Matthew and I met in law school and as we took the bar exam in July 2023

Like a lot of wedding dresses in 2020, Meg and Matthew’s original big day looked quite different from the one they'd been planning. But deciding to look around the bright side, this resilient couple found small moments during the day that managed to get even more magical compared to what they could have imagined. They honored their original Catskills wedding having an intimate backyard celebration the best of this? The bride reached wear her Stella York wedding gown twice!

Matthew and I met in law school and as we took the bar exam in July 2023, we chose to take a trip to Ireland. I lived in Ireland during college and miss it every single day, and I just couldn’t stop considering bringing Matt to my personal favorite place on Earth. We spent per week revisiting my old college haunts in Dublin after which taking a journey out west to Kerry, Clare, and Galway. One day on that journey, whenever we were traveling from Killarney to Dingle, we stopped at Inch Beach, a basic stretch of sand nestled between your Kerry mountains. We were a couple of maybe 10 people around the beach on that day. While I was taking within the view and washing off some seashells we'd gathered, Matt knelt down in the surf and inquired about marrying him. It was this type of private and intimate moment inside a breathtaking place.

It was essential for me to believe I had an outfit that evoked a vintage, timeless style that helped me feel elegant although not too ornate. I concerned about dress shopping because as a plus-size bride, I really didn’t understand what to expect. I had always admired Stella York gowns though, so I didn't visit any boutique that didn't carry Stella York dresses. Style 6758 was among the first dresses I tried on, and I never desired to take it off. It was flattering, comfortable, and straightforward, while still being elegant and special. Its understated elegance really allowed me and my personality to shine.

My husband and I originally planned to throw a mountain weekend retreat with 50-60 of our closest family and friends in November 2020 but COVID-19 had other plans. Rather than hope against hope the pandemic would slow before our date, throughout the summer of 2020 we chose to host a really intimate backyard wedding with just our immediate families and our wedding party. The best part relating to this day was that I was still being able to wear my Stella York dress, which made your day still feel so incredibly special and magical. Then, on our original November date, Matt and I spent a weekend in the Catskills, within the town where I was supposed to possess gotten married. We are so pleased with our decision to prioritize the and safety in our families and that we still cherish our memories in the August date for the wedding and our November weekend getaway. AND I reached wear my Stella York dress twice!

Our original beach wedding dresses plan included all of the hallmarks of the mountain family retreat – bonfires, Irish coffees, local beers, and all sorts of our family members staying on-site. We still incorporated these components into our COVID-safe backyard wedding, having a family member DJ, lots of dancing and string lights and sparklers, but still more than enough local beers. We used the weekend getaway on our original November date with just Matt and me for bridal portraits to incorporate some more styled and curated elements, such as the deep burgundy hues of the late autumn wedding, walks with the woods along a stream (yes, during my dress!), along with a private moment of sharing some in our favorite Irish whiskey together. We were in a position to highlight all the best parts in our wedding vision and that we are so grateful, with the help in our family, friends and amazing vendors, to have managed to get work for us.