Jess and Luke's Ballintubbert House Wedding
An NYC couple's ethereal garden wedding at Ballintubbert House in Co. Laois, featuring green-themed details, a personalised ceremony, and a relaxed garden party atmosphere for 135 guests.
Jess and Luke, an NYC couple, celebrated their midsummer June 20, 2026 wedding at Ballintubbert House in Co. Laois, a venue they chose sight unseen after a chance meeting at a New York City bar in 2018 and a proposal on a Donegal beach.
Planning and Venue
The couple, with Jess originally from New Jersey and Luke from Strabane in Tyrone, booked Ballintubbert Gardens and House completely sight unseen, guided by intuition, and described the venue as blowing them away.
Attire and Details
Jess wore a dress by contemporary New York-based bridal designer Sarah Seven, paired with a sheer ceremony cape later reimagined as a draped neck scarf, and Stuart Weitzman pumps with a low chunky heel for comfort on the grass. The bridal bouquet, designed by Laura O’Connor of Wildfeather Blooms, featured wild white and green flowers with pops of daisy yellow. A last-minute hair miracle by stylist Danielle Garner involved sewing delicate hair pins directly into locks of hair, using vintage bumblebee pins from her kit and gem earrings offered by Jess's cousin, resulting in a unique hairstyle that matched the garden theme. Luke and the groomsmen wore tailored suits from Tomorrows Menswear in Derry, with shoes and accessories also from the Derry boutique, and their suits coincidentally matched the green theme of the bridesmaids' dresses.
Ceremony and Personal Touches
Celebrant Alison Driscoll of Bespoke Words crafted a highly personalised ceremony service that guests praised. The couple invited guests to follow a 'Garden Cocktail' dress code featuring bold colours and floral prints, allowing the natural landscape to dictate the mood. Music began with Vegas Trad during the drinks reception, and the dance floor stayed packed into the early hours thanks to DJ team Bespoke Music Solutions.
Reception and Celebration
The visual story included vintage layered lace on welcome tables, custom table runners from Etsy, and vibrant shades of green, yellow and orange that integrated with the surroundings. Jess designed the wedding stationery on Illustrator, printed by her mum at The Papery card shop, and chose drink coasters with their names and wedding date instead of custom napkins, printing welcome signs and bar signage via Vistaprint UK to avoid international shipping fees. Custom Guinness glasses with their initials and wedding date were a hit with guests. Instead of a traditional cake cutting, they asked Laura Boland from Cake Etc Craft Bakery to create a special long rectangular cake, allowing them to line up candles, blow them out together, and share a kiss. Florals on the tables were styled in overflowing large terracotta pots surrounded by warm candlelight. Jess's bridal bag was the 'Nest' clutch from Isla De Gar. Their first dance was to Van Morrison's Days Like This.
Honeymoon
After the wedding, the couple headed straight to the Amalfi Coast in Italy, starting in Sorrento and travelling to Positano and Amalfi, advising couples not to wait months before their honeymoon to decompress immediately after the wedding.
The property is so lush with stunning greenery and florals and the marquee is undeniably special. It truly stands out from any other venue in Ireland- It’s in its own category," says Jess. "There’s something so magical and intimate about the whole place and that really spoke to us."
Congratulations on your super gorgeous day Jess and Luke. A huge thanks to our fabulous couple and to Danielle O'Hara for allowing us to share this midsummer celebration with One Fab Day!
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