A modern luxury wedding at its finest! US couple Alyssa and Nicholas wed in the decadent surrounds of Wilton Castle in Co. Wexford. 42 of their nearest and dearest celebrated with them on a glorious day in May, it was a contemporary fairytale with the most Pinterest-able style! Starting with the bridal style, which was not only stunning but intentionally curated to pay a breathtaking tribute to the mother of the bride.

Planning their destination wedding from Chicago, the couple enlisted the planning powerhouse Sandra Scharlach of Infusion Wedding Concepts to bring dream day to life which included a magical monochrome palette, sophisticated decor, contemporary florals, a romantic garden ceremony and a reception with Italian courtyard vibes. Bask in the splendour with their stylish, high-fashion wedding photography from Wild Things Wed below.

While they lived about an hour away from each other and had mutual friends, Alyssa and Nicholas only began spending time together when they were in college. "That’s when we began dating, and it just felt natural. We’ve been together long enough to feel like we grew up together, but not so long that it feels like too much time has passed—just the perfect balance."

Their proposal felt like it was right out of West Side Story, Alyssa says. "It was a Thursday afternoon, and I had absolutely no idea what was coming. I wore a casual outfit to work, and when Nicolas asked, 'Are you sure you want to wear that today?' I just shrugged him off with a 'yes, duh?' and headed out the door. I even joked with my co-workers, saying, 'It’s definitely not happening this week.' But when I got home, I was completely surprised. Our condo was filled with rose petals, candles, and music—and there was Nicolas, on one knee on our fire escape. We celebrated with champagne and dinner at our favorite Italian spot, and the next day, we shared the excitement with family and friends. It was absolutely perfect."

Organising a destination wedding can come with all sorts of challenges but they were in the safest hands with Sandra of Infusion Wedding Concepts heading up the planning in Ireland. "We truly relied on her for vendor guidance—she did not disappoint. I wanted a private experience in a castle—we didn’t want to share our venue. This was a new request for Sandra, but she was completely up for the task and gave us a list of about eight options. Between the budget and atmosphere, Wilton Castle was exactly what we were looking for. Our guests were blown away."

Their wedding was "chic, elegant, fun, and simple" and all about the energy. "It was a micro wedding with our closest people, and we wanted to make sure it felt worth the trip for everyone. We made it a priority to focus on having fun with our guests rather than trying to do too much. The vibe was exactly what we wanted—a true reflection of us."

Alyssa opted for a minimal and magical bridal gown, the Sloan dress by Alexandra Grecco. In a stunning sartorial statement, Alyssa incorporated elements of her mother's wedding dress throughout her wardrobe. "The lace pattern on my veil came from the bottom of my mother's wedding dress, and I spent months removing sequins to make it perfect."

The couple tied the knot in a sun-kissed garden ceremony with a backdrop of modern romantic floral displays and candles set on white pillars.

Dashing groom Nicholas opted for a timeless black tux which he styled with Tom Ford Chelsea boots. "They were an investment piece—I thought he was crazy, but he still wears them today and they look great!"

The bride carried an all-white bouquet with roses, anthurium and baby's breath and her bridesmaids had anthurium single stem bouquets.

Reflecting on their downright dreamy ceremony, Alyssa highlights how one of the most meaningful moments was when Nicolas’ uncle, who is a writer from Texas, gave an immensely touching reading. "We knew his words would be special, but they truly exceeded our expectations. He shared a passage from Black Tulip that perfectly captured the spirit of our day, 'Love, like a garden, thrives when tended with care and blooms brightest under the light of commitment.' His storytelling made the moment unforgettable, and it was so beautifully captured on our wedding video that it felt like a short film."

As lovers of modern and minimal aesthetics with clean lines, Alyssa and Nicholas chose a monochrome palette with an all-black dress code for their guests. "It was one of the best decisions we made—everyone looked incredible, and the photos turned out so beautifully curated, like a scene from a movie. Some people thought I was a little crazy for it, but once it all came together, the whole wedding felt like a perfect representation of us."

Also amongst her bridal accessories were a very special pair of Tiffany & Co. pearl earrings which were a bridal shower gift from her dear aunt. "They are so simple and beautiful—Tiffany hand-picks them, and there’s practically a waiting list to find a matching pair."

After seeing the ruins at Wilton Castle, they knew they'd found their dream venue. "We originally considered an Italian destination wedding, but ultimately chose Ireland because I’m Irish, and we decided to honeymoon in Italy to honor Nicolas’ heritage. I wanted to bring that Italian courtyard inspiration to Ireland, and the moment I saw the ruins at Wilton Castle, I knew that was where we would have dinner."

Brass accents, black taper candles, frayed-edge table cards and place names, the tablescape styling was laced with romantic allure.

Her bridesmaids were bewitching in black dresses from Bella Bridesmaids in Chicago. "I knew I wanted black to match the dress code of the other guests, but wasn’t sure about the fabric. We ended up choosing black velvet, which I loved. I later remembered my mom also had her bridesmaids in black velvet—such a full-circle moment."

How absolutely gorgeous was their bow-adorned Lambeth buttercream wedding cake?

"My advice to other couples is to focus on enjoying the experience," the bride shares. "Planning a wedding can be stressful, but try to keep things in perspective—it’s a celebration, so focus on having fun, not stressing out! Things might not go perfectly (our DJ cancelled two days before we left!), but in the end, it will all come together. Don’t let the little hiccups overshadow the big moments. And definitely hire a videographer—you’ll be so glad you did!"

Her sensational second dress was also made from her mother's wedding gown. "What made the day really special and personal was incorporating my mom’s wedding dress into my own. It was a true labor of love. The seamstress I worked with was incredibly talented and fully supported my vision of using the dress in creative ways. My second dress, made from the top of her gown, was probably my favourite outfit of the whole weekend (even though I adored my ceremony dress—who doesn’t love a sparkling mini dress to end the night?)."

"Using my mom’s dress was so important to me because my parents’ love and marriage have been a huge positive influence on Nicolas and me, and I wanted to honour that," she explains.

The couple went all out for their honeymoon in Italy and they checked into the luxurious Belmond Hotel in Taormina. "It was honestly one of the most incredible experiences of my life—I almost didn’t know how to act! We went right after the wedding, and I’m so glad we did. Riding the high from our big day straight into this beautiful, magical place was exactly what we needed."

"Since our wedding was a destination, we were pretty exhausted, so we made zero plans for the honeymoon—just eating, drinking, and relaxing on the beach. We ended up meeting a ton of other couples on their honeymoons too, which made it even more fun! I’d highly recommend it, and we’re already dreaming of going back for an anniversary one day. And if you go, definitely visit Gabriele at La Trattoria Da Ugo—the food is amazing, and it’s such a charming, family-owned spot!"

Alyssa and Nicholas, your immensely chic castle wedding took our breath away. A very special thank you to our fabulous couple and Wild Things Wed for letting us dive into all the dreaminess!