While we all know we can't predict Irish weather, Marty and Melanie decided to outsmart the weather gods with a marquee wedding at Ballybeg House and got everything they were hoping for! Anna Pumer was there to capture the sun beams as well as everything else on the day!

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Good Morning One Fab Day readers! If you can believe it, Melanie met her man on her very first night after emigrating to the United Arab Emirates - and in a pub no less! It doesn't get much more meant-to-be than that. When it came to planning their celebration it had to be back home in Ireland. Mel and Marty decided to outsmart the weather gods with a marquee wedding at Ballybeg House , and got everything they were hoping for! Anna Pumer was there to capture the sun beams as well as everything else on the day!

After deciding to take a teaching position in the UAE, Melanie found herself in an English pub on her first night in a new country. Marty was in the right place at the right time, stepping in to fend off a few over-friendly locals by pretending to be Melanie's boyfriend! And wouldn't you know, the couple ran into each other again on Arthur's Day a few weeks later! They chatted and before they knew it, Marty was helping Melanie set up her apartment...In fact our 3rd date was to IKEA! My dad joked in his speech that each week he would hear about this Marty fella putting up more pictures or shelves and that he was pretty sure it was getting serious because there couldn’t possibly be any more wall space left in my apartment!

Marty was a stickler for tradition, so although the couple had talked about getting married, he waited to meet Melanie's Dad and ask his permission before popping the big question. For the proposal, Marty hatched a plan... I booked us into a 5 star hotel with a sea view in Dubai. I made Melanie get ready to go out, but at sunset walked her out onto the balcony where a rose and two glasses of red wine were waiting. Then it was down on one knee!

Mel and Marty chose the Glenealy Parish Church in Wicklow to have their ceremony and what a sweet little church it is, not to mention the very cute flowergirls who lead the way!

After the ceremony, Mel and Marty exited in style, in a red 1990 Alpha Romeo Spider convertible! The bride was number one on the day, but a close second was the perfect car for Marty...I’m a car nut and choosing the right one was important, a red 1990 Alpha Romeo Spider convertible! And we'll admit it looked perfect on the day!And even Melanie got a kick out of the Spider on the big day...My favourite parts of the day were the ceremony and our drive back from the church as husband and wife, through the countryside, with the top down on the car.

Marty and Melanie wanted to work with a photographer who understood their need to stay with their guests for as much time as possible. Neither of them wanted to disappear for hours for formal photographs, so they were thrilled when they found Anna and she was able to deliver on this request. This is something we're seeing with more and more weddings, and it's something many photographers will work with you on.

When it came to planning the wedding reception, Melanie says that the sunshine in the UAE may have gotten to her head...I loved the idea of an outdoor wedding and I think the perma-sunshine in the UAE made me plan a wedding that really relied heavily on it being sunny. I had always wanted a marquee wedding but it comes with a lot of extra hassle and expense so when a friend mentioned a venue in Wicklow, so close to where I wanted to get married, that had a permanent marquee, I had to find it! I fell in love with Ballybeg House instantly. It was rainy and misty when I saw it first and it still had that wow factor. I knew it would be beautiful even in the rain and we could put our own stamp on it. Luckily we managed to bring a bit of sunshine back for the big day.

From Abu Dhabi to Dublin for a fun marquee wedding reception...

Ballybeg House is full of charm and plenty of character!

Melanie and Marty included a bunch of fun and quirky touches to the their decor. Melanie's mom cultivated the wheatgrass for the centrepieces and we just love the pop of green and fun texture on the tables! One of the bridesmaids worked out the table plan - fashioned after the London Underground tube map! Melanie's godmother made the cake, and Marty's sister made the sweet cake toppers. Melanie and Marty ordered flowers from the Smithfield Flower Market and the bridal party set to work creating the flowers and decorations with only photographs for a guide! Brave souls!

And Melanie couldn't have been more happy with the help... Overall it was the people that made our wedding so special. So many of our friends and family helped to make our dreams a reality.

Even the dogs wanted a go at the photobooth!

When it came to staying calm through the wedding planning, Melanie looked to a friend of Marty's who had attended a huge number of weddings...I was obviously eager to hear his opinion on what he thought made a good wedding. One of his pieces of advice became my mantra for the year of planning beforehand. He said if the bride is stressed and worrying about things on the day, everyone around her will be too. It will have a domino effect on everyone. I tried to take this on board but it was a challenge. Wedding planning can be very overwhelming. All I can say is I tried to keep focusing on us as a couple. Having our engagement shoot with Anna a few days before the wedding helped so much. We had been rushing around but took a morning off and it reminded us why we were doing everything. Once you are standing up making your vows with all your friends and family there, you won’t care about anything else.

For their honeymoon, Marty and Melanie enjoyed a stay on the shores of Lake Garda in Italy, enjoying some relaxation, the beautiful scenery, and the delicious food! Congratulations, you two! And a huge thanks goes to Anna Pumer for sharing her work with One Fab Day! To see more of Anna's work pop over to www.annapumerphotography.com

The Wedding Details: