielle Mullan Band and Pro DJs. Another magical highlight was their first dance to The Banjo Song by Mumford & Sons. "We heard it a few months before the day and instantly fell in love with the lyrics. Neither of us wanted a big, slow ballad, so the relaxed folk sound felt much more like 'us'. And in classic Mumford & Sons fashion, the energy built throughout so by the end of the song everyone was singing (or shouting) along with us on the dancefloor!"

Right after the wedding, they headed to the Monart Spa in Wexford for a week to unwind after all the magic of their celebration. They then spent a few days in Dingle where they enjoyed everything from coastal picnics to local pub crawls. They are in the middle of planning their honeymoon and the destination is Japan this autumn for two weeks. "Some of our friends just got back and had the trip of a lifetime. The food looks world-class, and there's so much to see and do, so we can't wait. In hindsight, we are so glad we waited to do the main trip. We were completely exhausted after the wedding! It gave us the perfect mix of total rest and a mini-celebration before taking on Japan! “

Caitlyn and Gareth, the biggest congratulations from all of us at One Fab Day! A very special thank you to our lovely couple and to Pawel Bebenca who captured their dreamy celebration so beautifully!

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