Ciara Elliott
A Bumble swipe, a global pandemic, and a shared passion for exploring each other's different cultures set the foundation for Ritika and Darol when they met. And three years on from their engagement, the couple, who currently call Liverpool home, brought together 112 of their closest family and friends for an unforgettable Indian-meets-Irish wedding at the historic Old Rectory Killyman in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. The date was September 19 which has been captured beautifully by The Harpers' Wedding. So let's hear more about today's real wedding couple... But first - the proposal! The first time Ritika visited Darol’s family in Northern Ireland, he took her to the historic National Trust site of the Mussenden Temple, where she immediately fell in love with the Ritika first discovered The Old Rectory, Killyman on Instagram, instantly falling in love with its rustic charm. "The theme for the wedding took inspiration from both our cultures - from the obvious Irish and Indian colours of saffron orange and celtic green, to the wee details such as Indian and Irish fabrics," says Ritika. The venue perfectly matched the couple's vision, featuring rich dark green leather sofas, orange patterns on soft furnishings and vintage rugs, and a spacious garden room space for the ceremony, come rain or shine. The bride wore a Made With Love dress, paired with a matching veil, second-hand Jimmy Choo heels from Vestiaire Collective and an Ivory & Co headband sourced on Vinted. Her accessories included Victoria Percival earrings and a lab sapphire and diamond halo necklace from The Diamond Store in London. The groom wore a tailored suit from Moss Bros and a green stripes and squares tie by Oswin Hyde as well as gold four-leaf clover lapel pin from Wolf and Badger. The day was filled with loving nods to family but the true star of the show was Paisley, the couple's miniature dachshund and 'Dog of Honour', who proudly walked down the aisle with the bridesmaids. The bridesmaids wore a mix of handpicked designs. "I decided to go for an eclectic mix of colours, fabrics and designs for the bridesmaids to honour their different looks and personalities," says Ritika. Her sister's Indian-saree inspired cut dress was particularly striking. She also had beautiful mehendi (henna) on her feet and henna-inspired wedding nails. Ritika walked down the aisle to a harp and vocal rendition of Foy Vance’s She Burns, the first song Darol ever said reminded him of her. A central highlight was a poignant reading from Dolly Alderton's Everything I Know About Love celebrating love in all its high and low guises. A humanist ceremony was a non-negotiable priority for the couple, and was entirely individualised, featuring emotional handwritten vows. To symbolise the joining of their families and cultures, their mothers performed a traditional hand-fasting ceremony. They tied the couple's hands using a beautiful blend of Indian fabric and handknitted Irish wool. "There were so many dog-related details honouring Paisley, our miniature dachshund," says Ritika, "From napkins to table names to a tiny gold dachshund figure on our wedding cake." Darol also designed their own wedding symbol which featured on all the stationery - a cross between a Celtic knot and Indian mandala. The evening kicked off with a first dance to Lewis Capaldi’s Pointless. The lyrics “I bring her coffee in the morning, she brings me inner peace” perfectly captured the couple's cherished daily routine of morning coffee in bed. Traditional Irish music and incredible food kept the energy high and the vibe relaxed. When asked for advice for future couples, Ritika and Darol emphasised budgeting and connection: "Decide early what you are and aren’t willing to compromise on financially," says Ritika. "The 'vibe' and energy you get from a vendor matters a lot more than you might think." The adventure is far from over for the newlyweds as they are now gearing up for a honeymoon that kicks off with 'Wedding Part Two', which will be in India for extended family. This will be followed by a dream getaway to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Huge congratulations so the happy couple - and thank you to photographer The Harpers' Wedding for sharing these gorgeous Old Rectory Killyman wedding pictures with us! Planning your own wedding? Follow One Fab Day on Instagram for even more inspiration. 
Causeway Coastal Route - via the Giant's Causeway and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Darol at that point had secretly clocked it as the perfect proposal spot and just over three years later, returned to the same spot to propose. "It was July, and of course Northern Ireland was awash with rain," says Ritika "But the sun peaked out at the perfect moment. He proposed with a salt and pepper marquise cut diamond, which was just what I had hoped for!"
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