An elegant 18th-century manor House nestled at the heart of sprawling woods, courtyards, walled gardens and parkland, Tankardstown House was the stunning location for the wedding of user experience designer Clare Murphy to quantity surveyor Jamie Wright on the 18th of May 2025, photographed by Danny Morton Photography.
The pair first met through their circle of friends, crossing paths a few times before anything romantic was on the cards, even though they had admired one and other from afar. In a very modern twist, it was Twitter that finally brought Clare and Jamie together, where a shared love of an old TV series sparked a connection and eventually led to a date. While the first date wasn’t the most romantic, it later became clear that nerves were the cause. Jamie reached out for a second date. That do-over changed everything, and the two have been completely smitten ever since!
"On a beautiful, sunny day in Dublin, Jamie planned the perfect day; he wove together so many of our favourite things and places. True to form as self-confessed foodies, he booked a table at what has since become one of our favourite restaurants. During dinner, Jamie insisted on one of the more indulgent wine pairings, later revealing it was chosen with future anniversary celebrations already in mind. After dinner, we returned to the hotel, where the room was filled with flowers and champagne. In that quiet, intimate moment, Jamie proposed, it felt completely 'us'."
"I kept my beauty journey intentionally simple, resisting the urge to introduce many new routines or regimens. I'd been using my 3-step routine from Liz Earle for years; with such sensitive skin, it felt important I stuck to it. It was important to me to feel like myself on my wedding day. The one change I did make was getting Invisalign, and I was lucky enough to have my wonderful friend, who also happens to be a talented dentist, Dr Nicole Hamilton, help me along the way."
"I am completely scent-obsessed, so choosing a wedding fragrance was important to me. I settled on Creed Spring Flowers, which felt light and airy and fitting for our spring wedding. Jamie went classic with a Jo Malone fragrance, Cypress and Grapevine."
The only thing Clare knew for certain was that she didn’t want a princess-style wedding dress. It wasn't a quick process to find her wedding dress; in fact, it took several shops before finding the one. "I tried on dresses I liked, but nothing felt quite right, until I went to Forever Bridal. That’s where Leondra pulled out my Trish Peng dress, and the moment I saw it on, I fell in love. My sisters and mum loved it just as much as I did, and seeing their reactions was what truly made me certain it was the one."
"Jamie always knew he wanted a classic tux, so choosing the suit was a fairly straightforward process. After being recommended Tux and Tails in Dungannon, everything fell into place easily. He’d always planned to wear a pocket watch, using the chain from his paternal grandfather and the watch from his maternal grandfather, which felt particularly special."
Her bridal party consisted of her two sisters, Sinead and Noleen, and her best friend, Rachel. "We had a wonderful experience picking their dresses at Petticoat Lane in Hillsborough. The girls quickly found a style they all loved, and the trickiest part was choosing the fabric colour. I wanted something neutral, and Paula in the shop recommended a new shade called ‘Oat.’" Niamh took a chance and ordered the dresses based solely on the fabric swatches, and was thrilled when they arrived; all three looked absolutely beautiful in them.
"We chose a humanist ceremony because we wanted it to feel personal to us, and our celebrant, Jean, captured that perfectly. She encouraged us to write our own vows, and although we were hesitant at first, it turned out to be one of our favourite parts of the day. Having my dad walk me down the aisle was another special moment I’ll always treasure."
The pair found their venue while searching on Pinterest for 'wedding venues with orangeries in Ireland'. Tankardstown House in Slane appeared straight away, and they fell in love immediately. Visiting in person only confirmed it. Clare’s grandfather, Dan, was born and raised in Co. Meath, so being married so close to that connection felt quietly sentimental.
"We had Rebecca Creighton, who sang during our ceremony and drinks reception, and The Arthur Band, who provided our evening entertainment. Music was a really important part of our day, and we wanted performers who could create meaningful moments and get everyone dancing. We discovered Rebecca on Instagram and were blown away by her versatility. She could move effortlessly from emotional songs to lively tunes that set the tone for the party, and we’ve had so many friends and family compliment her. For the evening, we wanted a band that could keep the dance floor alive all night, and The Arthur Band did exactly that. Jay even joined our guests on the floor to get everyone involved, and a couple of guests asked for their contact details afterwards - to us, that says it all."
"Aside from all of our amazing vendors, one of our favourite decisions was staying at Boyne House (also owned by Tankardstown House) the night before the wedding with our immediate families and bridal party. We shared an intimate meal, which gave us a chance to relax, enjoy each other’s company, and begin the celebrations on a more personal note. Staying the night also meant we had to start preparations a day earlier, which made the morning of the wedding feel much more relaxed. Jamie and I also stayed in the same house and saw each other the morning of the wedding - the traditional separation the night before didn’t feel right for us, and seeing each other beforehand really helped calm our nerves."
- Gráinne