Representing a little slice of fairytale Ireland, Luttrellstown Castle hosted Alexandra Perkal, a real estate PR professional, and Casey Perkal, an e-commerce entrepreneur in the pet treat space, as they celebrated their wedding on 19th October 2025, planned by Martina O and beautifully captured by Anouska Lovestory. Having travelled from their home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the couple created a destination wedding filled with deep red florals, candlelit dining, live entertainment and plenty of unexpected touches. Featured in the Autumn issue of SOCIAL & PERSONAL WEDDINGS!
Alexandra and Casey first met through mutual friends in Fort Lauderdale, where they both live. Their friends had tried to set them up, but their first meeting didn't quite go according to plan. Instead, they became friends and spent the next two years in the same social circle before starting to date in 2021. “I guess we just needed a little extra time to warm up to each other, or maybe our friends were simply better matchmakers than we gave them credit for.”
Casey’s proposal took place in London, a city Alexandra had always dreamed of visiting. The couple stayed at Ham Yard Hotel in Soho, where Casey secretly arranged a proposal in the hotel’s drawing room. After convincing Alexandra that the concierge had an issue and that she needed to join him for an “apology” drink, he waited in the room, surrounded by leather-bound books and eclectic artwork.
The plan nearly went unnoticed, although not for the reason Casey might have hoped. As soon as Alexandra entered the room, she became distracted by the books and immediately started taking photographs for her book club. Eventually, she sat beside Casey, and he gave her a speech before dropping to one knee. “I still had absolutely no idea what was happening.” The couple spent the rest of the evening celebrating with dinner and drinks, calling friends and family to share the news.
In the months before the wedding, Alexandra focused on keeping her skincare consistent, with monthly facials, microneedling sessions, regular exercise and plenty of hydration. She travelled to Ireland in February for her hair and makeup trials and instantly clicked with both artists. On the wedding day, she chose a glamorous updo with a messy bun and loose tendrils, paired with fresh, dewy makeup and bold lashes to enhance her green eyes. A royal-length tulle veil with a blusher completed the look.
The couple also chose their fragrance together. Alexandra wore Patek Maison Prisme Rouge, a scent that earned her plenty of compliments throughout the wedding weekend and has since become a favourite for date nights. Casey chose Esquire New Journalist by Michael Malul, giving them both a scent to associate with the celebrations.
Alexandra approached wedding dress shopping with plenty of research, spending weeks scrolling through Pinterest and TikTok and creating a presentation of the gowns she loved. She initially had her eye on a slinky two-piece dress from Brides by Lola Dré in Jupiter, Florida, but it didn't fit the way she'd imagined. In the end, she tried on only four dresses, and number three was the one.
Her chosen gown was a strapless corset ballgown by Neta Dover Bridal, covered in lace and sparkle with a side slit and bow detail at the waist. To make it work perfectly for the castle setting, Alexandra added a custom long-sleeve bolero featuring matching lace and crystals. The combination gave her the fitted, glamorous look she wanted while adding a little extra drama for the ceremony.
Casey originally planned to wear a classic Italian black tuxedo with a white shirt and tuxedo loafers, but a trip to the tailor changed his mind. The couple spotted a jacquard tuxedo jacket with subtle dark green detailing and fell for it immediately. “It was bold yet subtle. The right combination of timeless with a little bit of flair.” The result gave his traditional black-tie look a distinctive twist.
As this was a destination wedding, Alexandra and Casey kept their wedding party small, with Casey’s brother Matt as best man and Alexandra’s best friend Veronica as matron of honour. Their roles carried an extra layer of meaning, as Veronica had married in Spain just one week earlier, with Alexandra serving as her maid of honour. The pair even wore similar Dessy dresses in each other’s wedding colours, while both carried bow-shaped bouquets with simple florals.
The ceremony was filled with dramatic details and a little bit of wedding-day weather drama. Alexandra’s planner, Martina, and florist, Tina, worked through wind and rain that morning, with Tina spending hours on a ladder draping the marquee. Alexandra had already done her research on Irish weather and, after reading about the tradition of burying a sausage for good weather, decided to go one step further and hired an Etsy witch named Emily to cast a spell for sunshine.
It seems the spell worked. Around 30 minutes before Alexandra was due to walk down the aisle, the clouds shifted, and the rain disappeared. She walked from the castle with her dad to a string quartet rendition of one of her favourite songs, with the ceremony taking place beneath an altar framed by columns, flowing drapery and deep red florals. The crimson ivy covering the castle completed the dramatic backdrop.
The couple’s ceremony included a handfasting ritual, which became Alexandra’s favourite moment of the day. It was a personal touch shared between the couple and their officiant, who is also Casey’s godfather. Casey’s favourite moment came with a slightly less traditional story. After he finished reading his vows, Alexandra immediately tried to kiss him, forgetting that they weren't allowed to kiss just yet.
Luttrellstown was always a strong contender for the couple, who knew they wanted to marry in an Irish castle. In fact, they loved the venue enough to book it without seeing it in person. When they finally visited a few months later, they knew they had made the right decision. “Casey will tell you I had been following the castle on Instagram for years before we were even engaged, so the decision was pretty much made before either of us realised it.”
Entertainment was one of the couple’s biggest priorities, and they had plenty planned for their guests. The Leinster String Quartet performed throughout the ceremony and cocktail hour, including Bridgerton-style arrangements of modern songs. Guests could also enjoy a whiskey tasting in the castle library with The Beautiful Booze Club, while live calligrapher Liz Holdsworth personalised jiggers as keepsakes. The evening brought even more surprises, including a fire drumming performance from The Hit Machine Drummers alongside an Irish dancer. The Event Band then performed around the dining room from individual circular stages, allowing the musicians to move among the guests. Their DJ took over for the after-party, keeping the celebrations going late into the night. The couple’s only real challenge came from their candle-heavy dinner design, with hundreds of candles creating so much heat that they had to open the windows almost immediately.
Despite the scale of the celebration, one of Alexandra and Casey’s favourite moments was one of the quietest. After finishing their photographs and before entering the dining room, they had around 20 minutes alone together in the castle library. Away from the music, guests, and excitement, they could sit together, take everything in, and enjoy a rare moment of calm before the celebrations began again.
- Gráinne