With a civil ceremony in Dublin City Hall and a wedding day at Hilton Park Demesne, media director Ambre Gale married commercial developer David McCarthy on June 22nd, 2024. Photographed by David Watkins and Ivana Patarcic, if you're a fashion lover, you'll ADORE Ambre's bridal wardrobe (I know we do!).
The pair met in Dublin as students on a night out in college. Ambre was studying at UCD, while David was studying at DIT. After graduating, the couple moved to London together, where she started her Master’s Degree at the London College of Fashion, and have lived in South West London ever since!
"During Covid, we made a lot of staycations in the UK to escape London, and Cornwall became a regular destination. We love being by the sea; Cornwall has amazing hikes, great food, and great shopping. David proposed in a private rose garden near St Mawes overlooking the sea at sunset – it was perfect. We didn’t tell anyone for a few hours, having a romantic candlelit dinner in our little bubble."
"I did regular facials in Dublin and London at Nuala Woulfe and Guendalina Gennari. I liked DMK facials, light therapy, and lymphatic drainage massage. I always go to Mink for my nails and get a micro French manicure and pedicure for the big day."
For her wedding scent, Ambre wore ‘Can’t Stop Loving You’ by Kilian. It’s a beautiful scent of orange blossoms and jasmine—something feminine and floral for summertime. David wore Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot, a masculine botanical scent.
"I was in a fortunate position as my mother owns a bridal boutique, Marian Gale, so my experience was unique. Both designers I chose for my ceremonies are Spanish, and we were lucky enough to visit the Rosa Clara and Pronovias Headquarters in Barcelona to preview our collections. Choosing my dresses was fun, as I live in London and my mum is in Dublin. It was great to have quality time together on our girls' trip to Spain, where we made a weekend of it. We make a great team, we’re very alike – she’s my best friend. I knew the fabrics and cuts I tend to gravitate towards, like silk and lace, and I always wanted something timeless. For my civil ceremony, I chose a long-sleeved silk dress from Rosa Clara’s couture range. The blazer I wore was also custom-made in Venice by a designer we work with. April can be a tricky time of year weather-wise—you don’t know what you’ll get, so I felt I needed something over my dress but still wanted it to be chic for our city nuptials."
"For my wedding in June, I opted for a long-sleeved lace princess-cut dress by Pronovias. I’ve always been drawn to elegant wedding silhouettes from timeless icons like Grace Kelly. While it was a classic style, I love the drama of the long sleeves and the large train. I chose a cathedral-length single-tier mantilla lace veil – I went all out! I wanted something light and easy to move in for dancing the night away, so I changed into a Rosa Clara A-line crêpe dress with off-the-shoulder details and a fun cut-out bow, paired with gold platforms. I wore a white Cecilie Bahnsen dress with Mach & Mach heels and a Vampire Wife bag for our previous rehearsal dinner. I wore a Zimmerman ivory floral dress with Simone Rocha earrings and Hermès sandals for our Day Two on the estate."
While the wedding dresscode was black tie, David wanted something a little more elevated than a standard tuxedo that would clearly mark him out as the groom, such as a different colour or fabric. He opted for a midnight blue smoking jacket with a shawl-style lapel and finished the look with a pair of Oxford-style Church’s. He chose calf leather rather than a patent finish because he felt he would wear them more, and it was generally more true to his style.
For her bridal party, Ambre asked three of her childhood friends to stand by her side. "I always thought silk was elegant for bridesmaid dresses and had a pale blue colour in mind. When we saw the Rosa Clara dresses in Spain, I knew they would be perfect. We opted for two styles from the same collection, which looked amazing on the girls. Silk also photographs beautifully."
"We had an intimate civil ceremony in Dublin City Hall in April, where we were legally married. We went to Suesey Street for a drinks reception and dinner, where we had a private room. It was such a relaxed and happy day; we were relieved to have the formalities out of the way. For our wedding in June, we were keen to keep the logistics very straightforward and have everything on-site. One of David’s relatives is a priest, and he kindly led the ceremony and gave the blessing. This made it so personal, as he had known us throughout our entire relationship, and we felt fortunate. We had friends and family do readings and poetry during the ceremony and a candle blessing – all with the backdrop of music from a string quartet."
"We fell for Hilton as soon as we got out of the car. The house dates back to the 17th century, and the whole estate is stunning. The owners have maintained the original charm and essence so well—it is wonderfully curated and cared for. It was so lovely to deal with a family business, and we had a wonderful experience with Joanna and the Madden family, who were facilitating and helpful throughout. The dinner and dancing took place in the colonnade, which we saw as the perfect blank canvas. We filled the room with flower installations and lots of candles, adding our personal touch to the styling of the space and making it our own."
"We chose the Glas String Quartet for our ceremony and dinner music. For dancing, we used Carouse—a fantastic five-piece band from Waterford. We chose them for their traditional/folk style. They play multiple instruments and know how to get a crowd up and dancing all night!"
Regarding the best decision, Ambre said, "We were thrilled with our decision to do everything on-site at the venue. The day's flow was great, and our guests were relaxed. We were also delighted with our flowers. I loved working with Fionnuala on the design of our large installation above the tables, which used a combination of wildflowers, hydrangeas and wild oak foraged on the estate for greenery – it was spectacular. Another decision we are delighted we made was to use a photographer for our civil ceremony. Dublin City Hall is a spectacular venue, and we wanted to capture the magic of the day in that amazing setting. David Watkins photographed our friend's wedding, and we loved his work. He kindly agreed to shoot ours too. I’m drawn to a fine art style of photography, which both David and Ivana do so beautifully. We were thrilled with how our photos turned out."
- Gráinne