A Fantasy-Inspired Wedding with Celestial Details at Cliff at Lyons
Set at the Orangery at Cliff at Lyons in Kildare, Ireland, Natasza (she/her) and Aoibhín’s (she/her) wedding centred a deeply personal ceremony, followed by a relaxed celebration with their closest loved ones.
Fantasy influences and playful details shaped the day, with colour, personal ritual, and a mystical atmosphere woven throughout. In the days after, friends and family shared that they had never attended a wedding where the ceremony felt so central. Summer weather in the middle of an Irish spring, an almost full moon, and a dramatic sunset gave the whole day an added sense of timing. As their banner read, it was written in the stars.
From a bookshop meeting to building a life together
We first met in person in 2019 outside Eason’s bookshop and ended up talking for six or seven hours straight, long enough that Aoibhín nearly missed her train. We dated for months after that, growing closer but neither of us brave enough to make the first move. In early 2020, I invited Aoibhín on a trip to Italy after a friend dropped out. She made a pros and cons list before saying yes. Just before we left, I asked her to be more than friends.
When Covid hit, instead of growing apart, we grew closer. We exchanged letters, care packages, and handmade gifts, and I even learned to knit so I could make Aoibhín a scarf. After the pandemic, we moved to the Netherlands for my career and stepped into a new chapter together. By 2022, marriage was already part of the conversation. It was never a question of if, just when.
In 2023, I planned a surprise proposal with a fantasy photographer we both admired, timed for the anniversary of our first date. I was so nervous I forgot everything I’d planned to say, but of course Aoibhín said yes. A few months later, she proposed to me in our kitchen, in comfy clothes, surrounded by the life we’d built together. Two proposals, one full of fantasy and one grounded in home, felt exactly right for us.
A slow, intentional engagement
We were engaged for around a year and a half. We wanted enough time to space out the planning and save a bit more, without turning the engagement into a rush.
It ended up being the perfect length. We had room to handle the logistics, enjoy being engaged, plan some fun fiancée activities, and take our time with the creative projects that mattered to us for the wedding.
Dividing roles and moving at our own pace
We paced ourselves carefully so planning never felt overwhelming. I handled the organisation with lots of lists, spreadsheets, and emails, while Aoibhín focused on the creative side and our mental health, grounding us when needed with a walk in the park or a break from wedding talk. We talked through every decision together, which came naturally since our tastes and vision were closely aligned.
By booking our vendors early, we were able to spend the final stretch focusing on details and fun additions rather than logistics. As the wedding approached, things felt calm and steady, which was exactly what we hoped for.
Choosing vendors who felt genuinely inclusive
We found most of our vendors through Instagram, and inclusivity was always the first thing we looked for. If there were no clear signs that a vendor was enthusiastically inclusive, it often meant a lot more research before we felt comfortable reaching out. That added time on top of the usual considerations like style, budget, and availability.
Some choices were easy from the start. We knew we wanted to book Danielle Stewart Photography right away, and she was one of the first vendors we locked in. We also immediately knew our invitations and vow books would come from Birdhouse197, whose designs felt made for our aesthetic and who are a queer owned business.
Getting ready together
We knew we wanted to get ready together, because we couldn’t imagine it any other way. We also wanted our joint bridal party to feel comfortable and free to express themselves, so everyone chose their own outfits within the colour palette and styled themselves in whatever way felt right.
Aoibhín wore an olive green gown with flowing cape sleeves by Teuta Matoshi, while Natasza wore a custom floral ballgown by Dress Art Mystery, paired with fairy wing accessories by Ausgefuchst Art. With the help of a family member, we got our natural curls ready in no time and were able to relax and be present.
Before the ceremony, we chose to do a first look with our bridal party and family. Many had already seen photos of our dresses, since we couldn’t resist sharing, but the moment everyone opened their eyes still shifted instantly from shock to tears and laughter.
Private words, shared moments
We knew early on that we wanted to write private vows and read them to each other before the ceremony. Having that time alone mattered to us, so we could say things we wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing in front of a large group.
For the ceremony itself, we chose our own vows and kept things lighthearted and personal. Our celebrant, Niamh Davis Humanist Celebrant, also asked us to answer why we were marrying each other and what we loved most about one another in secret. Hearing each other’s answers for the first time during the ceremony ended up being one of the most meaningful moments of the day.
A ceremony built from imagination
We chose to have a Humanist ceremony because it felt the most inclusive to us. It also meant there was no limit to what we could imagine and include. We had a crochet flower ritual, with one handmade flower honouring each member of our bridal party, coming together to form a single bouquet.
We made love themed mixed CDs for each other as a callback to the custom CDs we exchanged while long distance during the pandemic. We had our mums read two pieces, one about destiny and the other “Not Anyone Who Says” by Mary Oliver, because it mattered to us to include a queer writer.
We also made our own handfasting cord together at home, watching YouTube tutorials and somehow nailing every knot on the first try. It included lesbian flag colours, four heart knots, and eleven wraps on each end to mark our wedding date, April 11th. During the ceremony, we tied the first knot ourselves, then had our siblings tie the remaining knots beneath, from oldest to youngest. Of course, we set the handfasting to Hozier’s “Take Me to Church,” played on the harp by Jennifer Leahy Harpist.
Dinner, dancing, and dog days
After the ceremony, we listened to speeches from our parents and best friends before sitting down to a relaxed banquet dinner. The Orangery was set with a long table filled with wild florals, celestial place cards, and mushroom fairy light holders we smuggled in from home.
Our first dance came next, to “Would That I” by Hozier. We had practiced a full choreography for months in our living room, following a queer couple tutorial video and adapting it to fit the song. Going from zero dance experience to confidently spinning through the entire routine felt surreal, and the shock from our guests made it even sweeter.
We closed the night with our band, The Cazettes, who played everything from Queen and Tina Turner to Chappell Roan, Taylor Swift, and a fully committed Rasputin synchronised dance moment. The final song was “Dog Days Are Over,” and we all screamed our lungs out.
Vendors who truly showed up for us
We have to mention Danielle Stewart Photography, our photographer, who we’re still friends with to this day. She travelled from Scotland for our wedding, supported every decision we made, listened to plenty of wedding rants, and offered advice whenever we needed it. She also encouraged us to do a scenic photoshoot in Northern Ireland after the wedding, which gave us some much needed time alone together.
Our celebrant, Niamh Davis Humanist Celebrant, also went above and beyond. She created a ceremony script that felt deeply personal and eased any anxieties we had around the ceremony details, which made the whole experience feel calm and intentional.
Starting from a blank slate
At first, navigating traditions that don’t always translate for LGBTQ+ couples felt overwhelming and required a lot of thought. Everything became much easier once we decided to start from a blank slate and let go of preconceived ideas about what a wedding should look like.
From there, we simply made choices that felt comfortable and right for us. Guests could see that the day was completely ours, even if it didn’t match their expectations, and many later shared how much they appreciated the care and intention behind every decision.
After the wedding
For days afterwards, friends and family told us they had never been to such a thoughtful, personal wedding, and that the ceremony felt like the heart of the entire day. We have to agree. We somehow got summer weather for an Irish spring wedding, an almost full moon, a dramatic sunset, and even a kitty sighting during evening portraits. As our banner said, it really did feel written in the stars.
A few days later, we drove to the coast of Northern Ireland to take our dresses out for some sightseeing. By then, we had become close friends with Danielle, and when she suggested a coastal photoshoot, we said yes immediately. We explored the ruins of Dunseverick Castle, the Giant’s Causeway at sunset, and the Dark Hedges at sunrise.
It was the perfect way to slow down after the wedding, take everything in, and create a final set of cinematic images that feel like a true snapshot of who we were in that moment together.
Photography by Danielle Stewart Photography
Accessories Ausgefuchst Art
Banner Tara Collette
Cake Anna Coston Cakes
Celebrant Niamh Davis Humanist Celebrant
Dress Designer Dress Art Mystery & Teuta Matoshi
Florist Frog Prince Weddings
Harpist Jennifer Leahy Harpist
Live Music The Cazettes
Rings Oore Jewelry
Stationery Birdhouse197
Venue Cliff at Lyons
