If you're a regular listener to the One Fab Day wedding podcast, you'll already be familiar with the insanely gorgeous real wedding we're sharing today. Groom Pauric appeared on our episode about groom's parties, so we've already heard a little bit about his wedding to Christine, an effortlessly cool, fun-filled and spontaneous bash in the Borgo di Tragliata just outside of Rome. Of course, when we heard about the setting, the style and 45-minute best man speech (bear with us - it's not as intense as it sounds!), we were dying to see the photographs by Maison Pestea, which somehow managed to exceed our very high expectations. Their destination wedding in Italy is full of beautiful aesthetic touches, as well as the kind of personal details that you can tell will have guests ravings for years to come. So let's take a closer look!

Pauric tells us that he first met Christine at university, during Freshers' Week. "As chairperson of the drama society, I was running the registration stand, hoping to sign up some budding thespians. Little did I know I was to meet my future wife! Later, we met again at a friend's party. We hit it off over a game of musical spin the bottle and we've been together ever since.”

After a few years together, Pauric and Christine decided to move to Sydney. "We had an incredible time in Australia, living on Bondi Beach, making lifelong friends and having some incredible experience traveling around New Zealand, Bali and the Philippines. We always felt a call back to Ireland, but, due to work constraints, Christine returned to Ireland in August, while I had to stay until October. The weekend I returned home from Oz, I popped the question. After a nervy couple of minutes, with me on my knees, Christine crying uncontrollably, and a number of concerned tourists looking on, she said yes!"

Pauric tells us that the couple's number one priority for the big day was to throw a party that was worth travelling for! "We had guests flying in from Dubai, NYC, Salt Lake City, Sydney and Cavan, so it was a massive ask," he says. "With that in mind, we wanted to ensure that our guests were as comfortable as possible, and were able to fully relax into the weekend. We spent a lot of time selecting the food and wine, ensuring that our guests had comfortable rooms and that they had a chance to mingle. Our friends are heavily involved in the performing arts, so we wanted to ensure that music was also front and centre during the weekend."

When it came time to look at wedding venues, the couple had a pretty long wish list to fulfill. "We had heard excellent reviews from previous guests of Borgo di Tragliata, and when we visited the Borgo, we knew from the moment we stepped foot in the venue that it was where we had to get married. It was only 30 or 40 mins from the airport and the city of Rome, had a church onsite, two swimming pools, could fit our 120 guests and every event of the weekend was based in a different location of the venue, allowing it to feel unique and special. The delicious Italian cuisine was all organically grown on the farm, the staff were so incredibly friendly, it had all the amenities necessary and had that gorgeous, romantic Italian vibe."

It sounds like Christine and Pauric really made the most of their time at the Borgo! "Before our guests arrived, we had two days with our parents in the venue," Pauric says. "Having both sets of parents with us in the lead up to the weekend was brilliant, and it gave us a chance to share some quality time with them before the weekend."

The couple kicked off the celebrations with a welcome BBQ, featuring the first of many musical performances! "We organised our very own music festival with friends and family, performing some of our favourite poems and songs. Sitting under the stars, drinking wine and listening to our best friends serenade us will be a memory we won’t soon forget."

Christine's ornate Grace Loves Lace wedding dress is just perfect for a chilled-out destination wedding in Italy! "Having fallen in love with this Australian designer during my time in Sydney, I was delighted to wear the Inca gown," she tells us.

The wedding day itself was filled with many more contributions from friends and family. Pauric tells us, "my cousin, Fr. Ultan, acted as celebrant and our siblings read. We had a beautiful rendition of Your Song and Falling Slowly performed by Christine’s cousin and my groomsman. In a stand-out moment, Christine’s Mum and Aunt performed a beautiful rendition of The Prayer, which is one of Christine's favourite songs."

But the music and spoken word performances didn't stop there! "As a special surprise, the Father of the Bride (who has never sung in public before) sang I Loved Her First, and had the entire wedding party and guests in tears. Another stand-out moment from that evening was our best man, Dallan, giving a 45-minute poem learnt off by heart about his friendship with the groom and bride. People are still talking about it." Dallan was also a guest on the groom's party episode of the podcast - be sure to give it a listen if you'd like to hear more about that epic speech!

Christine dressed her girls in blush pink gowns by Rewritten, which are complimented so beautifully by the pink peonies in her bridal bouquet!

An unexpected power cut at the Borgo just after dessert led to a magical moment for the couple and their guests! "After a few minutes of uncertainty, our incredible band, The Gloves, started playing Stand by Me (which was lyrically very apt as the moon was the only light we could see!) Our family and friends embraced the romantic setting, and all joined in for a big dance party under the stars. When the lights eventually came back on, the band led the entire wedding in a mad conga line to the barn to dance the night away. The next day, many people asked if it had been planned, as it was so amazing!"

Pauric's advice for engaged couples is to accept help when it's offered (very wise!), and to have regular check-ins with your partner. "We found it really helpful to set up shared spreadsheets and, once a week, would have a cosy evening in with wine just chatting about the progress in the planning. Also, take time off. Weddings can be all-consuming projects and sometimes it does help to take a breather."

The couple have also got some advice to offer on dealing with suppliers. "Book your suppliers as soon as possible and enjoy the experience," Pauric says. "The venue will give you a list of trusted and regular suppliers that they have worked with. Read the reviews and reach out to previous couples who may have used them for their own wedding. Don’t be afraid to shop around and question them on pricing. There is actually a Borgo Brides facebook group that we found to be very helpful, as the venue is so popular with Irish weddings."

After the wedding, Christine and Pauric travelled up the Amalfi Coast with friends, visiting Sorrento, Capri and Positano. "We hired out a yacht to view the top spots on the Amalfi Coast," Pauric says. "It sounds super swish and expensive, but actually worked out far more economical with the gang of us all together. It allowed the party to continue and it was an amazing way of spending more quality time with our close friends, who had travelled all the way from Sydney to come to our wedding. We have planned a two-week winter honeymoon in South Africa, visiting Capetown and including a safari."

I think it's safe to say that Christine and Pauric know how to throw a party! At this point, we have to say a huge thank you to the couple for sharing their gorgeous day with us, and to Maison Pestea for providing the beautiful imagery! There are lots more photographs in the gallery below, so be sure to click through for a look.