Chinese Tea, Neon & "Something Blue" Blooms: Amy & Chin Mun

A gorgeous Irish-Chinese celebration by the lake shore!

Get ready for a summer wedding with immense style and heart. Our real wedding couple Amy and Chin Mun tied the knot in the stunning Virginia Park Lodge in Co. Cavan and they wowed their guests with their timeless taste in style, breathtaking blooms, fabulous food, and so much more. Their big day not only celebrated their love story but honoured family traditions beautifully. From the bride's elegantly romantic wedding gown, to the stunning bridesmaids in green satin, a gorgeous Chinese tea ceremony, cool neon signage and the awe-inducing reception styling which blended lush foliage and sparkling lights, their wedding day wowed across the boards. Superbly captured by Gillian Higgins, get ready to be incredibly moved when you find out about the heartwarming inspiration behind the colourful blooms.

So, let's get better acquainted with our newlyweds. Amy is from Newry and Chin Mun hails from Lisburn in Northern Ireland. They were in university together and even though they were in the same class for five years their paths didn't cross for a long time. "We met in final year while on placement in Derry together! We became friends initially and on the last night out of university, that was it!"

If you're wondering how to pop the question, take a leaf out of romantic Chin Mun's book and choose a sentimental, and breathtaking, proposal spot. Chin Mun and Amy got engaged while they were on a trip to Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort which is nestled in rugged links land between two stretching white sandy beaches on the beautiful Donegal coastline. It was where they took their first trip together and it's a place that's very close to his family’s heart.

Reminiscing on the life-changing moment, Amy reveals: "We were starving after a morning of walking and got ham and cheese crepes on the beach and the rest is history!" Today the couple live in Belfast.

They describe their wedding as being an "eclectic, happy, gloriously rainy day". They dreamt of their wedding being a chilled and happy day (minus the inevitable morning rush before the ceremony) spent with the people they love.

Having a crowd-pleasing and mouthwatering menu was top of the priority list for the couple for their wedding which was held on July 15th, 2023. "It’s the main reason we wanted to celebrate at Virginia Park Lodge. But it was so much more than good food. Its reputation went before it, and particularly when it came to the food. There was never really any competition and the decision was an easy one to make!"

There are so many different kinds of ceremony rituals that make a wedding so memorable and special. It was very important to the couple to honour traditions from both of their families so they opted for a wedding mass and a Chinese tea ceremony at the reception.

Having a note-perfect soundtrack was another hugely important aspect. As for their wedding aesthetic, the couple were influenced by the beauty of their venues. "We didn’t overthink this aspect of things when organising. We think the cathedral and Virginia Park Lodge are such beautiful places in their own right that we didn’t need to add much to them and otherwise just picked what we loved and we think it all worked really well together."

Amy was a vision of romantic elegance in her off-the-shoulder A-line wedding dress which featured a draped bodice with a sweetheart neckline with diaphanous organza short sleeves and a dreamy organza overskirt. She accessorised with statement pearl drop earrings, ruched satin wedding heels and she topped off her incredible wedding day look with a cathedral veil.

Her bridesmaids oozed style wearing gorgeous green satin bridesmaids dresses while Chin Mun and his groomsmen kept things timeless in black tuxes.

A string quartet brought a spine-tingling edge to their ceremony and Amy made her entrance to Cavatina. "It's a song that both of our mums love and so was even more special to walk down the aisle to. We didn’t have a singer at mass but our the psalm was sung by our friend, Aidan, who some described as, 'the voice of an angel'. He will love that!"

The cathedral was decorated with a phenomenal floral display and the couple used their wedding flowers to pay a beautiful tribute Chin Mun's father. "We adored our florist and the only real request we had was to include blue hydrangeas which was the flower Chin Mun's dad gave to his mum when he was born and part of which is still planted in the garden. We thought it was a nice way of remembering him on the day!"

While it's a foodie's heaven, Virginia Park Lodge is famous for its glorious scenery. The historic manor house overlooks Lough Ramor and with idyllic countryside views and the picturesque gardens of course Amy and Chin Mun's wedding photos were utterly gorgeous.

Their reception was a dazzling affair as they celebrated under sparkling fairy lights with a stunning floral display hanging over the main wedding table. The reception room was a highly romantic sight as powdery-shaded blooms dotted the tables and candles brought a vivid glow. They even had a chic neon sign made up that proudly announced them as The Soong's.

The world is your oyster when it comes to creating a unique table seating chart and food lovers will adore Amy and Chin Mun's wonderful table name idea. "We both love our food and the tables at the reception were named after some of our favourite restaurants from around the world; the top table being our best meal ever at Vue De Monde in Melbourne and not forgetting the OG: Friar Tucks in Newry!"

Reflecting on the sensational service from the wedding team on their special day, Amy explains: "Deirdre and Ciaran went above and beyond to make sure our day ran smoothly and we didn’t need to worry about a thing. We couldn’t recommend them more highly. It was a beautiful space that both we and our guests fully enjoyed, despite the weather, and the service was exceptional."

A wedding ceremony is a wonderful time to honour family and heritage. The couple held a Chinese tea ceremony at the reception after the meal which acknowledged Chin Mun’s family tradition and was a way of welcoming the Joneses into the Soong family. This treasured ritual sees the wedding couple present tea to parents, in-laws and other esteemed elders.

For the reception, Amy removed the overskirt of her gown to reveal a fabulous figure-hugging silhouette while she also changed her earrings. Their first dance as a married couple was The Best by James Bay. The music was a massive hit with their wedding guests.

"We think we picked some amazing musicians which our guests still talk about and the dancefloor was full all night!" The couple toasted to their happily ever after at the reception in sparkling style with the help of a champagne tower.

The celebrations continued as the couple jetted off to Malaysia and Singapore immediately after the wedding to spend time with Chin Mun’s extended family who couldn't make it over for the wedding. "Our trip consisted mainly of eating our way around Ipoh and Singapore with a short break in Langkawi for some R&R. 10/10, would highly recommend!"

A huge congratulations and thank you to our lovely couple Amy and Chin Mun and to Gillian Higgins for sharing this incredible Virginia Park Lodge wedding with One Fab Day.

Tying the knot here? Get inspired by checking out even more stunning Irish Real Weddings!

Recommended Suppliers

Suppliers 

Photographer //
Gillian Higgins
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Wedding Dress Label //
Newhite
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Bridal Boutique //
Ivy & White
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Bridal Shoes //
Reiss
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Bridal Accessories //
Blue Meadow
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Makeup //
Tara Doran
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Groomswear //
Bogart
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Bridesmaid Dresses //
Jenny Yoo
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Bridesmaid Dress Boutique //
Dream Weddings
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Mother of the Bride Outfit //
Blush Boutique
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Flowers/Bouquets & Boutonnieres //
The Rosehip and Berry Floral Studio
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Transport (Bridal Party) //
Champagne Moments
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Transport (Bride and Groom) //
Heffernan Wedding Cars
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Wedding Favours //
Dementia UK
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Stationery //
The Ivory Feather
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Table Plan //
A Touch of Craft NI
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Wedding Rings //
Murray & Co Jewellers
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Ceremony Music //
Arco String Quartet
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Reception Music //
Anna's Number
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Band/DJ //
Muddlers Club
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Videographer //
Agape Film & Photo
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Neon Sign //
@neon
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Celebrant //
Fr Hugh Connolly
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