The Carriage Rooms @ Montalto Estate
It felt like I was only back from holidays but before I knew it mid September had rolled round and it was time for this autumnal wedding shoot at the incredibly beautiful Carriage Rooms in Montalto Estate. With it being my first autumn shoot I was excited to use rich, deep colours and varying textures for the bridal bouquet.
It was my first time visiting The Carriage Rooms and I didn’t realise until after the shoot that a friends husband is one of the groundskeepers there and could of showed me a little more of the grounds (I’ve made him promise to show me next time I’m there!). From the moment I stepped out of the car I was taken back and in awe of the surroundings. The Carriage Rooms is most definitely one of the most stunning wedding venues in Northern Ireland.
Paula (the photographer - and a total gem) that had organised the shoot was waiting to meet me and give me a quick tour. As you walk done the pretty path and through the glass doors into the foyer the details at every turn provided by the team at The Carriage Rooms did not go unnoticed (especially by someone like myself who can be incredibly picky at times!). It has such a relaxed feel and lovely flow not to mention the superb contemporary style interior.
There are many hidden gems for photo opportunities to be taken advantage of (see below) at this rustic and decadent, Northern Irish wedding venue. Alongside some of favourite vendors we knew instantly it was going to be a good day! You could easily spend a day at Montalto Estate exploring the grounds and they’ve recently opened a café if you fancy stopping by this Spring to walk the gardens. These pictures give you a look inside venue and new styling ideas.
If you're an autumn bride you will surely agree there are endless options for decor and styling at that time of year. Pumpkins, rustic mustard shades, opulent gold, wood textures, deep purples, reds, and oranges and the fresh produce available that can be used to decorate and enjoy during the reception. Matt & Steph from This Old Home brought their super-talented woodworking skills and helped create an alternative and stylish space at The Carriage Rooms. The macrame backdrop used was a collaboration between This Old Home and Jacqui-May (The Copper Otter).
The loved-up couple, Dee & Paddy were just amazing. They were naturally playful with each other and couldn't go long without gazing into each others eyes! Absolutely loved how relaxed and enthusiastic they stayed throughout the day.
Dee was wearing a stunning dress from Ivy and White, a fairly new bridal boutique in Lisburn City Centre specialising in luxurious, bohemian pieces by brands such as Made with Love or Bo & Luca. I adore Kerry and her sense of fun and modern style! The dress, Mimi, was created by Made with Love, which is an Australian brand that designs contemporary pieces for unique brides.
The whole idea for Dee's makeup came from the Award-Winning and absolute treasure Sinead (Maid by Sinead) whose vision included dark lips and soft eye makeup with a dewy, sunkissed, seamless finish on the skin. This is the 2nd time I've worked with Sinead and would happily trust her with my own makeup for a wedding, day or evening look. Photographer Paula wanted Dee's hair to feel bridal and Nicola who was the hair stylist did a marvellous job creating 2 styles - one swept up and the 2nd half up & half down. Dee was wearing jewellery and two amazing hairpiece designs by Deborah K Design and the hair styles fitted perfectly to showcase these.
I had the pleasure of creating the large wedding bouquet and buttonhole design for this shoot and as a creative - given free reign is the best feeling! To create the volume and texture I used a mix of foilage and branches, skimmia, cotinus coggygria, poppy seed heads and chrysanthemum to name a few. Rustic and very seasonal, I was happy with the ‘un-styled’ wild look and hope it fills some of you brides-to-be with inspiration!
Flowers and cake will always be a match made in heaven so for the shoot Carly (aka The Baking Queen) incorporated fresh, seasonal figs, grapes, physalis and berries for the table and finished cake design. A really indulgent experience and something that reminded me of Roman times from watching some films over the years. For the day, Carly (Away with the mixer) baked 2 semi-naked cakes, one with chocolate and red fruit and the second one with spiced apple and caramel. Both absolutely gorgeous and a great fit for our Autumnal wedding table theme.
Paula’s concept was for a pop of colour in the autumnal stationery design and just with that Avril from Freckles and Fern created a whole collection focused on decadent purple and gold shades, which worked cohesively with the table styling, cake design, and overall tone of the wedding shoot. The stationery was elegant and modern.
I always encourage my brides to have fun when planning their wedding whilst staying true to themselves. The season in which your wedding falls is influential for colour schemes and your flower choices so make note, it’s an important one to remember -if only peonies were available in Winter!
Vendor Info:
Photography @hellosugar_photography @photographybymelissani
Models @dee_papermon @paddyjaki Hair @nmhairandbrows Makeup @maidbysineadbridalmakeup Styling and Backdrops @thisoldhome Macrame @thecopperotter Dress @ivyandwhitebride Venue @thecarriagerooms Flowers - ME! Cake @helloawaywiththemixer Stationery @frecklesandferndesign Hairpiece @deborahkdesign Dress design @madewithlovebridal
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