Inside: A Chic Irish Celebration with Scottish Soul

From a chance meeting at the St Andrews Rugby 7s, where two Edinburgh University students first crossed paths, to a sunset-soaked proposal in Mykonos that ended in tequila-fuelled dancing until dawn, step inside Lucy Alice Stewart and James Walker Hodgson’s beautifully choreographed Irish wedding weekend.

The story so far

We met at the St Andrews Rugby 7s, soon realising we were both studying at Edinburgh University. I was studying History of Art and Jamie was studying Economics part time whilst playing professional rugby for Edinburgh. We met eight years ago that day and have been together ever since, quite literally.

We got engaged in Mykonos at 180° Sunset Bar. Jamie quietly proposed as the sun was setting and we drank copious amounts of tequila and danced the night away until the early hours of the morning. It was perfect.

Jamie designed my ring with the help of my family jewellers Fred J Malcolm and my mum. It is traditional with a twist and therefore felt representative of who I am. A three stone diamond trilogy set with a diamond oval in the centre and two diamond pears on each side.

Venue

We got married in the Irish countryside which is just so beautiful and peaceful and feels like home. Our ceremony took place at St Mary’s Church in Inistioge, one of the oldest churches in Kilkenny, which was transformed into a floral vision complete with a large floral arch and a tasteful altar installation led by Kathryn Millar from Holywood and her team.

It was important that our reception venue was large enough to host all of our 180 guests. I came across Mount Juliet in Ireland’s Blue Book and fell in love with its character, charm and the history behind the estate. The versatility the venue offered, from the magnificent Manor House to the modern Hunter’s Yard, was unique and so special. It enabled us to utilise the whole venue throughout the weekend, from a welcome party in the whisky bar in the cellar of the Manor House, to hosting a drinks reception on the lawn and inside the Manor House, to having the evening meal at Hunter’s Yard.

The overwhelming beauty and facilities of the estate are simply unmatched, as is the award winning Michelin starred Lady Helen restaurant which we enjoyed beyond.

With guests flying in from across the UK it was important that we hosted an Irish Welcome Party on the Friday evening so guests could meet and mingle before the big day. Nestled in the cellar of the Manor House, Guinness and champagne were flowing along with the background music of a traditional Irish trad band, with a BBQ served to complete the evening.

Fashion

I was lucky enough to work with Sassi Holford and her team on designing my dream dress throughout last year. I always knew I wanted to work with a British designer. I was seeking something dramatic for the church, however I also wanted to transform my look into an evening look without having to change. We decided to go with a full length, long sleeve French lace dress with a plunging V neckline and high collar with a corset built in, complete with silk buttons down the back.

I then added the Victoria Skirt for the church ceremony to give the dress drama and volume. This was complemented with my incredibly long silk lace cathedral veil that matched the lace of my dress. Designing my dress was a special highlight of my wedding, as my mother also had the honour of working with Sassi for her outfit which was beautiful.

I also went with a bespoke pair of white suede shoes from Emmy of London with a bow attached to match my bridesmaids’ dresses. Designing my shoes was so much fun as I incorporated a blue gemstone on the sole of the foot for my something blue.

It was important for Jamie to wear tartan to represent his Scottish heritage and he therefore opted for bespoke Douglas Tartan Trews designed by Eight Yards in Edinburgh. To enhance the brighter colours in his trews, Jamie wore a Hudson Lemon grosgrain silk and cotton waistcoat from Ede & Ravenscroft, paired with a pale blue and yellow Hermès tie. His look was finished with a navy morning coat.

Jewellery

We worked with my family jewellers Fred J Malcolm in Belfast, who my family have been going to for generations, and who worked with us on selecting our wedding bands.

Our jewellers were also very kind and lent both my mum and I pearl and diamond drop earrings for the weekend which was very special. I also chose my bridesmaids’ gifts from Fred J Malcolm, opting for a set of gold drop pearl earrings which went beautifully with their white dresses.

Jamie and I also gifted my mum a diamond necklace as a thank you for all her help with the wedding. Overall our jewellers played a really special part in our day.

Bridal party

It was really important to keep both bridal party looks cohesive to the aesthetic of the wedding. For Jamie’s best men and groomsmen they also wore a variation of the Douglas Tartan Trews, paired with the reverse of Jamie’s outfit. They wore pale blue double breasted waistcoats with pale yellow Hermès ties, which were gifted to them on the morning of the wedding, finished with navy morning coats.

For my bridesmaids, they wore beautiful scoop neck corset satin full length dresses with floor length bow tails and matching stilettos in white silk. On the morning of the wedding the girls received personalised embroidered White Company silk cotton nightshirts and gold pearl drop earrings from my family jewellers Fred J Malcolm.

Transportation

Scottish bagpipes were in full force as guests hopped on buses to be transported from Mount Juliet to St Mary’s Church in Inistioge.

I arrived at the church with my father in a vintage Rolls Royce, while both bridal parties arrived in black Jaguar sports cars.

Tablescape

From the very start, when designing our save the dates with Appleberry Atelier, we wanted everything to feel personal. We therefore designed our own crest which included our initials and our wedding date.

It was important we established an accent colour which was pale blue. I chose personalised linen napkins complete with our crest, bringing a pop of colour to the tablescape, complemented by silver candelabras and an abundance of flowers.

Food & drinks

We were very lucky to work with Mount Juliet and their Head Chef at Hunter’s Yard in choosing our menu. As it was a summer wedding and we were hoping for a warm day, we chose a chicken Caesar salad starter as a popular crowd pleaser, followed by a passionfruit and mango sorbet. Guests then had a choice of fillet steak or Cajun spiced halibut, finishing with the famous Mount Juliet warm chocolate fondant.

For our drinks reception, my favourite margaritas and Jamie’s favourite dark and stormy cocktails were served for guests arriving back to the venue.

Entertainment

Entertainment and the flow and variety of music were important to keep guests entertained when they least expected it. We started the morning with guests enjoying breakfast to the sound of Scottish pipes as the bagpiper walked the estate.

On arrival to the church guests were greeted by a string quartet and the ringing of the bells. During our drinks reception the string quartet played on the lawn of the Manor House until suddenly there was a burst from Brass Monkeys, a five piece walkable brass band, whose energy erupted and got everyone dancing.

As guests transitioned up the garden path to Hunter’s Yard, electric violins played in the background for our bridal party entrance. Once the meal and best men’s speeches concluded, another burst of energy interrupted the room with a drummer leading guests out to the famous courtyard where four drummers performed alongside an Irish dancer and a flame thrower, igniting the air with light and energy.

Jamie and I then had our first dance to Kylie Minogue’s Love at First Sight with a five piece live band called After Party, before dancing into the early hours with a DJ.

Beauty regime & wellness

I knew the only thing to put me at ease on the morning was having my hairdresser and makeup artist from home, who have been doing my hair and makeup for years. I was so lucky they travelled to the south of Ireland for the weekend. I trusted them with the vision and they exceeded my expectations.

I have loved Pilates for years so I committed to doing as many sessions as possible and even ended up getting my qualification to teach as I enjoy it so much. Along with plenty of water and long walks, these were my go tos to ensure I felt refreshed and hydrated.

Favourite wedding gifts

Growing up, I watched my mum and granny invest in everyday quality crockery and collect pieces they could use for dinner parties. I therefore wanted to build my wedding list around crockery. My favourite pieces are my Black Toast Emma Bridgewater dinner set, Le Creuset pots and Nicholas Mosse serving bowls.

Honeymoon

Due to Jamie being a professional rugby player, we got married in pre season so he went straight back into training and had just moved clubs. Instead of a honeymoon we ended up moving to a new city together, but we hope to take our honeymoon soon.

Advice

Be organised from the start. Make the spreadsheet and start with your venue. Once your venue and date are set, research and then research again your vendors. I spent months narrowing down exactly who I wanted to work with, their aesthetic and whether they could help create my vision.

Do not be influenced by others. Stick to your gut and your vision. I created a briefing document and agenda for each vendor and sent it the week before the wedding so I knew everyone had all the information and I could relax and enjoy the week knowing everything was taken care of.

Invest in the relationships with your vendors. They are part of your special day so it is important that you get along well with them and that they understand your vision.

I also loved planning the wedding with my mum. We created so many special memories. I did have a wonderful coordinator managing communications with vendors on the day which I think is so important so you can really enjoy every moment.