Emily & Ethan's Cliff at Lyons Wedding

A boutique hotel nestled in Kildare, the Cliff at Lyons occupies a collection of historic rose-clad buildings, including a mill and former dovecote, providing a picturesque rural idyll rife with luxuries. Emily Hale married Ethan Cunningham in this idyllic escape on the 8th of September. Captured by Hannah McKernan and featured in the Spring issue of SOCIAL & PERSONAL WEDDINGS, the joy on their wedding day is palpable through the photos!

The couple met in Boston in October 2014 while both were living there. "We were both on a night out with friends and bumped into each other. Truly, it was a matter of happenstance. We went on our first date a few days later; the rest was history!"

Ethan planned a surprise proposal in September 2021, just after the couple had made big plans to relocate to Dublin. "The day began with Ethan popping the question privately on Salisbury Beach; he had arranged a photographer who was awaiting my “yes!” with champagne and all, followed by a surprise party with all of our closest friends and family, at my best friend and maid of honour’s home not too far away. We spent the day soaking up the excitement with all of our favourite people!"

Emily's beauty journey was fairly simple, with an elevated take on her usual routine. "Leading up to the wedding, I had several facial treatments at South William Clinic & Spa in Dublin and my hair was coloured at Wildflower in Ranelagh." From the beginning, Emily knew that she wanted a ‘soft glam’ look for her hair and make-up, and that is exactly what her hair stylist, Shauna Donoghue and makeup artist, Natasha Ray, delivered! They went with soft rosey notes on her eyes and lips and kept the skin fairly subtle and dewy. "After my trial appointment with both Shauna and Natasha, my trust was completely in their hands and on my wedding day, I felt so comfortable, and like an elevated version of myself."

Her wedding day signature scent was Peony & Blush Suede by Jo Malone. It’s clean and sophisticated with some slight sweetness from the florals but the suede, leathery note gives it some edge. Ethan wore Cypress & Grapevine, also by Jo Malone, it’s really clean and masculine, almost like shaving cream but with really subtle hints of evergreen. "I loved that we wore the same brand on the day, having his and hers fragrances that we both loved so much felt like such a serendipitous moment on such a wonderful day."

Emily visited several bridal boutiques in the Dublin area and finally said ‘yes’ to the dress at The Suite in Rathmines. "There, I fell in love with Cintra by Anna Kara; the hand-embroidered top provided the perfect amount of romantic detail while the clean, fitted skirt offered the structure I was looking for. It was the perfect length that I could move and dance without having to worry about tripping!" Her Tony Federici veil, a cathedral in length with a full and rounded train, added another element of sophistication. "Tara from The Suite played a vital role in helping me say ‘yes’ to the dress and I cannot thank her enough for making me feel so comfortable throughout the process. This was especially meaningful, given I shopped for and purchased my dress by myself as my Maid of Honour and Mom live abroad in the U.S."

The team at Louis Copeland & Sons on Wicklow Street in Dublin helped to select the perfect made-to-measure black tux for Ethan, as well as an ensemble for the welcome event the evening before the wedding. "Their team offers an in-depth consultation and fittings so at every step we knew we were getting exactly what we wanted with the suit."

On the wedding day, Emily has six bridesmaids. For the dresses, she chose ‘prosecco-coloured satin luxe dresses by Jenny Yoo. "Each of my girls has different hair colours so I was over the moon to find that the soft blush suited them all." Everyone was able to choose their preference of dress from several different styles so that they could be comfortable wearing what they felt best. "Being able to order the dresses online meant that despite my bridesmaids being all over the globe, everybody was able to try on and honestly be a little picky about the dress they wanted to wear."

The ceremony took place outdoors in The Orchard. "We opted for a spiritualist ceremony, so that we could incorporate a variety of special and meaningful readings and blessings, read by some of our closest family members, and exchanged private vows to one another during our first look at the Lily Pond beforehand. It felt so perfect getting to share such an intimate and special moment together in private amongst such a beautiful garden. We had, arguably, the best summertime weather Ireland has ever seen, which truly allowed the beauty of the venue to shine through. Our favourite part of the ceremony was hearing the three things we loved most about one another, something our officiant had asked of each of us separately before the ceremony and shared in front of our guests on the day."

From the moment Emily & Ethan arrived at Cliff at Lyons, they knew that they had found their wedding venue. "It exuded tranquillity and the grounds were so beautiful, we especially loved the Lily Pond, where we could envision exchanging our vows." With the beautiful Georgian house in the background, the pond looked like something from a painting. It was important to the pair that their venue could accommodate all aspects of the wedding on-site, and an added benefit was that the welcome reception the evening prior could be hosted on-site as well. "We hosted the reception in The Mill Restaurant and I was blown away by how beautiful it looked when we walked in after the reception, it has huge ceilings, an open fire and windows that open up to a terrace beside the mill race and waterfall, the summer sun was pouring in and making the space look even more beautiful than we thought possible."

"We had Kathryn's Flower Barn do the flowers and I loved how they accentuated the brightness of the hall without being overpowering, we had mixed white centrepieces on the table and a gorgeous autumnal arrangement over the top of the fireplace. The venue was offered to us on a semi-exclusive basis and could accommodate our closest friends & family overnight between the 22 guest rooms and 4 cottages. From the grounds to The Orangery to The Mill, the entire venue has so much charm and character."

For entertainment, the couple were looking for a ‘wow’ factor. After perusing social media, the two came across The Distractions band and loved how modern and eclectic they were. "The Distractions played during our ceremony, learning instrumental favourites of ours such as “Higher Love” by James Vincent McMorrow for my prelude and “As It Was” by Harry Styles for our recessional. They also played at our drinks reception and really kept the party going on the dance floor post-dinner. They have the most amazing energy and I would recommend them to any couple looking for a band to play from ceremony to reception!"

Regarding the best decision, Emily had to say, "Our best decision was hiring our amazing photographer and videographer, Hannah and Gavin, who beautifully captured our special day, allowing us to relive all of the amazing memories for years to come. We are in awe of the quality of their work and can’t thank them enough."