Let's take a trip to the West with today's real wedding couple, Teirnan and Catriona who celebrated their wedding where it all started in Co.Sligo. With a passion for surfing and the coastline it was only right that it played a roll in their big day with a a trip down the pier and a romantic photoshoot on the beach.

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It's time to take a trip to the West with Tiernan and Catriona who celebrated their wedding where it all started in Co.Sligo. With a passion for surfing and the coastline it was only right that it played a roll in their big day with a a trip down the pier and a romantic photoshoot on the beach. They celebrated in style with family and friends in The Ice House Hotel with Paul and Elaine from Moat Hill Photography on hand to capture all the lovely moments...

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As the wild west was where this love story started, it was the perfect place to seal the deal - by the surf the couple love so much and that brought them together - as Catriona explained "We both share a passion for the water and met one cold December evening after surfing in Sligo. Thawing out over a pint, we warmed up in front of a roaring fire, got to know each other and agreed to meet up for a surf the following day. Unusually, things heated up out on the Atlantic the next morning where the banter was flying. The relationship was sealed with a kiss on New Year’s Eve, when we partied with a big gang of friends in a proper country dischko!

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Zip forward to the wedding morning, and the couple made sure to keep themselves grounded in all the madness of wedding preparation, by enjoying some quiet time doing things they loved... "It is easy to get carried away on the day but we wanted to remain true to who we are as a couple. Tiernan went for an early morning surf with some friends on the morning of the wedding and I went for a run with my father in Belleek Woods. I always think you will never remember the hours you spent getting ready but we will both cherish these unique memories forever. We wanted to make our wedding as personal and relaxed as possible. A close friend of ours borrowed Tiernan’s father’s car and drove us to and from the church. It was much more special to have Martin driving us around than a stranger.

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But we're getting ahead of ourselves, we haven't heard how Tiernan popped the question..."We had just finished a 5 month renovation of our house. We had just completed building the bed at about 9pm when we realised we had not eaten all day. After having a bite to eat in our new home I was still doing some cleaning up. While I was busy, Tiernan had placed tea lights on the floor of our new living room with “Marry me” spelt out. I walked in, to my total surprise as he went down on one knee. The proposal came on the first night in our new home which was extremely special. It was a total surprise as we drank champagne in our renovation finery"

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As Sligo was where the lovebirds first met, they chose the Church of our Lady Assumed into Heaven in Co.Sligo as the place to say 'I do'.

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I think those vows are made - Woohoo, time to celebrate! But wait, it's the reception line, stand up straight Catriona, no messing!

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Despite the chilly temperatures, Catriona and Tiernan braved the wind and waves for their wedding portraits by the sea. In fairness, if they surf in December, this was nothing to them, especially basking in the warmth of the love of friends and family.

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The cold might have been tough to bear, but the images are just beautiful and completely worth it, where else in the world would you get such spectacula light.

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With blue skies and the sea as a backdrop Tiernan and Catriona stole a few moments alone and brought Moat Hill Photography along to capture some romantic photographs...

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When it came to the reception Tiernan and Catriona knew exactly what they wanted... "Our priorities were location, venue and food. There were countless beautiful wedding venues in Ireland but I wanted it to have some significance to us both. We met in Enniscrone and have spent numerous weekends surfing there over the years. We always say that Enniscrone is where were at our happiest. Therefore it seemed like the ideal place to get married almost seven years after we met there. As were based in Dublin, we also wanted the day to last a little longer than a few hours. Having the wedding in the west on a Friday, meant a lot of our close family and friends stayed for the entire weekend which made the occasion last even longer!" The place of choice was the beautiful unusual space of The Ice House...

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"We did not want an empty hotel ballroom so with our number at 110 people the room at The Ice House worked perfectly. It also has the most beautiful location on the river Moy and the food was great.We wanted a very relaxed and casual day in a stunning location that had a special meaning for us."

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A camera alongside your guestbook is a great idea to remember your guests attire and capture the moment when they left you a message - using easy quick polaroids!

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So any advice you would give to brides and grooms planning their day? "Relax and enjoy it. The build-up is almost as enjoyable as the day itself. Planning a wedding may be time consuming but it is certainly not stressful! Finally, be true to yourselves and do whatever feels right for you both as a couple."

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Congratulations to Tiernan and Catriona, and thank you so much for sharing your beautiful day by the sea. A big Thank You too, of course, to Paul and Elaine from Moat Hill Photography. If you loved the crisp beauty of their pictures, make sure to pop over to see more lovely work on www.mhphoto.ie

The Wedding Details