Hints and tips-Elope to Ireland – Lesson 1

Inspiration

Time for some tips and hints for your destination elopement wedding to Ireland.

Firstly to say that you aren’t going to get it wrong but I will say that often you can make things a bit easier on yourselves when you Elope to Ireland. Here are a few hints and tips to help you do that.

This list of hints and tips is not exhaustive and as the years go on I learn more and more. Still, even after 7 years!

This lesson, Lesson 1 is about the dress and attire.

The most important one is going to be about the dress, isn’t it?

If you love love love a dress, I’m not going to tell you not to buy it but your travel and wedding day will be easier if:

• It’s lace. Lace doesn’t crease as much as silk, chiffon, and polyesters. Tulle would be next on my preference for the best travelling fabric for dresses.
• Size of the dress. Big poufy dresses are heavy and awkward. If you are lucky enough that it’s a warm day in Ireland, it will be hot. If it’s damp and wet, you will never be fully covered under an umbrella and it’s not pretty having to drag your skirt around. Besides, if you are eloping, yours probably won’t be a formal ceremony so even etiquette says your attire should go with the formality of the day.

Photo of Amanda and Sean by Savo Photography

• The train on the dress? Same theory as above. Less is more here. Or maybe I should say, shorter or none will get you further keeping cleaner. If it’s an indoor ceremony, great! We can bustle it for you before you go for photos but if you are hoping for an outdoor ceremony, keep it from short or none. It will be easier to travel with and better when you take it out of the bag. Also, those beautiful typical Irish scenery photos that you really, really want could have you climbing over fences and up mountains or along cliffs. You don’t want to be dragging your dress around.

• I’m a shoe person but my thoughts on them are pretty much the same as for the train on a dress. We can change them after the ceremony if required and I do recommend that you bring flats, boots or wellie boots for after the ceremony for during photos while your amazing photographer is trying to get you to climb up that mountain.

• Outerwear can be beautiful and in keeping with the Irish theme. An Aran cardigan, beautiful cream woollen scarf or wool blanket can keep you warm and look great in photos

Photo of our bride Clare by Darek Smietana 

Photo of our bride Ashton by White Cat Studio

• The groom, as always, is easier. A tweed or wool suit or just a nice waistcoat/vest tend to travel really well and he is probably going to have flat shoes already right? {Ok, now I have a ridiculous image in my head. Stop!} So he should be ok.
• Travelling with your wedding attire, I do suggest you carry them onto the plane. I have had couples who have lost their luggage in the past and you can always buy new underwear, jeans, or whatever but if you don’t have the dress or his suit on your wedding day, it would be awful.

Your wedding clothes should be taken out of the garment bags as soon as you can to refresh them and fluff the dress but I know that isn’t always possible.

In most cases, you will be close enough to a cleaner who can steam your dress or even clean it after your wedding. The Irish dirt typically will come out from the bottom of the dress but it’s comfort and beauty that you want. If you are uncomfortable you will look awkward and you don’t want that.

So all in all, it’s pretty common sense if you think about it but sometimes that goes out the window when you see a dress or shoes you really love. Believe me, I know! I just needed to put the practicalities out there. Beauty and comfort can be done and you will be happier for it!

Hope all of that helps!!

Annie  x