One beautiful morning in May, the sunshine shone down on the turreted towers of Wilton Castle, in the heart of idyllic woodlands in Co. Wexford. Our real wedding lovebirds, Juliette and Stephen and 120 of their nearest and dearest came together to celebrate their love. If bright garden flowers tickle your fancy, then wait till you see the bridesmaids' dresses which vibe beautifully with the delightful handpicked and foraged wedding florals. A joyful and colourful Wilton Castle wedding day awaits, captured exquisitely by photographer Olga Hogan!

This is a true tale of 'what is meant to be, won't pass you by'. Let us explain... Stephen and Juliette, who are both from Dublin, in fact only lived 20 minutes away from each other their whole lives, but only met in their early 20s in Chicago! Once their relationship took off, it was in yet another country, far away, where they took their bond to the next level. Juliette explains, "We were travelling around Mexico and Stephen brought me to the beach on the pretence of heading for a swim. While he was scoping out the “perfect spot to put his bag” I started to charge straight into the water. He had to call my name twice before I turned around only to find him a few feet away down on one knee holding a black box. Honestly, I thought it was a GoPro he was giving me!"

The aesthetic for their castle wedding was inspired by a very personal element - their relationship! "Stephen and I don't feel like we take ourselves too seriously and we wanted a laid-back but special venue to reflect that. We felt like in Ireland so many of the venues are so popular (and so they should be!) but we wanted something just a little bit different, a little off the beaten track. We then came across Wilton Castle, and boom, the decision was easy. It all fell into place!" they say.

Look at those Gucci beauties peeping out. We love bridal shoes that you can wear again and again!

Juliettes bridal style is impeccably flawless! Her dress is the the perfect blend of simplicity with a contemporary edge. After spotting her dream wedding dress on Instagram, she searched for stockists and Sinead at The One, Dublin, was the only stockist in Ireland. "Her style is absolutely fantastic!" says the bride. And as for the flowers - Juliette's green-fingered sister Caroline, took advantage of the summer season and foraged the flowers from the castle grounds, and from her Airbnb in Wexford. That's some serious talent!

A picture-perfect moment that we will never be tired of seeing is the first look moment. A first look photo is usually for the couple who want to skip the big reveal at the altar, and instead opt for a private moment together before the ceremony. This also allows them more time in the afternoon to spend with their guests. How sweet of Stephen to have a bunch of sunflowers waiting to gift his beautiful bride-to-be.

The entire wedding day and preparations took place all under one roof allowing for a laidback and relaxed start to their dream day. Juliette recalls one of her favourite readings that was read during the ceremony. "We chose them from my favourite author Rupi Kaur. As for Stephen's favourite memory during the ceremony, he mentions the moment when Juliette snuck in a piano version of All I Want Is You from U2, a runner-up to their first dance song. The couple also opted for a wine box ceremony, a ritual where the couple seals a special bottle of wine in a box during their wedding ceremony only to be opened and enjoyed on their first anniversary.

What made the wedding day so special to the newlyweds, was the magic of the rustic surrounds - the beautiful gardens, woodlands and lawns where their guests could enjoy the drinks reception and the children could run around in the sunshine. "We wanted a venue that we could put our own touch on and feel like it was our own corner of Ireland for the few days we were there!" they say.

The wedding party, particularly the ladies have stolen our hearts with their bridesmaid dresses featuring a wildflower print! A refreshing change whilst completely embracing the garden and woodland theme. The dapper gentlemen dressed by groomswear suit specialists Louis Copeland & Sons wore midnight blue suits and ivory ties - the perfect combination of springtime elegance!

The wedding venue Wilton Castle is surrounded by vast parkland and peaceful forests, and is located on the banks of the River Boro in the heart of Co. Wexford. When asked what made the venue the one, the couple say: "The long driveway, the half ruin/half beautifully decorated castle, the gardens, the woods, the cows and the river. Not everyone’s cup of tea but we had our stamp on everything from the wine, table settings, marquee, you name it! Wilton Castle was so flexible for what we needed from where to host the ceremony, to where to place the marquee."

The self-catered, exclusive venue, allowed a relaxed atmosphere the morning of the wedding. "We pottered around the kitchen making tea and toast with Stephen's mom, nana, and great aunt. It felt like our home for the three nights." she says. "It was so nice having all of our favourite people all in the one place, laughing and enjoying themselves and then dancing to the best Beatles cover band. Truly magic!"

Embracing their wedding surroundings, the couple incorporated a rustic theme throughout the reception room. Rattan placemats, earthy moss-green napkins, a table place setting made up of a sprig of foliage and a delightful selection of wild garden flowers dressed the dining tables. The guests were also treated to the highest quality of food, thanks to sustainable caterer extraordinaire, Orla McAndrew Catering. "She is insane and her team are so professional and skilled. Orla’s steak was mentioned by more than a few guests as one of the best steaks they’d ever had... let alone a mass-ordered steak!" say the couple. Just wait till you see the amazing wedding cake and the personalised cake toppers!

Last but not least, some words of wisdom. They say: "Personally, we wanted to be married within the year. Weddings can take up a lot of mental space so don’t let it consume you! At the end of the day remember what you’re doing it for, and come back to that and reset when things are getting too much. It’s a day to celebrate both of you and your relationship, so stay true to your vision, but also flex when you need to. It’s never going to be perfect, but it’ll be pretty damn close as long as you both say I Do!"

A very special thank you to Stephen, Juliette and photographer Olga Hogan for sharing their magical castle wedding with One Fab Day! For more beautiful photos check out the full album in the gallery below.