Zac & Aisling

I've said it before, I'll say it again — I loves me an October wedding! The leaves, the skies, the low burning orange sun, and of course the couples.

Zac and Aisling are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. As individuals this is true, but when you combine their powers they are verifiable SuperSounders — greater than the sum of their parts. I was privileged to be their documentary wedding photographer on Halloween eve. Airfield Estate in Dublin was the wedding venue. We started the day in their home in Donnybrook, where Zac was getting ready with his family and friends. Lovely laid-back vibe, and a good bit of craic.

Odd socks were the order of the day — Zac's late uncle never wore a matching pair, and he was honoured here (and later).

I love the tailored suits — Dan didn't need to think too hard to figure out who arranged the inner-inscription "I love Zac 4 Ever."

Next stop was the bride's home. Love the headless Child of Prague — very in keeping with the Halloween vibe, and a merging of pagan and religious cultures? I suspect I'm reading too much into that.

No shortage of light for the bride's preparations in their lovely conservatory. Three generations in these photos, plus the fantastic (and hilarious) hair stylist Michael. Father of the bride never goes off-duty and always watching out — even fashioning a wedding breakfast bib for the bridesmaid.

This hook has one purpose and one purpose only — it has hung every wedding dress in the family over the years. Journalistic wedding photography is about capturing the little details of the wedding day. And here we see the dismounted dress — a stunning gown from The Suite.

I high-tailed it over to Airfield to get those last few moments of the bride and groom before they were married. These little in-between moments are jam-packed with emotion, and the images tell their own stories. A lot of people were absent from the wedding due to Covid-19 restrictions, but present in other ways.

And there she was, arriving in some style — a modern bride in a classic car. Love it. A father and daughter moment before showtime.

The Ceremony

The wedding ceremony was beautiful — so much love and joy in the room for these two as they transitioned to husband and wife.

The Walkabout

Job done, all smiles and relaxed, and we took a stroll around the estate. Claire McGlashan is the wedding co-ordinator from Airfield and is such a wonderful host — she guided the guys all around, including the secret gardens and nooks and crannies. This is a lovely time for the couple to have a breather and a glass. I tend to hang back and let the photos be natural, relaxed and organic.

Personalities coming out to play — totally love the October wedding colours echoing off the leaves. Beautiful! A nice extra photo from this set was featured on One Fab Day.

Formal — and informal.

The Halloween Fun

Did I mention that I love Halloween and that I adore Halloween weddings! The guys were totally up for a bit of craic with the Airfield Estate Halloween show. This next photo never fails to make me smile — it's a pity Halloween wedding photography only happens once a year.

Nice bit of juxtaposition here with the help of a ghoulish window display. Back indoors for some of my favourite type of shots — candid wedding photography. A great way to photograph the wedding guests as they relax and let their hair down. Paparazzi style.

What an absolutely ridiculously superb wedding cake!

Speeches & Food

One of my favourite parts of the evening is the wedding speeches. As an outsider, it's a privilege to get a glimpse into the histories and stories of the wedding party — by the end of the speeches it's hard not to feel a connection.

And roll on the dinner. Airfield Estate isn't only stunning, but the food is out of this world — all ingredients grown organically onsite, and the chefs are true artists.

And that's a wrap. Congratulations Zac and Aisling — a wonderful day for a wonderful couple.