Although Ally Rice and Sean Fernando met through mutual friends, it wasn’t until their first date over Old Bay tater tots in the West Village when they realized just how much they had in common. “We discovered we were both born in the same hospital in Virginia, seven years and a few months apart,” Ally shares. “From a chance introduction in New York to a shared birthplace miles away, fate had clearly been at work from the very beginning.” 

After two-and-a-half years together, Ally was certain Sean would propose during her birthday weekend, when her family was in town. However, he didn’t drop to one knee during their celebratory dinner. The next morning, her parents left for the airport, so Ally—feeling a bit disappointed—decided drinks at The Beekman were in order. Just five minutes away from their reservation, her sister pointed out the car window towards New York City Hall. “There was Sean, standing on the steps, ring in hand, as our families pretended to read The Washington Post,” Ally recalls. The newly engaged couple took the celebration to Fairfax, the same restaurant where they’d had their first date. 

It was to be a destination affair orchestrated by Over The Moon The List Planner Marcy Blum. The engaged couple chose Ireland not just for its beauty, but for the people. “There’s a kind of warmth and wit in Irish hospitality that’s unmatched, and we wanted our guests to feel wrapped up in it from the moment they arrived,” Ally explains. Adare Manor doubled as the backdrop and heart of the weekend. 

The bride worked with stylist Anny Choi to curate the wardrobes for herself, Sean, and their families. “With four days of events—some with multiple outfit changes—the task felt daunting,” she admits. The vision fell into place once Ally chose her ceremony gown—a custom Danielle Frankel featuring a hand-painted floral fabric, which became the thread for the rest of her looks.

“Patricia Voto of One/Of created multiple pieces for the weekend, including my pub crawl outfit, the welcome party dress, an after-party mini, and a short-sleeved jacket I wore over an Oscar de la Renta dress to the Sunday Roast,” the bride details. To accessorize, Ally wore jewelry from her mother’s collection throughout the weekend, and Tarek Makki and Taymour Hallal were on-site to deliver perfectly styled hair and makeup for each event. 

On Wednesday, guests were welcomed to Ireland with a charming ‘Bits and Bobs’ gifting suite, filled with locally-sourced treasures and some of the couple’s favorite Irish brands. “Much of that magic came from the incredibly talented Cecile’s Paper Co, who designed everything from our save the dates and invitation suite to gifting, signage, and countless bespoke details,” Ally shares.

The wedding weekend officially began on Thursday with a pub crawl. As the crawl wound through town, guests belted out classic Irish songs, knocked back Baby Guinnesses, and chowed down on fish’n’chips, all before capping off the night with a traditional Ceili. Over The Moon The List Photographer Allan Zepeda and Eyespie Productions were at the lens to capture every spirited moment.

The next morning, while Ally and the girls enjoyed a ladies lunch, the gentlemen teed off at the inaugural ‘Fernando Cup.’ Since choosing Adare as their venue, it had been Sean’s dream to host his own tournament at the home of the 2027 Ryder Cup. “It came to life with 100 players and 100 caddies, a scale that could have been a logistical nightmare,” Sean notes. “But the Adare team really went above par to make it an experience every single golfer in attendance would never forget.” 

Come Friday night, guests were swept into a full-sensory journey dubbed ‘The Manor Soirée.’ “This choose-your-own-adventure was complete with Black Rabbit actors, a faerie garden full of spritzes, tequila shots with the Lady of the Manor, Bridgerton-inspired dancing, and a Beauty and The Beast dessert room,” Ally exclaims. Then came the grand finale, the cabaret. The room was packed, the energy was electric, and before long every guest was on their feet—or standing on chairs—singing along to every song the band played. 

On May 24, 2025, Ally and Sean exchanged vows in the walled garden. “Naturally, Ireland gave us a very Ireland sort of wedding day—gray, rainy, and misty,” Ally muses. “Like some divine cue, the rain stopped and the sun broke through just as the ALR Music quartet began playing ‘Here Comes the Sun,’” Ally adds. “Sean, who’s usually the loudest voice in the room, was quiet—grounded by the emotion of the day in a way I hadn’t seen before.” 

The evening began with a topiary, chess-themed cocktail hour, a nod to the groom’s father who grew up playing chess in Sri Lanka. And the reception could best be described as a love letter to Ireland. “​To call it a tent would be a disservice,” Ally points out. “The reception space—built over the course of three weeks by the incredible team at Eventus—was more like a bespoke, otherworldly estate dropped into the Irish countryside.” 

As guests moved to the party space, they were transported into what felt like the couple’s own living room, produced by Bespoke London. “Flowers by Nikki Tibbles Wild at Heart adorned every table and candles lit the room in a homey glow,” Ally continues. Even the bathrooms played their part in the story, continuing the chess motif. “One of my favorite little details was a sweet portrait of our late King Charles Cavalier, Mimo—our own ‘king’—who greeted guests on the way to another set of perfectly styled, thoughtfully designed restrooms.” 

As a menu of locally-inspired favorites was served, the couple heard toasts from their fathers. “My dad gave a typically witty and poignant speech that had the whole room laughing,” Ally details. “In classic Swiftie fashion, he presented me with a Taylor Swift friendship bracelet that read, ‘Happily Ever After’…and handed one to Sean that read, ‘Lucky.’” 

After dinner came dancing. “​Although not an obvious choice for a first dance, we chose to dance to ‘Pink Pony Club,’ right after Sean changed into his blush dinner jacket by J. Mueser,” the bride recounts. And just when it felt like they had danced the night away, the party took on a second life as guests were shuttled to the after-party, coined ‘Night Owl.’ 

“Think a pink explosion meets Champagne-fueled fever dream,” Ally reminisces. And just next door was Paul’s Place, a sweet homage to the bride’s father. “It was a piano bar created for the slightly more mellow crowd filled with the kind of conversation that only happens after midnight at a wedding.”

The DJ wrapped around 3:00 a.m.—but the party didn’t stop. “[Marcy Blum Planner] Rocky Sethna took over the music and kept the celebration going, spinning crowd favorites for the late-late-night crew who simply refused to stop,” Ally laughs. The sun came up as the last track was played in a wildly joyful end to an unforgettable evening.