Today's real wedding is that of Ed and Dave, who tied the knot before the pandemic, in the gorgeous Cloughjordan House in Tipperary, surrounded by family and friends. The pair wanted the day to be a celebration of their love, one that was relaxed and filled with laughter for both them and their guests. The fun-loving couple chose Louise Scott Photography to capture the day and, as you can see from the pictures, they had the wedding they both had hoped for.

Dublin native Ed and Dave from Down met on the other side of the globe while living in New Zealand. "We met at a party of mutual friends when we were both living in Wellington," they told us. "We were both persuaded to join the same choir a few weeks after. We first got together after a dinner party hosted by our friends Matt and David, who made the trip over from New Zealand to see us get married."

As for the proposal, that happened on Irish soil. "Ed was the one to propose," Dave said. "We were both living in Galway at this stage, having moved back to Ireland from New Zealand. I was back in that part of the world for work all the while I was away, Ed planned a secret surprise proposal with my eventual best woman, Sarah, who still lives in New Zealand. Ed flew over to New Zealand to surprise me. He waited by the waterfront in Oriental Bay in Wellington while Sarah took me for a walk. Ed was waiting on one knee as I approached. I nearly jumped out of my skin - before saying 'Yes' of course. We celebrated in the restaurant we had our very first date in - it was incredibly romantic."

Ed and Dave knew that they wanted to have a party and celebrate their wedding in a fun environment. "We wanted to have fun and to share this day with as many of the wonderful people in our lives as possible," they told us. "It was important that the wedding felt like it reflected us, and most importantly that it would be a relaxed day we would enjoy and never forget. Good food and the option for people to stay for a second day were also important, as so many of our guests were travelling from far away."

When it came to choosing a venue, there was one place that ticked all the right boxes. "We wanted a venue that had great accommodation on site and also nearby, that would make everyone feel at home and relaxed - nothing too formal or stuffy. Cloughjordan House had all of that. The minute we met the staff and owners, we knew this was a special place. All of the staff are incredible, so professional, friendly, and patient."

The homegrown food was also a huge draw for this couple, who said it made the decision even easier. "A massive plus for us was the food there," they said. "Cloughjordan is also a culinary school and grows much of their produce on site or sources it from nearby. We loved that aspect of it, and on the day, we were not disappointed. The food was magic, from the canapés to the dinner, late-night nibbles, the incredible breakfast, and the day-two barbecue. We've even been back since for a cooking class, dinner, B&B with friends - one of the best wedding gifts we received!"

It was important for Ed and Dave to have a truly personal ceremony, filled with rituals and readings that meant something to them. "The non-religious ceremony was important to us and we added a few things that made it very personal," they said. "The Celtic handfasting was done using cords woven in the county colours of places important to us. The music and readings were performed by friends and family which was very special. And we smashed a glass at the end, as a nod to Ed’s Jewish heritage. The speeches before and during dinner were really special – not a dry eye in the house. We loved performing our first dance as well. We surprised everyone by having learned an entire Swing routine."

In the end, the pair had the wedding day they had always dreamed of. "The wedding was exactly what we wanted it to be - a fun, love-filled, relaxed, and happy day," they said."With great food in beautiful surroundings, shared with as many people as possible that are special to us - what more could you want?"

They learned a thing or two from their experience planning their wedding, so what would Ed and Dave like to share with other couples about to embark on the same thing? "It’s your day, nobody else’s," they say. "Make sure the things you are planning and organising are what you actually want, anything else will likely cause you some stress. During it all, remember that it’s supposed to be a fun process too. We had a blast during the planning – it rarely felt stressful (even when we found ourselves moving from Galway to Liverpool a couple of months before the big day!). Whether it was picking the rings or getting fitted for the suits, to asking our family and friends to be involved in the day, we made sure to celebrate the little milestone with a drink or a dinner, or a visit to people we love."

A huge thank you to today's couple, Ed and Dave, for sharing their gorgeous wedding with us, all so beautifully captured by Louise Scott Photography.