Bedminster, New Jersey
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Deirdre and Brian’s late-August wedding was a joyful celebration of family, tradition, and their Irish heritage. From a deeply meaningful ceremony at the same church where Deirdre’s grandparents were married, to a lively reception at Fiddler’s Elbow filled with Irish music, dancing, and plenty of Guinness, every part of the day felt personal to the two of them and the families they were bringing together.
Deirdre and Brian’s story began during their sophomore year of college, when a mutual friend introduced them just before Deirdre left to study abroad in Australia. Despite the distance (and a pretty significant time difference), they talked every single day while she was away. When Deirdre returned home six months later, Brian finally asked her out, and the rest is history.
Years later, Brian proposed during a September trip to Bar Harbor, Maine. The two spent the week hiking and exploring Acadia National Park before making their way to the top of Beech Mountain, where Brian popped the question. He also completely surprised Deirdre with her ring, a stunning elongated princess cut with side baguettes that he designed after taking just a few hints from her along the way.
When it came to their wedding, Deirdre and Brian envisioned a day that felt refined and elegant, but above all, deeply personal. Family and tradition were at the heart of so many of their choices, beginning with their ceremony at St. Rose of Lima. Deirdre’s grandparents, who immigrated from Ireland met at St. Rose, were married there, and went on to raise their family in the same town. Deirdre also received all of her sacraments at the church, making it an incredibly meaningful place for generations of her family.
Their late-August wedding day could not have been more beautiful, with an unseasonably cool morning and not a cloud in the sky. Deirdre got ready with her mother and two sisters before stepping into her elegant Anne Barge gown and sharing emotional first looks with her bridesmaids and her dad. She and Brian also chose to see each other before the ceremony, and Brian’s reaction to his bride-to-be was one of the sweetest moments of the day.
After their ceremony, complete with beautiful Irish music and traditions, everyone made their way to Fiddler’s Elbow for a celebration that fully embraced the couple’s Irish heritage. And while I photograph many weddings at Fiddler’s, this one truly felt unlike any other. The reception was filled with lively music, Irish dancing, and plenty of pints. Deirdre, her sisters and mother, along with Brian’s sisters, even performed an Irish dance set for their guests. It was one of those moments where you could feel just how much history, family, and joy were wrapped into the celebration. As someone who is mostly Scottish and only a little Irish (shoutout to 23andMe), I somehow found myself feeling emotional and nostalgic for a country I’ve never even been to!
From the meaningful family heirlooms Deirdre carried with her, to the traditions woven throughout the ceremony and reception, their wedding felt like such a beautiful celebration of where their families came from and the new chapter Deirdre and Brian are beginning together. Congratulations to the Quinns on an absolutely incredible wedding day!
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Vendors:
Photography: Jill Sahner Photography
Planner: Particular Planner
Venue: Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club
Videography: ToneMedia
Content Creator: Something Hue
Hair: Hair by Corinne
Makeup: Beauty on Location
Florals: Jardiniere Fine Flowers
Band: McLean Avenue Band
Invitations: Little Black Dress Paperie
Gown: Elizabeth Johns, Anne Barge
Transportation: Good Life Limo Bus
