Today’s elopement feature takes us to another beautiful area of the Emerald Isle, Ireland, to the beautiful County Kerry, for Hailey & Carson’s intimate elopement.
An Elopement in County Kerry
Dingle Elopement | Hailey + Carson from D.art Wedding Stories on Vimeo.
Tell Us About How You Met
We met when we were about twelve and thirteen years old since we both attended the same middle school. There were times we crossed paths on our way to class, hung out in small groups, or shared small talk. A couple of years passed, and we decided to start dating. We were 14 and 15 years old and we’ve been going strong ever since! We are definitely soul mates and are so happy to have found each other at such a young age. How long were you going out before getting engaged? We were going out for seven and a half years before getting engaged.
Tell Us About The Proposal
I had been nagging Carson for quite some time about when the day would finally come, and we both knew it was bound to happen soon. Carson had the ring for a few months before coming up with an idea of how he would propose. It wasn’t until the week of that he reached out to some friends and created a plan on how it would happen, and who would be there to capture it all. I thought we were going to an event at Carson’s college, then out to celebrate a friend’s birthday that night. Carson was extremely good at keeping his cool and I had zero clue what was about to happen. We had a few hours to kill before the event, so we went and got happy hour drinks for a while then shopped around, where Carson convinced me to change into a new dress I had just bought. Once we were done, we still had some time. Carson told me he wanted to go see if there were dolphins at one of our favourite beaches (Cromwell’s Beach on Oahu, Hawaii). The weather went from sunny to cloudy/ rainy within minutes, so I was being stubborn and told Carson I wanted to be quick because I didn’t want to get my new dress wet in the rain. We walked out the beach with no dolphins insight, but Carson insisted we keep walking along the beach. He told me to go down by the water so he could get a picture of me. As I’m facing the water and turn around to see if he was done yet so we could leave, he was right in front of me on one knee with the ring of my dreams. I’m not one who’s easily surprised since I always find things out beforehand, but this sent me into shock. We were both crying the happiest of tears, the weather cleared up out of nowhere, and to my surprise, there were photographers hiding around the corner who had captured all of it. It was the best day of our lives (besides our wedding day)!
How Did You Choose Your Wedding Location?
We were already planning on honeymooning in Europe, starting in Ireland, but then randomly decided we wanted to get married there. At first, it wasn’t a serious idea, but when we saw potential places the ceremony could happen, we immediately fell in love! We loved everything about the green landscape, being close to the water, and the vibes that surrounded Dingle. It felt magical to us and it was more than what we even expected it to be like. We will never regret choosing to elope in Ireland and it will always hold such a special place in our hearts!
How Did You Find Your Main Vendors?
Through a lot of research we were able to find a company called Peach Perfect Weddings. Lorraine handled every ounce of communication with the vendors that we were able to pick (which we found through Instagram) and planned out every detail. She was awesome and we owe a lot of thanks to her! I know planning a wedding for someone you’ve never met can’t be easy.
What Was The Inspiration Behind Your Wedding Day?
There wasn’t inspiration behind it, other than we wanted it to be sentimental and special. There’s no other word to describe our wedding day then MAGICAL. We woke up to the most beautiful weather, which was the biggest blessing. Every day prior it was pouring rain and was absolutely freezing cold. When you can wake up with the sun shining through your window, you know it’s going to be a good day! We were able to get ready together, which is, of course, non-traditional, but we wouldn’t have had it any other way. It felt really special! While I was having my hair and makeup done, Carson went down to the bar at the Dingle Benners Hotel and got a pint of Guinness and finished up writing his vows. Our photographer Pawel and our videographer Rafal with D.Art Wedding Stories came to our hotel to capture a few shots before we headed off to our ceremony location. We had to walk (well somewhat hike) the side of a cliff in dirt and tall grass, and no one complained. They made us feel as ease and were so professional throughout the duration of our time spent with them. We, of course, said our vows and were crying the happiest of tears during it all. Without a doubt, we both felt the love that surrounds us at that moment, although it was just the two of us it was extremely special. We finished up our pictures in the town near our hotel. I threw on my jean jacket with “Miller” on the back, as that just became my new last name! We walked hand in hand and even made Pawel and Rafal come get a pint with us. That turned into them getting us to share our first dance in a room full of strangers and a live band. Liquid courage can make you do just about anything, and so we, of course, had to do it and are so glad we did! We ended our night at eating at The Boat Yard, which had the best tasting seafood we’ve ever had and would highly recommend it a million times to everyone who visits Dingle.
What Was Your Favourite Moment From The Day?
1. The location of our ceremony. It was incredible, and while we sat on the edge of a stonewall overlooking the water and a pod of dolphins began jumping out of the water and doing tricks. It was as if they knew to put on a show for Carson and I.
2. Walking the streets of Dingle, holding hands, everyone congratulating us and wishing us a happy marriage as we walked by, eating the best seafood at The Boat Yard, drinking beer and having our first dance in the cutest little pub! There was something special about the people and the excitement they had for us. It was a very memorable day that had a lot of highlights, but those are a few!
If You Could Do It All Again, Would You Do Anything Differently?
We would not change a thing about how we chose to get married, or how the day went. It went better than we could have hoped for and we will never regret going the non-traditional way! Everything about it was memorable and unforgettable; we could not be any happier!
Any Advice For Other Couples?
1. This day is not about anyone else but you and the love of your life. Make sure your opinions are heard, as they are the only ones that matter.
2. Do not stress. Everything falls into place.
3. Make yourself present in the moment, as you want to remember and cherish every second.
Any Honeymoon Plans?
We spent the rest of the month travelling throughout Europe together. It was the best honeymoon ever!
Credits
Planner - Peach Perfect Weddings
Photographer: Pawel Bebenca
Videographer: D.Art Wedding Stories
Dress Designer: Bronx & Banco, “Alexia”
