Businessmen Nick and Brendan were dream clients. Both with busy careers and rich personal lives, they were low on wedding planning time, but high on appreciation for the process, so they were available when it was needed, but otherwise, left us to it. They also had few preconceptions, when it came to style, but have good taste, so they trusted us and were open to anything. We planned and styled their whole day, but what I’ve focused on here is the ceremony and drinks reception, which was my favourite part.

The Banquet Hall in Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre is awe-inspiring, but it can feel a little cold, so we wanted to create homey spaces within it, without losing the grandeur of it all. The ceremony area was separated from the reception by low, sheer drapes, which were opened to reveal the most stunningly imperfect ceremony arch, by Appassionata and soul-tingling music by Mad Uncle Harry. Many tears were shed (including mine) throughout that beautiful ceremony.

The lounge areas were created using custom-sourced mid-century furniture, lighting and tabletop decor, with real trees, plants and floral arrangements, all contributing to this atmosphere of small, cosy, twinkling rooms, within that gorgeously lofty hall. The palette was our take on autumnal masculinity; rich and deep without relying on hackneyed tropes of that time of year. Abundant drinks and canapes by Catch meant that nobody was wondering what time dinner would be - in fact, we had some job moving guests on to the next part.

Photographs by

Doreen Kilfeather