Kate Wasserbach and Travis Moore met in high school through a longtime mutual friend, Michael, who played lacrosse with Travis.
“I have known Michael since I was three years old,” Kate shares, “and Travis has played travel lacrosse with Michael since the fourth grade. Fate had it that Travis and I didn't connect earlier in life, but everything happens for a reason. Michael introduced us in our senior year of high school. Travis went to a rival high school from mine, so – at that point – it was considered a small town scandal... just kidding!”
After seeing Travis on Facebook, Kate made the first move by giving Michael permission to connect them. Michael relayed Kate’s number to Travis, letting him know she was interested. Travis’ first love was ski racing at the time, so he was away every weekend competing. Although he and Kate texted casually, it took two months to meet in person.
“He has gone out of his way from the second I met him to make me feel extraordinary.”
“I almost gave up on the idea, thinking he was clearly uninterested,” Kate recalls. “But when I saw his smile, sweet personality, and overwhelming sense of charm, I immediately knew he was worth the wait. Even today, I am in constant rivalry with the ski slopes; but she's a little colder than I am.”
An At-Home Proposal
When Travis proposed, the couple had just bought their first home in upstate New York after living in Manhattan for over a decade. It was their first big purchase together, and it was “their everything” – a 125-year-old heritage home that is registered as a national historic preservation home. It had all the character they could ever want, making it the perfect setting for an at-home proposal.
“I had this favorite room in the house where Travis proposed, and we now call it the Hermes room because it is painted Hermes Orange,” says Kate. “Every year around Christmas time, Travis plans a special date night for the two of us. Usually, in Manhattan, it was our time to act as tourists where we would totally geek out in holiday spirit and paint the town red (and green). It was my favorite time of the year. Because we were not in the city this year, it was not uncommon for Travis to go out of his way to make things extra special.
So, when I came downstairs after getting ready and Travis had roses, French martinis, a charcuterie, a fire burning, and a backgammon game set up to play before we went out, I was not led to believe that this was the time Travis would propose. Truly... he has gone out of his way from the second I met him to make me feel extraordinary. He ended up proposing in that room, just the two of us. He knew that I would want it to be private, with no outside distractions or influence. It was perfect.”
Knowing that Kate would want to see her family right after the at-home proposal, Travis planned for a vintage Rolls Royce with a chauffeur to come pick them up and go to Kate’s brother's house, where all her favorite people were gathered and waiting. Afterwards, the newly engaged pair headed downtown for a special dinner, and the Rolls took them all around town for an evening of celebrations.
Planning a Wedding at Ballyfin Demesne
When the wedding planning process began, Ballyfin Demesne was Kate and Travis’ first choice for a wedding venue. Ballyfin was their first call but, to their disappointment, Ballyfin said their earliest availability was in 2025. Since the couple wanted to wed within the year, they sadly pushed their dream wedding venue to the side and set out to find their “second best” option.
“We couldn't find anything close to what Ballyfin had to offer us, and our hearts were set on this venue,” says Kate. “What could beat an Irish countryside private manor with your closest family and friends for a weekend? It was hard to beat. Right when we were about to throw in the towel and head to the white chapel in Vegas, Ballyfin called saying they had a cancellation for this year in November. It was a God Wink and truly serendipitous. So, we had eight months to plan the wedding of our dreams. We hired the best wedding planner, Michelle from Waterlily Weddings, and had the most fun planning, knowing that we had locked in Ballyfin.”
An Irish Countryside Wedding Filled with Quiet Luxury
On the day of the wedding, Kate found herself to be a lot calmer than she had anticipated. She and Travis opted not to see each other the night before, so she was simply excited to see him. The first time the bride saw her groom was when she was walking down the aisle, hand in hand with her father.
“Irish weddings are traditionally around 13 hours, so I was excited to get the show on the road with my hubby,” she adds. “Ballyfin is beyond lavish, so we didn't have to do much. I really did not want the decor to compete with the lavishness and exquisiteness of the estate. Overall, I wanted the theme to be 'quiet luxury.' Our designers from Frog Prince nailed it. My tablescape was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
The couple’s Irish countryside wedding consisted of several wonderful moments, starting with welcome drinks at an Irish pub in Dublin. To fill their time between wedding events, guests experienced the Irish countryside to its fullest with the activities offered by the Ballyfin estate. This included horseback riding, skeet shooting, archery, horse and buggy rides, falconry, fishing, and more.
During the ceremony, a Celtic monk from the Aran Islands of Ireland led the sacrament of their marriage with a beautiful ceremony; and an Elvis impersonator surprised guests for the couple’s first dance. To end the wedding experience on a high note, there was an Irish American BBQ the next day featuring a live native Irish band, a bloody Mary bar, and Irish coffees – an indulgent spread that everyone enjoyed while watching the World Cup.
A Honeymoon in France
After their Ballyfin wedding, the newlyweds spent a night in the Shelbourne in Dublin before flying to Paris the next day for a honeymoon in France.
“Our reception décor was inspired by our favorite spot in Paris, Hotel Costes,” says Kate, “so we stayed at Hotel Costes for four nights. Paris is our love language, and we have always treasured our trips there for fashion month. But my most special memories from our honeymoon were when we went to the Loire Valley in the French countryside. Because it was the end of November, there were beautiful Christmas markets everywhere. We found a spot in a sleepy/romantic town in the valley called Amboise. It was the most relaxing and magical place I have ever been to. It looked like the town from Beauty and the Beast; truly enchanting.”
WEDDING TALENT
Location: Ballyfin Demesne, Loise, Ireland; Planner: Michelle Johnstone Clark; Event & Floral Design: Frog Prince Weddings; Photography: Katherine Marchand Photography, Seminam Bildik