Julie and Kris brought friends and family from all over the world to celebrate their Waterford Castle Destination Wedding in Ireland. It truly was an international get-together, as the bride and groom were from Belgium and Norway.

Kris was joined in his suite by his closest friends and family as he got dressed. They enjoyed Guinness and champagne and bonded over how to tie bow-ties, which they eventually figured out just in time.

Meanwhile, Julie was putting the final touches together in the bridal suite. Julie’s mother and grandmother helped her carefully selected the jewelry she was going to wear down the aisle. The whole suite was so calm as the final preparations were underway. 

Once Julie was ready, we escorted Kris down to the gardens where Julie met him for their first look. It was a beautiful moment full of emotion. This first look allowed them both to have a private moment together before the celebrations kicked off.

Julie walked down the aisle with her father as the guests settled in their seats under the hot sun. The ceremony was filled with unique touches, with friends and family doing readings. Julie and Kris’ handwritten vows were beautiful and intimate, showing how in tune they were with each other. Judging by the response from their guests, they agreed with every word. 

After the ceremony, the reception began with lawn games and champagne in front of the castle.

I took Kris and Julie to explore the grounds and seek out some gorgeous backdrops for their portrait session.

Then it was straight into the speeches, which we learned are taken very seriously in Norway and there are a number of traditions that they adhere to. The first is, if the groom leaves the room, the bride can receive kisses from male guests. If the bride leaves the room, female guests can approach the groom for a kiss. At any time during the speeches, the guests can request the couple to kiss by clinking their glasses. This happened throughout the speeches which provided neverending entertainment for the guests! Another tradition is that everyone will want to speak at a Norwegian wedding. It’s truly an honour for guests to make a speech so a lot of thought goes into each speech. This was hands down the most emotional, funny and heartfelt series of speeches that I have ever heard in my time as a wedding photographer.

During a break in speeches, we managed to sneak out for some evening portraits to capture the sunset over the lake and it was so worthwhile.

Before they knew it, it was time to hit the dance floor, and with the soundtrack of traditional Irish music, Julie and Kris danced the night away. 

It was an honour to celebrate Kris and Julie’s Waterford Castle destination wedding with them! If you’re looking for venue inspiration for your Irish destination elopement, click here to read my list of amazing Irish wedding vendors. If you’re still searching for the perfect photographer to capture your Irish elopement, contact me to schedule a chat! I can’t wait to celebrate with you!

-Amber