Over the past year or so, lots of couples have asked us about adjusting the aesthetic details of their big day when they’ve had to move the wedding date to a different season, and our advice has always been the same  – if you really love the decor and wedding party styling, and it fits your venue, you probably don’t need to do any adjusting at all! Aislinn and Ronan, the couple in today’s real wedding, really prove this point. Their June wedding was moved to September due to Covid-19, but their light and airy colour palette looks just as beautiful in Autumn as it did in Summer, thanks to the stunning surrounds of Virginia Park Lodge. The talented Kathy Silke Photography was kind enough to share the images from their postponed wedding with us, so let’s take a closer look, shall we!?

Aislinn tells us that she and Ronan first met when they both got part-time jobs at Marks and Spencers. “Ronan first laid eyes on me when I held the door open for him in work,” she says. “He did a few inquiries to find out my name. I first laid eyes on him in the canteen and was doing the same inquiries. We met properly on a night out in Belfast and got chatting, the rest is history.”

Ronan popped the question during a holiday in Portugal over New Year’s in 2018. “We went for a walk along the cliff by my favourite beach, Porta do Mos,” Aislinn says. “I hadn’t packed the right attire… so I kept complaining about being freezing and wanted to go and buy a coat before we headed for our dinner. But Ronan insisted that we kept walking for a bit longer. We got to a point on the cliff that had amazing views over the beach and Lagos, Ronan pointed out to the view and as I was looking out, I turned back to him and he was already down on one knee. I thought he was joking and was so taken back by it (even though I had tortured him for years to pop the question!) but realised he was serious. I laughed and then cried and of course said yes. I forgot all about the coat and headed to the beach bar to celebrate.”

Initially, the couple had one main priority in wedding planning. “We wanted a casual vibe,” Aislinn says. “We wanted a relaxed day and for everyone to have a good time.” Aislinn adds that she also prioritised “the wedding dress, venue and nice food.”

Aislinn and Ronan were planning to get married on June 26th, 2020, but decided to postpone until September 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

Aislinn tells us that she had always wanted a big wedding, so having to downsize no doubt came as a big disappointment. “Come the big day, we just couldn’t wait to be married and we had those that mattered the most celebrate with us, so we couldn’t have asked for anything better. Because of lockdown, everyone was looking forward to a celebration, so it was just a close, intimate day with family and friends – it flew in so quickly and now seems like a distant memory.”

Despite the changes, they still describe their wedding day as their “best day ever! It was a very intimate day, we had a chance to mingle with all the guests and weren’t under pressure to try and get ’round to everyone.”

Aislinn’s Dad was actually the one to suggest their venue, Virginia Park Lodge. “We had a country estate in mind and Virginia Park Lodge was the first venue we visited,” Aislinn says. “It took our breath away, nothing was ever going to compare to it, it really did set the bar.”

The venue ticked multiple boxes for this couple. “The pavilion was the nicest reception area we had seen, and was different to any other wedding venue we had been to,” Aislinn says. “As the food was made by the chef Richard Corrigan, we knew that would be hard to beat. The reception area when you first walked into it, with the huge fire, was very cosy and welcoming, and with the different little rooms, you could venture into, it was just different. Even the little Shepherd’s Huts outside were cute!”

Aislinn chose white bridesmaids dresses from Ghost for her girls, which gave the wedding party such a chic, sophisticated look!

Given that it was September, this couple really lucked out with the weather. Aislinn tells us, “The weather was beautiful and we couldn’t have timed it better. On the way to the church, it rained, when we got out, the sun shined. The same happened on the way back to the ceremony.”

I think we can all agree that Aislinn looks incredible in her Enzoani wedding dress! I love that she accessorised it with statement earrings and a simple veil.

It sounds like this couple got exactly the kind of laid-back day they had dreamed of! “The vibe was so relaxed,” Aislinn says. “The speeches were held outside to make it a little different, the sun was shining, everyone was having a ball.”

To other couples planning a wedding in a pandemic, Aislinn has some words of advice to pass on. “Don’t put your life on hold,” she says. “The most important thing should be that you are marrying your best friend and, if you have those that matter most to you there on your big day, that’s all that matters.”

The couple managed to go to Italy for three weeks on their honeymoon. “The timing worked out well as we were in between the peaks of the virus,” Aislinn says. “We had always wanted to go to Italy so it was important that we went somewhere that we would enjoy and were interested in. It was a mix of exploring and relaxing. Started off in Lake Como (amazing), Florence, Sorrento, Sicily and Sardinia (white beaches and crystal clear water). We would definitely recommend, and will be back. What made it even more special was that we found out we were expecting our first baby on honeymoon!” How lovely, congrats guys!

Thanks so much to Aislinn and Ronan for sharing their postponed wedding with us, and to Kathy Silke for providing the beautiful imagery! There are more photographs in the gallery below, so be sure to click through for a look.