The couple were in Chicago when Tara’s visa was coming to an end, and she was sitting in Starbucks about to book her flight home. “Timmy followed me over to the café, and having discussed the logistics of a long distance relationship and how much it would suck, Timmy got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.” A week after the engagement, in true whirlwind romance style, Tara and Timmy said their ‘I Dos’ in the court house of downtown Chicago. ​

The following May the couple married in Brown County National Park, Indiana, alongside their family and friends. Tara wore a breathtakingly beautiful 1970’s vintage dress and paired it with a 1920’s headpiece. Timmy got his jacket from a thrift store and his mum sewed slick buttons to add to its uniqueness. The bridesmaids wore yellow and green floral printed midi dresses from Zara and the groomsmen looked effortlessly stylish in jeans, braces and bow ties. ​

The non-denominational ceremony was officiated by a close friend of the couple, who happened to be a comedian and had everyone laughing throughout. The intimate affair also saw more friends saying a few words and playing music. ​

​The wedding party then gathered in the forest barn beside the lake. The venue was a very special place to the couple and Timmy’s family as they had a cabin close by. The entire wedding was a DIY Pinterest dream. Tara and Timmy spent days before the wedding getting everything ready. They had spent months collecting thrifty and imaginative finds in arts supply stores. The couple kept a lot of the original and rustic barn décor, such as a deer’s head, but added reams of sweet individuality.   The rafters were draped with white and yellow lanterns and sheets of white fabric. Strings of fairy lights were the backdrop for the phenomenal blue grass band. The yellow and white accents of colour flowed throughout, with vases of baby’s breath as centre pieces and mason jars of wild flowers and candles sprinkled everywhere the eye could see.  There was vintage and retro trimming throughout the venue with decorative birdcages and signage, a popcorn machine and a ticket stub photo booth. The guests were invited to take home some seeds as wedding favours to 'watch our love grow.'

The couple treated their guests to a southern style BBQ buffet and had a three tier cake made by Timmy’s mum, which was nothing less than a work of art. The band on the night was the blue grass ensemble ‘The White Lightning Boys.’ The bride and groom, along with their bridal party, also had a huge and talented background in music, which saw a lot of melodious influence arise – “The highlight for the American guests were when Dana and Edel got up to sing ‘Oh Danny Boy.’ They loved it!” ​

​With overseas  weddings giving way for magical and amazing locations, a touch of home is something that will always fill the heart -  “The best moment was when my bridesmaids surprised me with a video montage of footage they curated of all my friends back home who in Ireland who couldn’t make it to the wedding. It was definitely my most emotional moment.”

ara and Timmy’s stunning photos were taken by Katie Farrell of ‘Katie Farrell Photography.’ Not only did Katie capture the utter beauty and allure of this bride, groom and their wedding day, but she also managed to be Tara’s bridesmaid at the same time! We asked Tara to describe her big day in ten words - "A side splitting day surrounded by our most cherished loved ones."

​Thank you Tara and Timmy for taking us back in time with you, to a colourfully enchanting era. Huge congratulations from LifeAfterBlue!

​Venue: Brown County National Park, Indiana, US
Wedding Dress: Meringue Vintage Bridal Store
Groom's Jacket: Thrift Shop
Groom's shirt and Trousers: H&M
Bridesmaid Dresses: Zara
Ceremony Officiant: Erik Niewiarowski
​Ceremony Music: Dustin Taylor
Wedding Band: The White Lightning Boys
Cake: Made by Groom's mother
Photography: Katie Farrell Website and  Facebook

Ken and Emma, or #Kemma as they were known to their wedding guests (thanks to a handmade polaroid photo booth) had a vibrant, kitsch wedding that was full of colour and character. ​

Ken and Emma met six years ago on Derby Day, which is part of a three day racing festival in the Curragh, County Kildare. Shortly after their relationship began, Emma had to move to Galway to complete her masters, but this only made their bond stronger. It was during a road trip of the Southern States of America that Ken popped the question. The couple were cruising down the Mississippi listening to jazz on a steam boat (I know what you are thinking – can they actually get any cooler?!) Poor Ken’s first suggestion to ‘take a walk on the top deck’ was shot down when Emma suggested another drink instead. After a much needed whiskey, Ken saw his opportunity. While Emma was admiring the magnificent New Orleans skyline, Ken got down on bended knee and presented Emma with a breath-taking vintage ring – “Ken got down on one knee and asked me to marry him – to which I replied “are you having a laugh?” Which he will not let me forget. Obviously I was just in shock and said yes as soon as I realised that it was really happening. Ken had picked a beautiful vintage ring that fitted perfectly - I couldn't have done better myself.”
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​Ken and Emma tied the knot in the Millhouse in Slane. The ceremony and reception both took place onsite. As soon as it came to choosing a venue, Emma had only one place in mind, “I loved that it allowed us to have loads of personal touches and also that we had the whole place to ourselves.” And ‘personal’ is definitely a word that depicts the heart of this wedding. The bright and beautifully bizarre décor included gold spray painted pineapples and plastic dinosaurs, giant white balloons with rainbow coloured tassels, flamingo fairy lights and cute signage made by Ken. A humble Emma calls the magical day  ‘a community affair’ – “my sister-in-law Mary Scott made the cake and my other sister in law Sinead did all the bridal party’s beauty treatments. The veil I wore was loaned to me by our local publican, Bethann Reilly who runs Fagan’s in Moynalvey (where we had our day after celebrations). Our invitations were printed by family friend Joe Wall. Our flowers were by Lorcan Burke of Absolutely Fabulous flowers, another family friend.” Emma’a friend, Nuala Lynam, sang her up the aisle and Stacey, another of Emma’s friends, read a poem she wrote herself for the occasion. The readings during the ceremony were read and chosen by their family and friends. The couple also remembered Ken’s late mother throughout the day with Ken sending Emma a special gift of a peridot necklace made from his mother’s wedding ring on the morning of the wedding, and her favourite song, Christy Moore’s ‘The Reel in the Flickering Light,’ being sung as the newlyweds left the Old Mill hand in hand.

​Looking at the beautiful images taken by Elisha Clarke, you cannot help but smile and fill with butterflies. It was their vision of a relaxed, fun filled day bursting with gold and kitsch wonder bound by all the special and heartfelt contributions by their nearest and dearest that made Ken and Emma’s day the enchanting sensation that it was. Thank you both for sharing your memories with us. We might have to change our tagline, forget BeBlue… #BeKemma .
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