Meet Áine and George, a couple whose love story began in an Atlanta bar in 2019, leading to a journey filled with effortless connection and unwavering support. Their proposal took place in Cornwall, amidst a sunset, fish and chips, and a heartfelt “yes.” Their wedding at Hampton Manor in the UK was an intimate and relaxed affair, inspired by the venue’s natural beauty. Áine’s dress, the Lina, added a personal touch with a silk tulle wrap hand-stitched by her mother. Surrounded by loved ones from around the world, their wedding day was a magical celebration of their love.
Of her LINA gown, Áine said: “I wore the Lina dress by Tara Lauren. I loved it from the moment I first tried it on! It was really important for me to feel comfortable and be able to move around in my dress (I wanted to dance the night away!) and the Lina dress was by-far the most lightweight gown that I tried on. I just loved how the silk felt on my skin and I felt completely myself in it.
One of my favourite aspects of the dress was the elegance of the train paired with the casual open tied back. I decided to customize my look by adding an asymmetrical silk tulle wrap overlay to the dress which I wore during our ceremony. My mum and I shopped for the fabric together and she hand-stitched it for me, so it felt like a really special way to make it my own.”
Names: Áine and George
Wedding Date: 7.14.23
Guest Number: 93
Wedding Location: Hampton Manor, Hampton in Arden, UK
Photographer: Rachel Smuin
Tell Us Your Love Story
How did you meet?
The first time I met George, I was in a bar getting drinks with a group of friends. George walked in with a mutual friend and I remember thinking instantly how handsome he was. He asked if he could sit down in the empty seat next to me and we ended up talking and laughing together the whole night. I thought he was so funny and charming in that self-deprecating English way. By the end of the night, we had exchanged numbers and were already making plans for our first date. The rest, as they say, is history!
How Did He Put A Ring On It?
We were engaged during a trip to Cornwall in July 2021. We spent a few days by the sea, and were staying in a secluded Shephard’s hut in Camel Valley. We shared a fish and chips takeaway next to a cosy fire as we watched the sun set. Then George dropped down to one knee, and in a perfectly intimate moment between the two of us, asked me to marry him. We celebrated into the evening and popped open the bottles of bubbly we had gotten from Camel Valley Winery a few days before!
Where did you draw inspiration from?
We wanted our wedding to feel intimate and relaxed, and full of meaningful touches and details that reflected our personal style.
We also drew inspiration from our venue, Hampton Manor. We loved how the estate was nestled in the natural setting of the English countryside, while also thoroughly modern in the team’s vision and interior design. We wanted to compliment this balance and mirror those themes in the aesthetic choices for our day.
This came to life in small ways – delicate floral arrangements that evoked images of wild English gardens, bare wood table-tops that felt relaxed low-key paired with timeless leather chairs, stationery in natural greens and cream tones featuring modern type-settings.
What made the wedding personal to you?
I can confidently say that every decision we made around our wedding was true to our vision for the day and the way we wanted to celebrate our marriage.
The most personal choice we made was around the way we were legally wed. We decided to keep that moment between the two of us, and spent a sunny June weekend getting married in Copenhagen City Hall. We didn’t tell our families until the following week and George shared the news with the rest of our guests in his speech at the wedding!
We named our signature cocktail ‘The Copenhagen’ and had a sign at our wedding which featured a photo of us after our ceremony at the town hall.
We also incorporated our own personal touches to the day. I am a graphic designer, so I designed all of our stationery – our invitations and day-of elements like menus, table signs etc. I wanted everything to feel sleek, un-fussy and timeless and I loved being able to create exactly what we wanted.
Our beautiful flower vessels were hand-made by ceramicist Tam Levene. She crafts these really amazing pots in her studio in Oxfordshire and we were so lucky to have her create them for our wedding day, and to be able to have them as a keepsake for years to come.
George’s mum is a doctor turned artist and she painted our welcome sign herself!
What were you most nervous or excited about?
I was so nervous to walk down the aisle beforehand, but once I saw the faces of our guests all together in the same place I felt overcome with joy and gratitude to be able to share that moment with the people George and I care about most.
Now, the most important part – the Dress!
Tell us about your dress?
I wore the Lina dress by Tara Lauren. I loved it from the moment I first tried it on! It was really important for me to feel comfortable and be able to move around in my dress (I wanted to dance the night away!) and the Lina dress was by-far the most lightweight gown that I tried on. I just loved how the silk felt on my skin and I felt completely myself in it.
One of my favourite aspects of the dress was the elegance of the train paired with the casual open tied back. I decided to customize my look by adding an asymmetrical silk tulle wrap overlay to the dress which I wore during our ceremony. My mum and I shopped for the fabric together and she hand-stitched it for me, so it felt like a really special way to make it my own.
What stockist did you get it from?
I got my dress from Heart Aflutter Bridal in London!
What was your most memorable moment from your day?
Seeing all of our friends and family in one place was the sweetest and most surreal experience. Our families are spread between the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain and Vietnam and we were so lucky to have them all in one place to celebrate with us. It was a once in a lifetime day in so many ways!
Vendors to credit:
Photographer RACHEL SMUIN // Venue HAMPTON MANOR // Florist TANYA LEE-SUTTON // Dress HEART AFLUTTER BRIDAL // Ceramics TAM LEVENE // Painted Sign JASE CASSIDY // Stationary GOOD OCTOBER