Christina & Martin's Luttrellstown Castle Wedding

Only a short distance from the centre of one of the most popular and vibrant cities in the world lies an estate that’s worlds away from any hustle and bustle. Situated on 567 acres of lush private parkland, you'll find Luttrellstown Castle, built before 1500 this venue is a sight to behold and is the location of Christina Quaranta and Martin Maguire's elegant and romantic wedding day on Saturday, July 29th 2023.

Photographed by Claire Studio Brown and planned by Waterlily Weddings, you will fall head over heels in love with their special day!

Christina and Martin met on March 28, 2019, at the New York Athletic Club in New York City. The two met organically through a mutual friend while attending an “NCAA March Madness” College Basketball viewing event, late into the evening. The pair chatted amongst the group of friends that night and then said farewell. The next day, Martin asked their mutual friend for Christina’s phone number. He called her on the phone later that week (a phone call - shocking!) and they spoke for almost an hour. The next week, the pair went on their first date and here they are today!

In the summer of 2022, Christina and Martin were headed to France, after a long stretch of limited international travel from New York. After landing in Paris, Martin had told Christina the plan was to meet a friend nearby for a classic Parisian brunch with views of the Eiffel Tower. (Little did she know, they were not going to meet a friend or go to brunch!) The two hopped into a cab from their hotel that Saturday morning, and Martin instructed the driver to head to a restaurant nearby where they would allegedly be having brunch. Upon exiting the cab though, Martin noted the restaurant was not yet open, but the friend they were meeting had directed them to another spot along the Seine River for a quick brunch cocktail and views to pass the time. The pair began walking on the promenade along the river, but soon, Christina started to complain about the walk in her wedge heels on the cobblestone. This added more pressure to the situation for Martin, as he was simultaneously, secretly texting with the photographer trying to pin down her exact location. Christina spotted a photographer at the edge of the river taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower and all of a sudden, Martin suggested asking the photographer to take their photo, to which Christina agreed. Before she knew it, Martin was down on one knee, asking her to marry him. She was in utter disbelief and kept repeating “Oh my gosh!” to which Martin had to respond by nudging her to put on the ring!

Christina and Martin enjoyed designing and picking out their wedding wear accessories, including rings, bracelet and earrings for her, and cufflinks and stud set for him. Christina’s custom earrings even matched the design on her shoes, while Martin and his groomsmen suavely sported green clover stud sets. As for her hair and makeup, she wanted a more natural look using shades of pink, with her hair down on the day of. The hair accessory she chose also went well with the design of her shoes and custom earrings. She used the hair accessory the night before as well for the Welcome Evening when she wore her hair up in a low bun.

Christina found her dress at the very first appointment she had. She had something completely different in mind going into the appointment – a simple white dress, no frills, and with sleeves. She had tried on several dresses of this type and none felt quite right. So, she tried different styles on, and when she put on the strapless dress with beautiful lace and applique, she knew it was the one. It was a true eureka moment! She visited several other bridal gown stores just to be sure, but it only confirmed her gut feeling.

The bridesmaids consisted of both close friends and family. Christina envisioned sophisticated, light rose champagne, shimmery dresses for the Black Tie affair that would complement the rest of the colour scheme. She was incredibly pleased with how they looked on the sunny day they got!

The pair were traditional in that they were keen on having a Catholic ceremony and opted to have their ceremony at Newman University Church, right on St. Stephen’s Green. It worked out perfectly since not only was it a gorgeous setting but also centrally located for their guests, most of whom were staying on the Green. The ceremony was filled with meaningful moments, including the lighting of a candle for Christina’s late father, as well as having Martin’s cousin, a priest who married his parents 40 years prior, co-host the ceremony. The soprano, harp, and violin trio brought tears to Christina's eyes, along with the readings and elements performed by family and friends. "My favourite part was the ring exchange when we each individually said aloud, “It fits!” after putting the ring on one another!"

Christina and Martin were excited about having a wedding in Ireland for several good reasons. First, they love the feeling that a destination wedding creates for the couple and their guests. Everyone there is super invested in the weekend and enjoying their time on holiday together. Ireland in particular is special to Christina and Martin because of their family ties there, especially with Martin having been born there. As foodies, wine lovers, and big dancers, the two also love the format of a European wedding evening, where dinner and dancing are separate, unique events of their own. Since the couple was coming from the United States to have the wedding, they wanted to work with a well-respected venue that they could trust to do a good job, despite being far away. They had heard many good things about Luttrellstown Castle and after meeting the team, felt they were in great hands – even had an available date that was perfect for them. The couple loved the Cocktail Hour outside, with the incredible views of the castle and grounds on a gorgeous summer evening. They also really enjoyed the food and drinks and working with the Luttrellstown team on custom menus. In addition to the excellent five-course dinner meal, the couple designed a lavish Oyster Bar as part of the Cocktail Hour menu. It was the first time the Luttrellstown team had received a request for this, and they absolutely perfected it. Not only was it beautifully designed throughout the library, but the oysters themselves were some of the largest, most delicious oysters the guests ever had!

Christina and Martin had multiple groups perform throughout the wedding day. To start, they wanted an elegant Cocktail Hour outside and thought a string trio would be perfect for the vibe. Sacred Sounds was indeed an excellent choice. As for the band, Christina and Martin listened to a bunch of highly recommended groups throughout Ireland, but one stuck out in particular. Pure Hits could rock and get the dance floor going, they felt – and they sure did on the night off! The couple then had an after-party at Luttrellstown Castle as well, where the bride’s brother DJ’ed and kept the party going into the late hours of the evening.