Full-Circle Ireland Elopement with castles, cliffs and Guinness in Killarney and Dingle


Growing up, Peter always knew his Irish heritage from his grandfather, having heard stories, tales, and being instilled with a sense of culture. For years, Peter has collected anything Guinness or Ireland related. They are all hung on the walls of his man cave.

A bucket list item? Pull his own pint of Guinness in Ireland. And with his partner Caitlin, that’s exactly what they did.

Digging the resources? You ain’t seen nothing yet…

Let’s create a day for you that’s wild, bold, and full of fun in a dramatic landscape!


sam@samstarns.com @samstarns

The number 24 is special to them – Caitlin and her best friend were born on the 24th, Peter’s sports number was always 24, and they got engaged on the 24th. Makes sense they’d only elope to Ireland on the same date right?

DAY ONE – A Pub & Friary

Caitlin and Peter opted for a multi-day experience, and started out their adventure by stopping at a local pub, then a nearby friary to explore and get into the ultimate vibe of Ireland.

DAY TWO – Killarney & Dingle

Day 2 saw us in Killarney and the Dingle Peninsula. Caitlin and Peter invited a few close friends and family along on their adventure and they all got ready at Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney. The grand wooden staircase, charming grounds, and luxurious rooms set the day off right.

Their first look was on the grounds, secluded enough, but still visible to their loved ones looking on through their hotel windows!

After their first look and a few private moments to themselves, we set off on an hour’s drive to a Dingle Peninsula castle ruin for their ceremony. The remoteness meant we were the only people in the area, making for one of the most romantic backdrops that would take your breath away as a melodic tin whistle’s music floated through the air.

The ceremony was next-level and one of the most intentional I’ve ever witnessed, with celebrant John Burns creating special moments like a lantern casting for the couple, having loved ones read passages, and even reaching out to family and friends who weren’t present to get special messages from them. Did I also mention he nabbed photos of Caitlin and Peter’s dogs to share with a special “note” from them?

Scroll down to see their castle ruin backdrop, plus their final cliff stop and Peter completing his bucket list item of pouring his own pint of Guinness!

If you can imagine, their day got even better, as we headed for a pier well-known for its usage for sheep herds and stunning views. The westernmost point of the Dingle Peninsula offered up the perfect temperature and picturesque topography. Despite it being somewhat busy, it was absolutely worth it as we waited and used my telephoto lens to bird watch until crowds died down and nearly had the walk to ourselves.

Pulling a Pint of Guinness

Caitlin and Peter capped the night off by driving back to their hotel and reserving dinner and the hotel’s elegant and cozy bar/restaurant. It didn’t take long for Peter to start asking about the method to pour Guinness. Straightaway, the server ushered him back behind the bar for his lesson in pulling a pint.

The night came to a relaxing and fulfilling close with a cheers from their family and felicitations from a few passersby. How does Caitlin describe their elopement adventure?…

I don’t think there are words that could describe our experience…. but the short and simple answer is, it was AMAZING!

I knew I wanted Sam to capture our special day since before I was even engaged. It’s clear from her images online that she does amazing work, but you also get SO much more than that when working with her.

From day 1 it was 100% effort in everything…. She truly gets to know all her clients on a personal level so on the days we were with her, we felt comfortable being ourselves.

Sam talks about how important intention is when creating a day that captures who you are as people and your relationship, but it’s just as important to find someone who you can trust and puts that same intention into how they operate.

She was truly the helping hand we needed through this journey and is SO good at what she does. Not only do we now have kick a** photos and memories to look back on but through this process we have also gained someone we can call a forever friend ❤️

Top Ireland Elopement Tip

Ireland has restrictions on where you are allowed to legally have a ceremony. In contrast to Scotland, where you can have your ceremony pretty much anywhere, in Ireland it must be open to the public, have a mailing address, and the ceremony must be within a certain distance of a notable landmark (a building, tower, etc.). It can be a challenge, since many castles are on private property. My top tip is to hire a planner! Planners like Aislinn Events have connections to property owners, like where Caitlin and Peter had their ceremony. That castle ruin (requested by owner to not be named) is not open to ceremonies unless through connections like this.

Vendors

PLANNER: Annie & Peter at Aislinn Events
FLORALS: Every Occasion Florist
MAKEUP/HAIR: Ava at Sean Taffee Salon, Michelle at Vanity Case
CELEBRANT: John Burns
GOWN: Mariella Creations
SUIT: Enzo Clothiers, Connecticut

If you’re dreaming of a day like this, full of intention and connection with a splash of “epic” thrown in, reach out, and let’s co-create an adventure together reflective of YOU…