When we think of a fairytale wedding, we often think of enormous princess dresses and horse-drawn carriages, but today's real wedding proves that not only do fairytale weddings exist in real life, but they can be fun, low-key rustic affairs, filled with cool, offbeat touches, like pints served from a 1950s caravan! We can't tell you how to get the amazing weather that Deirdre and Patrick had for their Ballyvolane House wedding (although one of these guys might help!) but there's plenty of practical inspiration to be gleaned elsewhere! Into the Light captured all the details, from stunning bridesmaid style to timeless florals, so let's take a look!

Deirdre and Patrick met in their first year of college through mutual friends. "After college we moved to Melbourne together for three years before returning to Ireland," Deirdre tells us.

When it came time to propose, Patrick planned a day out on Deirdre's dad's boat, where he was going to pull a glass bottle out of the sea with a message inside. "But there was a problem with the boat," Deirdre explains, "so Patrick came up with a Plan B and convinced me to take the ferry over to Dalkey Island. We walked around the island and sat down for a picnic, and, before I knew it, Patrick was producing a glass bottle, which he unconvincingly claimed to have found on the ground! Inside there was a piece of paper which read, 'Will you marry me?'"

It took the couple no time at all to set their priorities for the big day. "It was so important that our wedding was really relaxed and fun. We wanted everyone to feel comfortable and to really enjoy themselves as much as us. We also hoped to create something different that our friends and family may not have experienced at a wedding before."

Sometimes family photos make the best ceremony décor! Patrick's neighbours made this beautiful step ladder, which the couple used to display photographs of their late grandparents and placed at the entrance to the ceremony space.

How subtle and gorgeous are these bunches by Bloomsday? "The colour palette of the flowers that Bloomsday created for us complimented the setting beautifully," Deirdre says. "We chose soft summer colours and lots of flowy foliage, which tied in perfectly with the green bridesmaids dresses and surroundings."

Now that's how you make an entrance! "Patrick and the groomsmen were driven into the ceremony on (Ballyvolane House co-owner) Justin's land rover, to huge cheers!"Deirdre tells us. "This, along with other elements, like cutting our cake with the sword under the Indian tent, just made the day really fun and kept everyone smiling and laughing."

Deirdre and Patrick tell us that they fell in love with Ballyvolane House immediately. "We only had to pull into the driveway of Ballyvolane to know it was the one. Justin and Jenny, the owners, and all the staff make you feel like it's your house for the weekend. It is so special."

One of the biggest draws of Ballyvolane House for the couple was the chance to have their ceremony in the romantic estate forest. "We knew Ballyvolane would naturally create the relaxed, outdoor summer wedding that we dreamed of," Deirdre says. "Then it was just a matter of choosing elements to compliment it."

After the ceremony, the couple had their wedding portraits taken in the Ballyvolane House gardens. "Sean and Jared from Into the Light were the perfect choice for our big day," Deirdre says. "They really put us at ease with their jokes and their celebratory fist pumps. They are so professional but stay so relaxed which is exactly what you need on your big day."

Deirdre's undone partial updo is such a foolproof bridal hairstyle!

The 1950s caravan that sits in the grounds of Ballyvolane House is not just a cool accessory - it's a bar, dispensing cocktails and pints!

Deirdre chose these beautiful dusky green ASOS dresses for her bridesmaids, which are just so classically elegant!

It looks like Deirdre and Patrick's guests are having such an incredible time! "We were blessed with the weather," Deirdre says, "and everyone relaxed in the sun, playing games." Can we go back in time and invite ourselves along?

Deirdre's advice for brides and grooms-to-be is to leave room in your wedding timeline for relaxing with friends and family, and appreciating all the hard work that you've put in. "Take as many little moments as you can during the day to step back and take it all in, because it goes by so fast!"

Deirdre and Patrick made their day more personal by including lots of friends and family members in the planning stages. "We had handmade signs in the garden, which were created by a close family friend. The ceremony musicians were all close friends. My brother Alex did the wedding video and my brother Eoin was the DJ for the reception," Deirdre tells us.

The couple used rustic wooden plinths with candles and floral arrangements as their centrepieces, echoing the florals in pretty illustrated table name cards. Simple, but oh-so-effective!

After the wedding, Deirdre and Patrick jetted off to Greece for a week-long honeymoon. It sounds like the perfect post-wedding break!

A classic buttercream cake can look so special with the right floral adornments. Bloomsday, you've done it again!

Wasn't that just the dreamiest day!? Thanks so much to Deirdre and Patrick for showing us how they put their big day together, and, of course, to Into the Light for sharing these incredible photographs.