A Colourful Wildflower Wedding at Martinstown House, Kildare
A first visit to Martinstown House
Sinead and Michael’s wedding at Martinstown House in Kildare was full of color, movement and that slightly wild, just-picked feeling that works so beautifully in a summer wedding.
Planning their wedding from overseas, they wanted the flowers to feel relaxed rather than overly arranged — colorful, natural and full of character.
As a wedding florist, I have the opportunity to work in many beautiful venues but this was my first wedding at Martinstown House and I absolutely loved it.
The part that stood out to me most was the outdoor ceremony setting. Guests walk through the gardens towards the ceremony area, and there is something really special about that journey before the ceremony begins. The gardens feel intimate and relaxed, and the whole setting is surrounded by greenery without feeling too formal.
After the ceremony, the drinks reception can continue outside, with a covered area nearby, which makes the outdoor space feel very usable and welcoming. It is the kind of venue where the gardens are not just a backdrop — they really become part of the wedding day.
I also have to mention Jim, who I dealt with during the setup. He was so lovely and helpful, and when you are working in a venue for the first time, that makes such a difference.
The bridal bouquet
Sinead’s bouquet was designed in a loose, natural wildflower style, with plenty of color and movement.
I used a mix of seasonal flowers including asters, Tanacetum, alstroemeria and other complementary blooms, with very little greenery. The idea was to let the flowers themselves create the shape, texture and movement rather than relying on foliage.
The bouquet was intentionally airy and slightly unstructured, which suited the overall feel of the wedding perfectly.
To make Sinead’s bouquet stand out from the bridesmaids’ bouquets, I finished it with soft cream ribbon trails. It was a simple detail, but enough to give the bridal bouquet its own identity while keeping everything connected.
Bridesmaids and personal flowers
The bridesmaids carried smaller bouquets in the same wildflower-inspired style.
Their sage green dresses were the perfect background for the colorful flowers, allowing the reds, yellows, blues, pinks and softer tones to really stand out.
The buttonholes followed the same natural look, while the mums wore delicate floral wrist corsages so that all of the personal flowers felt connected without looking too matched or formal.
The outdoor ceremony flowers
For the ceremony, I wanted the flowers to feel as though they belonged in the garden setting.
Seasonal flowers were placed in small bud vases along the aisle, with candles and lanterns helping to create a soft, relaxed atmosphere.
For the ceremony table, I created one loose wildflower-style arrangement around the unity candles, with a few bud vases adding extra color and movement.
The smaller bud vases helped keep the overall look light and airy, while also making the flowers easy to move and reuse afterwards.
Reusing the flowers after the ceremony
I always try to think about how wedding flowers can work throughout the full day rather than only in one location.
Once the ceremony was finished, the floral pieces were moved into the reception space and incorporated into the long top table.
It gave the flowers a second life and created a natural connection between the ceremony and the reception rather than the two areas feeling completely separate.
The reception tables
For the guest tables, we kept the design simple and colorful with small bud vases placed along the length of the long tables.
Each vase only needed a few carefully chosen stems, but when repeated along the full table, the effect was really beautiful.
The colors flowed naturally from one vase to the next and created a relaxed, garden-inspired look without making the tables feel crowded.
The top table was slightly fuller, using the ceremony flowers again to create a more abundant display while still keeping the same loose, colorful style.
A wedding full of color and character
What I loved most about this wedding was how naturally everything came together.
The flowers were colorful and full of personality, but they never felt too heavy or over-designed. They suited the gardens, the outdoor ceremony and the relaxed atmosphere of Martinstown House beautifully.
My first wedding at Martinstown House was such a lovely experience, and definitely somewhere I would be very happy to return to.
A little more from the day
Some beautiful moments from Sinead and Michael’s wedding were also captured on video by Gráinne, and I’ve shared some of that content on my social media.
Wedding Team
Venue: Martinstown House, Kildare
Floral Design: Floriology Studio
Content Creator: Gráinne Keegan — @grainnekeeganmua
