A Rugby-Themed Irish Wedding at Lake Placid Club in Lake Placid, New York

Sara Platt (32 and a teacher) and Bryan Shanahan (31 and a project engineer) had both been playing rugby in the same league for many years before they met, but Sara had her eye on him. “To my friends, he was known as the handsome hooker (a rugby position) with the adorable golden retriever,” says Sara. One August, while their teams were both in Lake Placid for the CanAm tournament, Sara approached Bryan to spark up a conversation. Her nerves got the best of her, and they did not come face to face again for more than a year. At their next meeting, Sara challenged Bryan to a traditional post-match rivalry—shortly after, the two became inseparable and built a family in Hoboken with their two dogs. A tribute to their shared passion, Sara and Bryan had a rugby-themed wedding celebration at the Lake Placid Club during the annual CanAm tournament where they shared so many memories. “Our wedding was inspired by the Pennsylvania tartan made by USA Kilts,” says Sara. Bryan’s family is Irish and even has their own pattern (the Shanahan tartan), so naturally, “Bryan wanted to wear kilts on our wedding day. While we were not able to find anyone who had the Shanahan tartan, USA kilts sold the Pennsylvania tartan which is strikingly similar.” The wedding party, flowers and decor all followed a white, yellow and green color palette to match the kilts. The ceremony took place under a pavilion overlooking the Lake Placid Club golf course with spectacular views of hills reminiscent of Ireland. The reception included rustic decor such as painted distressed wood table numbers, mirror glass candle holders and shabby-chic frames with photos of the couple on each table. The day after the wedding, Bryan played in the CanAm rugby tournament, and many of the couple’s friends and family members turned the wedding into a vacation so they could stay and watch. The men, women and old boys who played in the CanAm tournament wore wedding jerseys—half bride and half groom.