Nestled on 1,000 acres of undulating Irish countryside, dotted with ancient woodlands and glittering lakes, Castle Leslie Estate was the stunning venue for Physiology PhD student researcher Emer Ni Bhraonain's wedding to Computer Engineering PhD student researcher Patrick Watters on the 29th of November 2024. Captured by Livia Figueredo and planned by EPIC Design, this romantic early winter wedding is packed to the rafters with personality!
The two met on Halloween in 2013. "We went to the same high school in Armagh, but my best friend’s sister was in Patrick’s class. Shannon and I went to Belfast to visit her sister at University, and I met Patrick in a nightclub that night. I had seen him around school and knew of him, but he didn’t know me. So, he was surprised when I said I was also from Armagh and went to the same high school."
"Honestly, the proposal was perfect for us. We flew home from Reno for Christmas in 2021 and drove to Westport on New Year's Eve (I grew up visiting family friends in Westport every summer, and it's one of my favourite places in Ireland). We booked this Airbnb at the bottom of Croagh Patrick; it was a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere. The host had lit the fire for us, and it was raining, so we popped a bottle of champagne. He sat me down and asked me to marry him. It was always going to be him, so it was an obvious yes from me."
For her beauty journey, Emer didn’t change too much. In an effort to feel like the healthiest version of herself (a beauty journey we can wholeheartedly support), she started working out regularly and focused heavily on her skincare, using regular sunscreen and retinol. She also added extensions to her hair six months before the big day and started having consistent appointments to maintain her blonde. Her sister-in-law, Aoife, gave her a classic French manicure to round out the look.
"I found my wedding perfume through my friend Allison; she is another PhD student in the physiology department with me in Reno. She is really into different perfumes and gave me a sample of Diptyque Benjoin Bohème. It was like nothing I had smelled before, with tones of amber and spices; the smell was warm, musky, and woody. I am still in love with it."
As soon as she could, Emer dove headfirst into the wedding dress hunt, visiting shops in Ireland with her mum, but unfortunately, she didn't have much success. "I almost went with a Vivienne Westwood dress, but it didn’t have the train I had always imagined for myself." Emer's mum travelled to Reno over Easter the year before the wedding, so the two decided to continue the dress hunt. However, as Reno is in the West of America, many stores featured mostly lace and intricate dresses, which was a far cry from the silks and satins that Emer was after. Thankfully, they stuck gold in the second shop! "My dress was on a mannequin in the store, and it was like nothing I had seen before in other shops; I still wasn't sure about it, but my Mum suggested I try it on. I put it on, and it felt right and perfect for a winter wedding in Castle Leslie."
"Patrick picked his own suit, so this is what he said ‘I went with an all-black suit because it fit the black-tie theme, and my wife has always been a sucker for a man in black.’ In reality, I decided to do a black tie dresscode so we knew it would be tuxedos. However, Patrick chose the black shirt to have something slightly different to the groomsmen."
For her bridal party, Emer had four bridesmaids: her two best friends from childhood, Shannon and Julie; her best friend Tamara, whom she met studying abroad; and finally, her PHD friend Allison. "I want to give a special acknowledgement to my best friend Maeve, who was originally a bridesmaid but was expecting her first baby in Sydney (our first baby of the friend group) right around the wedding!" For their dresses, the girls wore black velvet halter dresses from Ghost London paired with a matt black heel and a loose low ponytail.
"We had our mass in Patrick's home chapel. It meant a lot to Patrick and his family to have the wedding here, and luckily, we could ask my priest, Father Moore, to do the wedding. He was great; he is a great friend to my mother's side of the family, and it felt very comforting to have him officiate. My favourite part, apart from obviously marrying my best friend and the love of my life, was my mum's reflection reading. She read this poem by Whitney Hansen poetry, and it perfectly summed up the love Patrick and I have for each other."
Emer grew up ten minutes away from Castle Leslie Estate and always thought it was beautiful, so it just made sense to have for the pair to wedding here. "I have to say that was one of the best decisions I made in the whole process; it has such a special place in our hearts, and the staff were simply excellent. They couldn’t have done enough for us, and I could not recommend it as a venue enough."
"We had the Ulster String Quartet for our ceremony music, which was amazing on the day; I've always loved a string quartet and am so happy we did. They added to the atmosphere and emotion of the day. I walked down the aisle to ‘How Long Will I Love You’, and there were instant tears! Music means so much to Patrick and me, so we always wanted to spend a little more time and investment in it. Our chapel singer was Claudia Clendinning. Her voice is stunning, and she was a true professional throughout the process. Nothing was too much trouble for her. For our band, we hired Sugartown Road. They kept the party going, the dancefloor was never empty, and truly, they made it one of the best parties I have ever been to."
Regarding the best decision, Emer said, "We have so many best decisions, but I would say everything with the music and venue was perfect. We chose EPIC design to style the marquee, and my mum (who had a huge role in the styling) worked with them to create the most amazing space. It felt so cosy, warm, and magical. Shout out to Jayne from EPIC; she was amazing."
- Gráinne