Today's real wedding is that of Lesley and Meaghan who created a perfectly pastel celebration in the beautiful Rathsallagh House in Wicklow. The couple wanted to create a party atmosphere for their family and friends, so filled the day with lots of entertainment and great food. From musicians to dancers, and thoughtful little touches, the day was jam-packed, and, from the smiles on the guests' faces, you can tell that it all went down a treat! We can't wait to share the incredible imagery by Art Wedding Photography, so let's dive in!

It wasn't quite romance at first sight when they first met back in 2008. Meaghan moved to Lesley's hometown of Kildare for work that year and, soon after, the pair met on a night out. It was a friendship that lasted eight years until it grew into something more in 2016 when they made their relationship official.

Two years later, as the pair were heading to Clonakilty to celebrate Meaghan's birthday, Lesley treated them both to spa treatments and a delicious meal on the Cork coast. However, she was building up to a very special evening on the beach... "I had organised a marquee draped with fairy lights and voile and flowers down on the beach with jars of candles leading from the slipway up to it," Lesley told us. However, when trying to sneak Meghan down, she caught a glimpse of the setup and feared they were about to interrupt another couple's proposal! "It never dawned on her that it was all for her," Lesley said. Naturally, she eventually got down on one knee and asked Meaghan to marry her.

When it came to planning the wedding, the pair wanted to create what they call "rustic elegance" by including lots of greenery and pastel colours, with a feeling of calm. Lesley and Meaghan had their sights firmly set on Rathsallagh House as the venue that could make that happen.

Lesley had worked in Rathsallagh as a chef and knew that it would deliver when it came to food - which was high on the couple's list of priorities. "We were made to feel like it was one of their family members getting married," Meaghan said of the experience. "It was a home away from home."

Food ranked up there with entertainment for the fun-loving couple, who wanted to make sure the party continued into the early hours. "The Electrix had played at the wedding of two friends of ours and when we were researching bands, we just kept coming back to their sound. We wanted our ceremony music to really reflect us."

Lesley and Meaghan also included a hand-fasting ceremony, which is a symbolic unity ritual in which a couple stands face to face as their hands are tied together - hence the phrase, tying the knot! We've written an essential guide to hand-fasting for couples interested in learning more about the ancient practice.

What a stylish group!

The pair managed to say their "I dos" before Covid restrictions were introduced but the pandemic did hinder their plans to go on a honeymoon. "We have not gone away yet as the country went into lockdown just two days after our wedding" they told us. "We had planned to go on a mini-moon to The Monart the week after and we are now going at another time. No big honeymoon has been planned for this year."

After their experience with wedding planning, Lesley and Meaghan have a few nuggets of wisdom to share with others. "Do not sweat the small stuff. Embrace the build-up and take time out leading up to your day to spend time with family and friends." 

It's time to thank today's couple, Lesley and Meaghan for sharing their special day with us and Art Wedding Photography for capturing it all.