Two amazing brides, one unforgettable wedding weekend! Jill and Natalie exchanged vows in a destination celebration of dreamy proportions at Dingle Skellig Hotel. Light, airy and relaxed, their aesthetic embraced the coastal hues of Co. Kerry. They were enveloped in love as they celebrated with their cherished people and the atmosphere was effortlessly fun.

With timeless lace wedding dresses, mix and match bridesmaid looks, pretty wildflower and pastel florals, cinematic cliffside portraits, and oodles of downright gorgeous personal details, luxury wedding photographer Shelly Anderson was on hand to capture all the sublime details. Romantic and intentional, we know you'll love their West of Ireland wedding as much as we do. P.S. Just wait until you find out about their beautiful bouquet wraps...

So let's get to know our couple first. Jill is originally from Ireland but she grew up in New Hampshire in the US and Natalie was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

They met while they were both living in Rhode Island and they hit it off instantly. "We found that we shared a love of many things like travel, the finer things in life, and deep connections to our family and friends. We felt a strong sense of calm around each other and made our time together a priority. We are very intentional humans and knew early on that we wanted to build a life together."

They both dreamt of proposing to one another. Unbeknownst to each other they both planned surprise proposals in the same location on different months. "It was our favourite place — Sakonnet Point in Little Compton, Rhode Island. Natalie planned a sunset beach picnic, and Jill rented a room at the top of the Stone House Inn and popped the question in the cupola overlooking the ocean."

"This was a destination wedding for about half of our guests and the rest were from in country/Europe, so we really wanted to prioritise creating a welcoming, intentional and memorable trip to Ireland," they tell us. "So many of our guests built extended trips to explore other parts of the country and it made us so happy to hear about all their travels."

It was also so important to them that all their family and friends could get to know each other so they ensured there was plenty of opportunities for intermingling over the course of the weekend. "That all kicked off on Thursday at an informal get-together at Dick Mack’s patio where guests shared pints and chats in the Irish mist. Not a bother!"

The couple did their big day their way which included prepping for the aisle together. "Most couples get ready separately on their wedding day and see each other for the first look or at the ceremony. We opted to get ready together in the bridal suite and take advantage of the time that our friends and family were all together. A room full of women is just the best place to be! We also get ready together every day so it was a nice way to balance a big celebratory day with the comfort of routine and familiarity. We did put on our dresses separately so we still had the element of surprise when we saw each other during our first look."

While the views speak for themselves at Dingle Skellig Hotel it was the team that made it the perfect venue. "The staff at the Dingle Skellig Hotel are the real showstoppers. They are fantastic to work with, so lovely and personable, experienced in what they do, and so accommodating to meet your unique vision and needs. That hospitality extends to every single guest, not just the couple or families. We felt so comfortable knowing that they had all the details taken care of and our guests would be well looked after. Everyone from events manager, chef, bar manager, and day of coordinators brought such electric energy and excitement to every interaction. The staff truly felt like old friends and family, and we can’t wait to return to the Skellig to visit. We also loved that once guests arrived in Dingle, they had everything they needed within walking distance."

Jill and Natalie tied the knot in a breathtaking outdoor ceremony with sweeping views of Dingle Bay.

Their ceremony readings were immensely moving and included four of their loved ones reading Blessing of the Hands by Rev. Daniel Harris. "There are so many beautiful lines that represented our commitment to each other throughout every phase of life."

One of the absolute highlights of the ceremony was reciting their vows which they had lovingly written for each other. "There’s something really powerful about loving out loud and letting your loved ones share in that level of love and intimacy. The Irish did well with all the emotions!"

From pints of Guinness in the pub to bubbles on the cliffs, they were in a bubble of bridal bliss after tying the knot.

They carried romantic bouquets bursting with pretty pastel blooms which were tied with wraps that Natalie’s mom had hand sewn for them using Natalie’s grandmother’s and great grandmother’s wedding dresses. "Her grandmother’s dress was lace from the 1950s and her great grandmother's was over 100-year-old silk. Her mom created a beautiful wrap using both fabrics and then hand stitched our initials and wedding date. They are some of our most cherished gifts."

Their families and bridal parties wore shades of blue and green which married with the backdrop of the Dingle peninsula beautifully.

The reception styling was delicately romantic with menus wrapped with blush pink frayed ribbons and dotted with eucalyptus with table names held in glass frames with brass edging.

Their first dance took place after the cocktail hour in the stone circle where they had exchanged vows. "We danced to This is Love by Surfing for Daisy. It was so memorable and we’re happy the weather cooperated with our plan!"

There was a heartwarming surprise waiting for every guest as they took their seat for dinner as the couple wrote personalised notes for everyone and as you can imagine the happy tears flowed freely. "We hand stamped all of the cards and envelopes and even used a personalised wax seal for the final touch. Every guest at our wedding means so much to us, they have filled our lives with love, and they brought all of their love and good vibes with them to Dingle, we wanted to ensure they could feel our love for them reciprocated right back."

After witnessing the beauty of their special day we know you'll want to hear their wedding advice. "Try to knock the big stuff out of the way first! We did a lot of planning and details on our own but were so incredibly grateful to get our wedding planner Annie for the last few months leading up to the big day. She was a GAME CHANGER in those final days. On your wedding day everything is going to turn out better than you ever imagined it would!"

While their dreamy day was a celebration of their love it was also an amazing tribute to community as they made cherished memories with their family and friends. "Most people will tell you to make sure you keep yourselves in mind during your wedding, hosting our guests and seeing our people have an incredible time really made us feel so happy, relaxed and full of joy! We also built in plenty of time on our wedding day for just us. Those quiet moments together from our first look, in our vintage car on our way to photos and before the ceremony really grounded us and made us take in each moment together. The day flowed from one chapter to the other without feeling rushed or fleeting."

The newlyweds chose the idyllic coastal escape of Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa for their mini-moon. "We had never been there before and we were absolutely blown away. Our jaws dropped as we drove around the bend and got our view of the ocean and the beach. We could not have asked for a better room either, we had the best panoramic views of the sea. A truly perfect place to wind down after a non-stop energy filled wedding week. The food was incredible, the staff were lovely, and the beach was steps away! Those early morning dips in the sea were always so refreshing."

Congratulations Jill and Natalie! The warmest thank you to our fabulous couple and to Shelly Anderson Photography for sharing today's delightful Dingle Skellig Hotel wedding with One Fab Day!

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