Set on 1,000 acres of undulating Irish countryside dotted with ancient woodland and glittering lakes, Castle Leslie is a stunningly beautiful secluded estate in Monaghan. Considered one of the last great Irish Castle estates, this breathtaking venue was the location for Rachel Greene's wedding to Michael Quinlivan on the 19th of April 2024. Photographed by Peter Carvill, if you're planning a classic spring wedding, this is a treasure trove of inspiration!
The couple met while both working in the same company. "Although we didn’t work in the same department, we knew each other and got to talking at an after-work drinks event one evening."
Rachel & Michael got engaged in Sri Lanka on New Year's Eve 2022. "After carrying the ring around for a few days and looking for the right spot, Michael surprised me on a quiet beach in Ahangama, south of the country. It was a total surprise; I remember we had just checked in and gone for a walk on the beach before heading up to our room. I was still holding the passports when he got down on one knee! We had a great week celebrating before coming home to meet friends and family."
On the day, Rachel wanted a nice glow and to look like the best version of herself, so didn’t go crazy with beauty appointments. "I went to Eclipse Hair for highlights and treatments in the lead-up to the big day and trusted the team to look after all the bridal party hair on the day (they are the best!). I also had teeth whitening with my local dentist in Blackrock and monthly HydraFacial’s. I found the facials great; my skin was well prepped for Sarah to work her magic for make-up on the day. My wedding day perfume was Le Labo - Another 13. Every time I smell it, I remember our wedding and honeymoon."
When it came to finding the wedding dress, Rachel set herself the last of finding a transformative gown that would give her a reception look without having to buy two gowns. "The Huntleigh dress from Jane Hill was perfect, as I could get it made with a detachable train. To prepare for the party, I changed my earrings and removed my veil and train; I loved that paired-back look. Every bridal stylist I met was kind and helpful and wanted the best for me, whether ‘the one’ was in their store or elsewhere. Initially, I found trying on dresses strange as I had never worn anything like that before, but I was used to it by the end of my first appointment. I would advise trying on all styles as you might go for something you didn’t expect."
The pair had always wanted the wedding party to be dressed in black-tie formal attire. "Tony McDonnell Menswear had just launched a new Digel suit, which caught our eye, and Jim and Nathan were very helpful in getting all the suits here in time."
Rachel's bridal party consisted of three close friends from school—Naomi, Niamh, and Aisling—and two good friends from the US she met while studying abroad in Sydney during college—Allie and Carly. "I left it quite late as I had only decided on black three months before the wedding. We made an appointment at Folkster and chose the dresses for the day. I took Allie and Carly’s dresses to my hen party in Amsterdam to try on two months before the wedding. Luckily, they were a perfect fit."
The pair married in the Redemptorist Church in Dundalk, Rachel’s local parish. "Music was an important part of our day, starting with the ceremony. During our engagement, every long drive we had, we’d listen to different string quartets to choose our songs. The Bohemian Strings were excellent. Our favourite sounds they okayed were Fallowing Slowly, God Only Knows, and Runway."
Michael found the venue through online research, and after a call with their team, he provisionally held their wedding date, April 19th, the couple's seventh anniversary. Once they saw the castle and the beautiful grounds, the pair knew they wanted to marry in Castle Leslie. "There was so much that we loved about the castle. We appreciated how much we could have our familiars involved in the preparations, particularly our overnight stay for our menu tasting. Our families also got a tour of the castle, including each of the 21 castle bedrooms. They were all different, and we had great fun figuring out which of our guests would like each feature - from bathrooms lit up with disco balls and lights to Chinese-themed bedrooms. One day itself we enjoyed that the castle was reserved solely for our guests for the day, it felt a real treat as the castle is just magical. We also loved that we could break the evening into two parts - having the drinks reception in the historic drawing rooms and by the lake before retreating to the marquee for dinner and drinks. There was always another part of the castle to explore."
When booking the entertainment for their wedding day, the couple had their minds made up from the jump, "Our good friends Conor and Ciara got married in the summer of 2022. We were blown away when we saw Jo Petit and The Dream Band at their wedding. We weren’t even engaged then, but we both turned to each other at one point and said, "We’re having these guys at our wedding!"
Regarding the best decision, Rachel had to say, "Our best decision is getting married locally. After a pre-wedding party the night before in our newly renovated home, Michael and his family had a base there to prepare and write their speeches. I headed across the road to stay at my parent's house and prepare for the big day. We were so happy with our venue choice and amazing local suppliers."
Regarding the worst decision, Rachel had to say, "We honestly can’t think of anything. I think we planned our day well, and it reflected us. There was no need to worry about anything in the run-up; we chose our suppliers really well."
- Gráinne