From a chance college meeting to a dream wedding at Tankardstown House, Clare & Sean’s love story is one for the books. The college sweethearts celebrated their union at the opulent 18th-century Tankardstown House in County Meath, embracing a romantic, elegant, and timeless style. Surrounded by 110 guests in the walled garden, they exchanged vows in a dreamy summer setting, with soft pastel tones creating a serene and sophisticated atmosphere.

The bride wowed in a stunning Savannah Miller gown, complete with a meaningful ‘something old’ heirloom, while the bridesmaids shimmered in soft champagne. With dreamy pastels throughout and Unchained Melody as their first dance, Clare & Sean’s Tankardstown House wedding celebration—captured beautifully by Colin Colleran Photography—was truly unforgettable.

Although Clare and Sean grew up just minutes apart in County Kildare — Clare from Clane, Sean from Donadea — and their fathers had even worked together for years, fate waited until 2012 to bring them together. It happened by chance at college, when Clare was studying in DIT Kevin Street and Sean, a lifelong kayaker, was part of the college canoe club. One January evening, Clare was persuaded by a friend to try a pool session with the club — despite kayaking not being her sport of choice. Sean arrived shortly after, spotted Clare across the pool, and instantly wanted to know who she was. From that moment on, the two were inseparable, and what began with a chance meeting soon blossomed into a love story rooted in home, laughter, and serendipity.

Sean popped the question on the 12th of February 2022, choosing the breathtaking summit of Tonelagee Mountain in County Wicklow as the setting. With sweeping views across the Wicklow landscape, it was the perfect backdrop for such a life-changing moment. Clare reminisces, "It was all absolutely amazing- apart from the fact that there was a yellow wind and rain warning that.. so, to say I was hesitant when we stepped out of the car and Sean pointed up at the mountain peak that was no longer visible, was an understatement to say the least!"

"After an absolute struggle, we finally reached the peak of the mountain and the view of Lough Ouler started to appear below. After being silent for quite some time (And after sprinting ahead of me), Sean led us to one of the lovely picnic spots overlooking the lake and proceeded to get down on one knee."

Once engaged, the couple began planning a summer wedding, with a focus on a celebration that was a 'relaxed summer party that was both timeless and elegant'.

And the perfect venue for their celebration? Tankardstown House in Co. Meath proved to be just that — an opulent 18th-century manor house with elegant interiors and stunning gardens, providing the most romantic backdrop for their timeless summer wedding.

"We always knew we wanted a country house setting for our big day, there are just so many stunning spots around Ireland. We visited Tankardstown House in the spring before our wedding with a checklist in hand of all the things that mattered most to us. I knew the minute we drove up the driveway that it was the one! Since we were planning a summer wedding, we were really hoping for an outdoor ceremony, and the walled garden and famous green gates of Tankardstown House completely blew us away. It was such a standout feature."

"What truly sealed the deal for us though, was the team. From the very first visit, we both felt that the staff were amazing. Their professionalism and warmth gave us total confidence that we were in the right hands."

The couple add, "We’re also both big foodies, so the meal was a big deal for us. We really wanted our guests to have something special to enjoy that day. When we visited the venue, they showed us the Brabazon restaurant and the sample wedding menus, and we instantly felt like we were in good hands. Funny enough, that actually became a bit of a problem later, because everything looked so good, we couldn’t decide on the final menu and kept changing our minds!".

The couple drew inspiration from a romantic, elegant, and timeless style, incorporating soft summer pastels to create a dreamy, fresh, and seasonal atmosphere for their day. "Siobhan and Angie from Total Flower Designs truly brought our vision to light with our flowers on day, they were absolutely breath taking. We will never forget walking into the orangery and seeing our reception room that day. Angie and Siobhan did an incredible job."

The couple exchanged vows on the 16th of June, 2024, in Tankardstown House’s enchanting walled garden, surrounded by 110 of their closest family and friends.

The ceremony was led by celebrant Michael Grace, who guided the couple and their guests through a heartfelt service that included personal touches, meaningful readings, and vows that reflected their journey together. "He did an amazing job at telling our story and created a very relaxed and personal ceremony for us. Pianist Joe Kenny did our wedding and reception music and he played a version of the song Simply the Best during our ceremony. We loved it."

Clare was the picture of elegance in her off-shoulder Savannah Miller ballgown, which she sourced from Pearl Lane Bridal.

She completed her bridal look with MoMuse Jewellery earrings, a “something borrowed” pearl bracelet from her mother, a veil from Pearl Lane Bridal, and satin court shoes from ASOS. "I had a very specific shoe in mind, so I bought a simple bridal shoe from ASOS and then ordered a tulle bow from Etsy to clip onto the shoes on the day. I absolutely loved them!".

As her “something old,” Clare wore her great-grandmother’s brooch, given to her by her dad. The brooch, originally a gift from her great-grandfather in 1909, was lovingly pinned to the inside of her dress on the big day.

The bridesmaids perfectly complemented the day in soft champagne satin dresses from Oh Hello Clothing, while the groom and his groomsmen looked sharp in suits from Aston Formal Wear.

Sean added a personal touch to his look with Dune London shoes, a Seiko Presage watch, and Dylan Oaks cufflinks.

When asked for advice for other couples, Clare and Sean shared: “Enjoy every second of the build-up to the big day and celebrate everything! The wedding day itself goes by so quickly, but the journey leading up to it is filled with magic and excitement.”

The newlyweds shared their first dance to Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers, a timeless classic that set the perfect romantic tone for the evening.

The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in South Africa — an experience they describe as unforgettable, and one they “couldn’t recommend more.” "The food was fantastic, and the scenery was breathtaking. We kicked things off with a week in Cape Town, which was unforgettable.. Apart from the food, hiking up Table Mountain and kayaking alongside dolphins and penguins in the bay were definite highlights! After that, we headed to the Franschoek Wine region to explore the local vineyards and experience the famous 9am wine tram. We then rented a car and drove up the Garden Route, making our way towards Plettenberg bay to hike explore some of the national parks. To top it all off, we finished our trip with a safari in Kruger National Park – An absolute dream come through for both of us."

A massive thank you to Clare, Sean and Colin Colleran Photography for sharing this beautifully elegant Tankardstown House wedding with One Fab Day! You can see even more pictures in the gallery below.

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