Adare Manor Rehearsal Dinner | Ireland

Following along with our Ireland series – we pick up with our second half of  the Wednesday before the wedding! After our Falconry & Hawk Walk experience, we all got dressed and ready for the big rehearsal at the Holy Trinity Abbey.  The gorgeous Catholic Church is the only recorded Trinitarian monastery in Ireland. It was originally built by the Fitzgerald Clan for the Trinitarian order of monks in the early 13th century.  It is simply stunning  – inside and out.  It was the perfect ceremony venue for Kristen & Tony’s destination Ireland dream wedding.   With everyone dressed to the 9s, we decided to do a few family portraits around the church and then just with Tony & Kristen at the Adare Manor Estate. We were asked by the Adare Manor property manager not to take pictures in wedding attire on the actual wedding day so I figured there was no harm in taking a few pictures around the estate in non-wedding attire! (Right? Like I was going to fly that far not to take pictures!)  Taking Kristen & Tony to a few ruins on the property bought the family a little time to setup the surprise they had been working on!   Before heading up to the manor house, we swung back by our villas for the big reveal. Kristen’s siblings, family and friends had created a beautiful video montage wishing the two of them love and laughter for their happily ever after.  It was the sweetest and most thoughtful gift  – it allowed all of their family and friends to be a part of the wedding festivities even if they weren’t present in Ireland.  After a round of hugs and cheers, we all ventured to the Oakroom in the main building for a 7 course wine-paired dinner that was beyond impressive.  The most amazing wine and gourmet food along with the beautiful ambiance and lively conversations made for one of the best dinning experiences I have every had. That says a lot coming from a foodie!! It was beyond 5 stars!  Brent and I were seated near Kristen’s remarkable parents  – their is so much to learn from people who have traveled and experienced the world!  What an amazing adventure for us to be a part of… check back on Monday for the wedding!