The scorching August heat and hot black-tie style made for a perfect summer combination for Catriona and Niall’s wedding. The glorious day took place at the dreamy setting of Farnham Estate and photographer Sarah Fyffe was on hand to capture every loving moment! If your wedding Pinterest board leans towards elegant style, with bridesmaids in blush, gold accents and fluffy roses, then you will simply adore this real wedding day!
The first chapter of this sweet love story began when Catriona and Niall met at a disco in the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown. Fast forward to the proposal, that took place on New Year’s Eve of 2020. Catriona explains: “Niall took me to Portstewart for a walk on the beach. I never suspected a thing as that was the most visited place we had been to in 2020. He went to the bathroom and put the ring box into the hood of his coat and when we got to the end of the beach, Niall called my name and was down on one knee. It was perfect!”
Catriona, the beautiful bride, always envisioned a summer wedding and the day itself was made up of everything she dreamed of and more – even the 29-degree scorching heat. She described the theme of the wedding day as relaxed and simple. “Clare my florist is a neighbour and I was able to call her and discuss exactly how I wanted the flowers. They were stunning and contrasted perfectly with the bridesmaid dresses which were a toasted sugar shade,” she says. The bouquets consisted of toffee, ivory and pastel pink roses hugged by an abundance of lush greenery.
The bride’s style was sublimely divine! She chose an elegant and timeless wedding dress from Alexander Grecco paired with her pearl-kissed veil, held in place with a beautiful hair accessory. She tied her look together with a classic upstyle and eye-catching pearl statement earrings. Simply stunning!
Swit-swoo! The gentlemen adorned some serious black-tie style with three-piece tuxedos, bow ties and ivory buttonholes! Simple, yet oh-so-stylish!
The most important element for Niall and Catriona was having their friends and family all together. “My granny and uncle passed the previous Christmas, so I had photos of them pinned to my wedding bouquet, so they were both present with us on our special day,” says Catriona. The image below is Catriona’s favourite image of the wedding album, she says: “I love this photo of myself driving my daddy and I up to the chapel driveway with the roof down and the sun shining down. It meant I had no time to get nervous that’s for sure!”
The newlyweds were transported in style from the beginning to end of the scorching hot summer’s wedding day. “The car Niall hired from was a convertible Beetle named Buckley! I ended up driving Buckley to the chapel which wasn’t planned at all,” she laughs. “I popped on the Ray-Bans and off we went on time much to everyone’s disbelief, as I am late to everything! We got my brother to drive us for a few extra photos to a swing which is situated up a mountain with a view in the background of my townland and you can see the chapel where we just got married in the background. It’s another favourite photo of ours!”
The wedding venue that held the beautiful marriage celebrations was Farnham Estate, a hotel and spa resort located just outside Cavan town and only 90 mins from Dublin and Belfast. The perfect wedding venue for those looking for country luxury on an impressive 1300-acre estate! The couple says: “Farnham Estate was the perfect venue, especially on a sunny summer’s day. The gardens are beautiful and the old house was also perfect for photos. The wedding room was excellent and the drinks reception allowed everyone to mingle in the garden and enjoy the sun. We thought we were in Spain the next morning when we went to the outdoor pool and the majority of our wedding guests joined too. It was a great start to day two in the Shepherd’s Rest Draperstown!”
Gold accents were added throughout the day with the ceremony entrance decor, welcome signage, gold lanterns and even the cake topper!
After the magical weekend came to an end, the lovebirds continued the celebration by jetting off on their honeymoon to Bali for two weeks! “We travelled a little and relaxed a lot, It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip. While we were on an island day trip to Nusa Penida Island and waiting on the boat back, we experienced a 5.5 magnitude earthquake… quite the experience!” they say.
As for words of wedding advice they add: “We were both very chilled out when planning the big day. The most important thing to us was making sure everyone was fed and on the dancefloor, and it never emptied so that was a good sign. As the bride it’s important not to get too carried away keep it simple and everything will work out, enjoy it!” Thank you to Niall, Catriona and Sarah Fyffe for sharing such a beautiful summer-filled wedding day with One Fab Day.
Are you thinking of a Northern Irish wedding? We have a plentiful list of real weddings for inspiration and magical northern venues for you to explore, from Big Impact Small Venues to Amazing Civil Ceremony Spots!
