One of Ireland's oldest inhabited castles, Kilkea Castle, dates back to 1180! Once the medieval stronghold of the FitzGeralds, Earls of Kildare, it's now a 140-bedroom resort set on 180 acres of landscaped gardens, ancient woodland, and a meandering river. On July 3rd, 2024, amidst the rich history of this Kildare landmark, Dajana Kujaca married Kevin Durkin in a romantic destination wedding. Photographed by Wonder & Magic and planned by Aislinn Events, every detail of this stunning summer wedding was perfectly executed.
Kevin and Dajana met at Depaul University in Chicago, IL, and reconnected after college. "He asked me to officially be his girlfriend at a Chicago Cubs baseball game (even though Kevin is a Chicago White Sox fan!)." Seven years later, they made it “official” as husband and wife!
The couple planned to host a barbecue for their friends to kick off the start of the summer. Little did Dajana know, the barbecue was a cover for an engagement party! "To ensure I was not suspicious, we even went to the store to buy items for the “barbecue”. Kevin asked to go on a picnic in Chicago near Lake Michigan the morning of the barbecue. Of course, I said yes because I was trying to go on a picnic for the last year, but I thought he was scoping the area for my bday (later in July). After the picnic, he asked to go to the Lincoln Park - Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool. The Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool was a beautiful hidden garden with a waterfall. We walked around the pond & he proposed. I said, “Yes!” and asked, “What about the Barbecue?” He said, " Don’t worry, our friends are still coming, but we aren’t hosting a barbecue. Instead, we are going to a bar to celebrate our engagement with our closest family and friends."
Dajana kept her beauty journey relatively simple. "I ensured I was keeping up with my skincare, and about two weeks before we left for Ireland, I received a hair treatment from my hairstylist, Jessica. My hair felt refreshed, and I was ready for the trip and wedding! My go-to perfume is Lancome Idole, so I knew that would be my signature scent for the wedding."
Dajana was quite lucky with her wedding dress journey; she fell head over heels for the first dress she tried on at Here Comes the Bride in Chicago! "I wanted my dress to be lightweight and to make me feel like a princess. She knew exactly which dresses to pull. I tried on my Morilee wedding dress, and it felt like the right fit. I tried on a couple more dresses but kept coming back to the first one."
Kevin knew he wanted a customized Tux, and Dominic at Bespoke Below was the only choice. He was great to work with and so knowledgeable. "I wanted a classic and timeless look for Kevin, so a Tuxedo with a black bow tie was my main choice. Kevin was able to customize the inside of the tuxedo with not only a cool design but also our wedding date."
For her bridal party, Danja had eight bridesmaids. "My sister had fifteen bridesmaids, so, to me, it was a medium-sized party!" This included a mixture of family and close friends who are like sisters to the bride. Her triplet sisters, Tijana & Dijana, would serve as matron and maid of honour. Her cousin Milica, sisters-in-law Stephanie and Kristin and long-term friends Megan, Halie, & Samantha. "They are the best and most supportive people I know, and I was so lucky to have them all stand by my side. The day would not have been the same without them." Danja knew that she wanted their dresses to be a neutral colour. All of the bridesmaids ordered their dresses from Azazie, with the bride's only request being that they choose champagne dresses no shorter than ankle length. "I let each bridesmaid pick what style they liked, as I wanted everyone to feel comfortable."
When it came to planning their ceremony, the couple didn't have any particular traditions that they wanted to incorporate. "We knew we wanted something short and sweet. We trusted our celebrant, John Burns, to help us plan our ceremony. John did a great job telling our story, including Irish traditions like handfasting and even saying a few words in Serbian."
Being from the United States, castle wedding venues can be tough to find. This solidified the decision to travel outside of the country for their wedding day, and after a long search online, the couple came across Kilkea Castle. "When looking at photos of Kilkea, the beauty took our breath away. Fast forward to when Kevin & I visited last year; we felt a sense of peace walking around the grounds. Additionally, the staff at Kilkea, especially Michaela Doyle, were great to work with and made every guest feel like royalty."
For the entertainment, the couple chose Lance West to DJ for the reception. "I wanted to ensure that our DJ included Serbian music during our dinner and reception. My family is Serbian, and Kevin’s family is American, so we wanted to ensure the music at our wedding represented both cultures." They surprised their guests with a live saxophone player when the dancefloor opened for an extra twist on the entertainment! "Our favourite memory was our guests dancing Kolo (Serbian circle dance)!"
Regarding the best decision, Dajana had to say, "Our best decision was hiring all of our vendors. From the staff at the venue to the cake designer, ceremony music/ DJ, and everything in between- they all are truly unique. Our wedding planner, Annie, did a great job introducing us to all of our vendors & ensuring the day went smoothly. She made the day stress-free! Additionally, Wonder & Magic made us and our guests feel comfortable in front of the camera - photos and videos we will cherish forever. We are so blessed to have worked with talented vendors!"
Regarding the worst decision, Dajana had to say, "Kevin and I enjoyed every moment with all of our favourite people—we can’t think of a worse decision. My biggest advice to future couples is to be present in the moment—the day really does go by fast."
- Gráinne