Curragh Wedding: Taylor and Jack’s Family Home Wedding in Kildare
Curragh wedding film – Taylor & Jack, family home wedding, Co. Kildare
A family home wedding on The Curragh, Co. Kildare
Taylor and Jack travelled from Australia to get married at a family home on The Curragh, just outside Newbridge in Co. Kildare. With the ceremony in the garden, a reception in a marquee on the grounds and white hydrangeas framing the house, it was a wedding that felt both elegant and completely personal – surrounded by family and friends, at home.
As their wedding videographer, I spent the whole day with them, from the bridal preparations at the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge to the first dance under the fairy lights. Here is a look at their Curragh wedding – and a few ideas if you are planning a wedding at a family home in Ireland.
About The Curragh
The Curragh is a wide, open plain of almost 5,000 acres between Newbridge and Kildare town, and one of the most recognisable landscapes in Ireland. It is the home of Irish horse racing – the Curragh Racecourse hosts all five Irish classics, including the Irish Derby – and sheep still graze freely on the open grassland, as they have done for centuries.
Getting ready at the Keadeen Hotel
Taylor got ready with her bridesmaids at the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge, a hotel that has been welcoming guests since 1970. The details were laid out by the window: pearl-strapped heels with satin ribbons, pearl earrings, her ring and a little book with her vows. The bridesmaids, in black satin pyjamas, poured the Moët while Taylor's braided updo and make-up were finished, and once she was in her dress, Taylor shared a big laugh with her dad.
A garden ceremony at home
The ceremony took place in the garden, under a stretch tent with arrangements of white flowers and greenery. Taylor wore a strapless structured satin gown with a long pearl-scattered veil and carried a bouquet of white hydrangeas, while Jack wore a white tuxedo jacket with a black bow tie. Holding hands as their celebrant read the vows, the two of them could not stop smiling – and their family and friends were right there beside them.
A classic car, the bridal party and a marquee reception
After the ceremony, a classic silver vintage car waited on the gravel in front of the house, and we spent time with Taylor and Jack among the hydrangeas, on the front steps and in the garden. The bridesmaids, in black dresses with bouquets of gypsophila, and the groomsmen in black tuxedos raised their glasses and cheered as the couple kissed at the front door. Then everyone moved into the marquee, with draped ceilings, fairy lights and giant light-up letters, for dinner, speeches, the first dance and a live band that kept the party going.
Planning a wedding at a family home? A few tips
Plan the space. A stretch tent for the ceremony and a marquee for the reception turn a family garden into a full wedding venue – and give you a back-up if the weather changes.
Use the house for portraits. The front steps, the garden and the driveway at home are full of meaning and make beautiful backdrops for photos and film.
Get ready nearby. A local hotel like the Keadeen in Newbridge gives the bridal party space for hair, make-up and bubbles, just a few minutes from home.
Travelling from abroad? If you live overseas like Taylor and Jack, a wedding at a family home brings everyone together in a place that already means so much.
Looking for more weddings in Co. Kildare? See Pamela and Ciaran at Kilkea Castle and Eimear and Pauraic at Barberstown Castle, or for another couple who travelled from abroad, Sarah and Patrick at Waterford Castle. You can also watch more of my wedding films or see my wedding packages.
Wedding suppliers
Bridal preparations: The Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Ceremony & reception: Family home, The Curragh, Co. Kildare
Photography: Emerald Wedding
Videography: Michael Black Wedding
Planning a wedding at home in Ireland? I would love to hear about your plans – get in touch and let's chat over Zoom.