If you are dreaming of a destination wedding, today's real wedding is a must-not-miss. Chloe and Arjuna planned their Tankardstown House wedding all the way from Seattle and the results were WOW. In fact, it was their first trip to Ireland that inspired the aesthetic of their timeless and romantic celebration with Susan Eyles from Coastal Ceremonies making their wildest wedding dreams a reality.
Their special day brought together so many of the people they cherish from all over the world with guests joining them from Sri Lanka, the U.S. and London. With stunning bridal style, enchanting flowers, an earthy palette with a burst of summer, a scrumptious white wedding cake, and more, oodles of modern wedding inspiration awaits. With Dave of Awake and Dreaming behind the lens, you know you are in for absolutely dreamy wedding photos below too.
So let's get to know our US lovebirds more first. They are both originally from Washington state, Chloe grew up in Seattle while Arjuna hails from near Olympia. They met through their mutual friend who, in a lovely full-circle moment, they asked to be their officiant at their wedding. "He was having a night of playing Catan and invited me and Arjuna and we officially met at that board game night," Chloe explains.
The celebrations began the night before with a rehearsal and welcome reception at Tankardstown House and on the morning of the wedding the couple shared a quiet grounding moment with their families and guests by having breakfast at The Brabazon. Chloe got ready with her bridesmaids in the Bridal Suite and how chic were their bridal party robes!
Arjuna picked a breathtaking location to pop the question. "We visited Ireland for the first time in July, 2022. After researching different areas, Arjuna really liked the scenery of Cliffs of Moher and chose to do the proposal there. We arrived at Cliffs of Moher on the 10th, around two hours before the sunset. Since it was our first time visiting, Arjuna wasn’t sure where the perfect spot for a proposal would be. He told me he wanted to find a place with a great view of the sunset, so we began walking along the cliffs until he finally discovered the spot he wanted to propose at. Once he found the spot, he told me to stand in front of the ocean so that he could take a photo of me with the coastline behind me."
Chloe admits that she had a slight feeling that he might propose! She says, "He was acting a little suspicious because when we arrived, I saw other tourists dressed in outdoor gear like yoga pants and a rain jacket or hoodies. Before we left our hotel, I was going to wear something similar since I knew there was a lot of walking involved so I wanted to dress comfy. However, he told me to wear something a little nicer since he wanted to take photos of me there. So when seeing the tourists in their comfy clothing and Ajruna acting very anxious, I had a slight feeling he was going to propose. But after walking along the edge of the cliff for over an hour, I dismissed that thought since we had been walking for so long already and it seemed like he genuinely was trying to find a spot to watch the sunset. As we were taking photos, there was another person who passed us and Arjuna asked them to take a photo of us in front of the ocean view. Arjuna ran back and stood next to me. As I adjusted my hair right before she took our photo, Arjuna said, 'Chloe', and I turned towards him. I saw him on his knee and the engagement ring before me and I was completely in shock. He asked me to marry him and I said, 'Yes', immediately."
Amongst the bridal glam squad was makeup artist Dee Buckley who specialises in polished, beautiful and long-lasting bridal looks.
"From the very beginning, our top priority was making the experience enjoyable and convenient for our guests, especially since everyone would be flying in for the wedding," Chloe shares. They wanted a venue that was close enough to Dublin for their guests flying in and on-site accommodation was so important so no one had to worry about transportation after the festivities. "It was also important to us that the celebration could go late into the night - ideally until at least 3 a.m. - so we could truly enjoy the party without feeling rushed. And most importantly—we’re both huge foodies— so we wanted the food and drinks to be unforgettable: delicious, abundant, and flowing all night long."
The couple exchanged vows in the Orangery - how divine was their deconstructed floral arch?
Chloe's phenomenal bridal look included the Jericho dress by Rue de Seine boasting floral and vine embroidery which she wore with matching detachable sleeves, the Ivette heels by Badgley Mischka and jewellery borrowed from her mother and sister.
Planning a destination wedding can come with all sorts of challenges and they had their prayers answered when they came across Susan Eyles from Coastal Ceremonies online. "After just one virtual call, we knew she was the right person to guide us, and she never led us wrong—including when it came to choosing the venue. She sent us a list of beautiful options, and to narrow them down, we focused on our top priorities. Aesthetically, Arjuna wanted a venue with castle-like charm, while I wanted something that felt modern but still had history and personality."
Their ceremony was everything that they dreamt of and more. "Walking down the aisle and seeing all of our friends and family in that beautiful, light-filled space was surreal. When I saw Arjuna waiting for me at the end, it all suddenly felt real."
It meant so much to the couple that their beloved friend officiated their ceremony. "One the most meaningful parts of our ceremony was the speech given by our officiant, who has always been family to us. He spoke with so much heart and sincerity—it felt deeply personal and perfectly captured our relationship. It struck the perfect balance of humor, love, and sincerity. We couldn’t have imagined anyone better to lead us through that moment."
"We were both surprised by how emotional and well-received our vows were. When we finally shared our kiss and walked back up the aisle, we were overwhelmed with happiness and excitement. It was the perfect transition into the celebration that followed—and it truly felt like the start of something unforgettable," she adds.
Chloe's bridal besties were gorgeous in green bridesmaids dresses. Their olive satin dresses with sweet bow straps were sourced from Petal & Pup.
Tankardstown House stood out immediately to them, it felt like home but with magic. "It blended everything we were looking for: the stately charm of a manor, subtle castle elements, a contemporary feel, and a reputation for incredible food. After a virtual tour with their team, we booked it without hesitation—even though we didn’t see it in person until six months before the wedding. When we finally did visit, we completely fell in love. The grounds were stunning, the food was just as amazing as we’d hoped, and the entire property felt welcoming and intimate. On the wedding day, it was incredible to see our guests enjoying all the different rooms in the main house, each with its own personality and vibe. And above all, the staff at Tankardstown were phenomenal—they made everything feel effortless and took care of every detail with warmth and care."
Their aesthetic was timeless, romantic and fairy tale-like— they wanted their celebration to feel magical and grand, yet cosy and warm. "We were inspired by our first trip to Ireland, especially the Wicklow Mountains. The wide, rolling hills felt like stepping outside the noise of the world and into something older and more enchanted. The landscape had endless curves and shifting colors—greens, browns, purples—creating a quiet, slow-building beauty that made you breathe deeper and notice more. It felt timeless and open, like a place that holds memories without ever trying to explain it. That feeling stayed with us, and we wanted to bring it into our wedding day. Just as meaningful to us were the people we met in Ireland—warm, open, and joyful. We never felt like strangers, only ever welcomed with a smile and a drink. We hoped our guests would feel the same spirit of connection and wonder we did when we first arrived in Ireland."
Their top piece of wedding planning advice is to surround yourself with the right people—especially a great wedding coordinator! "Hiring Susan Eyles from Coastal Ceremonies was hands down the best decision we made. From the very beginning, she made the entire process feel easy, even though we were planning an international wedding from the States. What could have been stressful or overwhelming never felt that way, and that’s entirely thanks to her. Susan was organised, responsive, and incredibly thoughtful—every detail was taken care of before we even had to ask. On the wedding day, we were able to be fully present and enjoy every moment without worrying about a single thing. It all flowed seamlessly, and we credit her completely for that."
"Another key to how smoothly our day went was working with vendors who had experience with Tankardstown and with each other," she adds. "We didn’t realise at first how valuable that would be, but it made such a difference. Everyone was on the same page, familiar with the venue, and the entire day stayed perfectly on schedule. It made things effortless for us and for our guests."
Their reception styling was sophisticated with neutral decor with a hint of ethereal wildness coming courtesy of the flowers. "Our florist Lindsay understood the assignment and captured all these colours amazingly and more."
Chloe and Arjuna's celebration included a white cake which was a sculptural masterpiece, an elegant dress change and customised shot glass favours.
They chose Coldplay's Yellow as their first dance song. "It's a song that’s been meaningful to us since our second date. It took us a while to choose the right song, but once we remembered this one, it just felt right. Dancing to it on our wedding day felt surreal—like time slowed down. It was just the two of us, in our own little world, and it truly felt like a dream."
The couple honeymooned in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. "We would absolutely recommend all three. These were places we hadn’t explored together before, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to experience them as newlyweds. Since we were already on the other side of the world, we wanted to make the most of it, and we’re so glad we did. Each destination offered something unique, and we had the most unforgettable time."
Congratulations Chloe and Arjuna! A very special thank you to our fabulous couple and Awake and Dreaming, we have absolutely loved poring over all the dreamy details in the gorgeous images - be sure to check out the gallery below for more.
Check out our Irish Real Wedding section for even more inspiration!
