Ireland meets Vegas in Unique Destination Wedding | Michael & Caroline

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Although life is certainly no fairy tale, once upon a time a unique, vibrant, intelligent woman in Ireland met an equally unique, intelligent Irish man online. They arranged to meet a week later in a bar, where they were the only customers except for a guy dressed like Slash, from Guns N’ Roses. Now, we all know sometimes a situation like this can be awkward being the only ones in the room, newly introduced. But, it just so happens Slash became the ice breaker for these two and the spark flared from the start.

Caroline and Michael had booked us two years out, and Rachel and Amanda, our lovely ladies from Cactus and Lace Weddings, had decided to do a grand walking tour of Ireland with some of their children just last summer. Caroline and Michael played tour guides for a day to our Rachel and Amanda, who promptly fell in love with this amazing couple as they all roamed the Irish streets.

During the wait for their official marriage day, several years away, Caroline was busily engaged in obtaining her Ph.D. This was a dominant part of their relationship and we are proud to say she just recently completed her doctorate journey and we can call her Dr!

Caroline commented on Michael’s kind and gentle nature. “He is the calm to my chaos,” she wrote. The twist on this wonderful relationship is, according to Caroline, that “she believes in equality, and that marriage is an equal decision, so I proposed to him first. I commissioned a series of pictures of us on our dates and holidays and made a video. On Christmas morning, I proposed.”

Then it was Michael’s turn to propose! He made Caroline a box of all the things she loved and included a copy of a book of fairy tales that they discussed on one of their earlier dates. These two speak each other’s love language and they had gained this quality through overcoming challenges together, and learning how to communicate with each other. And while life is not a fairy tale, we believe this couple knows how to cherish each other, and create a very happy life together. Serendipity. One of those amazing little qualities we stumble upon, now and then.

Caroline and Micheal wanted it all – both a fun, comical Vegas wedding with all the lights and frivolity this city has to offer AND a serene, emotional wedding ceremony with the beauty and grace that the lone desert offers. So we had the wedding day at Valley of Fire with just Micheal and Caroline with a sentimental and heartfelt ceremony by Angie of Peachy Keen Unions. Then we were blessed that we were able to photograph the next day’s festivities on the Las Vegas Strip as well, for some old fashion Vegas-style fun! Starting with beauty at Atomic Style Lounge, then a ride over to A Little White Chapel for a ridiculously awesome lark of a ceremony. Ending the night at Haute Doggery for a post-wedding dinner with laughs all around, all with their group of friends and family from all over the world. What fun crowd to be part of and a joy to photograph!

Caroline and Michale, may the sun always shine behind every cloud, and may you carry our warmth, love, and joy on your marriage wherever you travel.

All our love,

Lory, Rachel, Amanda, and Torrey, all of us at Cactus and Lace Weddings