Karla & Declan’s wedding was a truly wonderful affair and I was delighted to recently catch up with Karla, who shared her favourite memories of their wedding day as well as details on that unforgettable dress.
Karla, tell us how you met your husband.
We met through mutual friends in a really dodgy Irish bar in East London.
How did he propose?
He proposed on the 30th December 2012, after asking my parents for their permission. He took me to Dunree Fort, which is one of my favourite places in the world (and where we had our wedding pictures taken) and asked me to marry him.
When and where did you get married?
We got married in Donegal, in my local chapel in Desertegney. It’s where my family went when I was growing up. We had our wedding pictures taken in Dunree Fort as that’s special to us and we held our reception at Ballyliffin Hotel.
Why did you choose your wedding venue?
My parents also held their wedding reception in Ballyliffin Hotel so it was definitely fitting and added extra sentiment to our day.
Describe your gorgeous dress.
I spent a long time trying to find the perfect dress. The one I had in my head didn’t seem to exist. I wanted, authentic real lace. In the end my mum said she’d make it. We ordered beautiful lace from China and she made the perfect dress. It was fitted with a slight fishtail at the bottom and beautiful sleeves. It was exactly what I wanted and I’m so grateful to her for making my vision come to life.
Tell us about your bridesmaid dresses.
My mum made these too. They were very unique. They were blue, with patterned material at the top and a beautiful gathered back. Everyone loved them.
What type of flowers did you choose and why?
My sister made my bouquet. She used brooches which belonged to my mum, aunts and grandmothers. It was very special and absolutely gorgeous.
What was the highlight of the day for you?
Once I got to the chapel all my nerves went away. Walking up the aisle I felt relieved when I saw Declan at the top. The highlight was definitely saying the words and actually marrying the perfect person. Celebrating with family and friends afterwards was brilliant too.
What do you love most about your wedding photographs?
I love the natural pictures, which Donal effortlessly captured. I especially love the black and white versions of these.
What piece of advice would you offer other brides?
I didn’t get stressed or worried about anything until a day or two before the wedding. Once I got to the chapel the little stress I had went away. My advice would be not to worry about anything. Just relax and completely enjoy your day.
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