It's impossible to set eyes on today's real wedding without breaking into a great big grin - seriously, we've tested this theory in the office! - so we can only imagine how guests felt at Michael and Joanna's marquee wedding at McShane Glen in County Antrim, which was photographed by Navyblur. This couple radiate cool (just wait 'til you see Joanna's edgy Jesús Peiró gown!), and their seaside ceremony and summer BBQ-style reception just looks like so much fun!
How adorable are Joanna's nieces in their little floral dresses?
We just can't resist a wedding dress with pockets! We're also rather impressed that Joanna did her own hair and make-up on the day - talk about a resourceful bride!
If you're thinking that this gorgeous pair look like the outdoorsy type, you're be right! Michael and Joanna met on a bodyboarding excursion to Whiterocks Beach in Portrush in August 2009. "We went on our first date in September and never looked back," Michael tells us.
When it came time to propose, Michael planned a day trip to see the Puffins on Rathlin Island. "We're keen walkers so Joanna was none the wiser," he says. "It was a perfect day, ridiculously warm with hardly a breeze and we were in shorts and T-shirts. We reached the cliff top and we were about to have a picnic, it was at that point I got down on one knee! That is as romantic as I will ever get!"
Michael and Joanna's wedding ceremony at Portbradden Harbour looks pretty magical, don't you think? Someone in the water clearly thought so! "We had a welcome interruption during the vows," Michael remembers. "You couldn’t have written it, dolphins began to jump right behind us in the Whitepark Bay!"
Anyone else think post-ceremony tea and sandwiches should be mandatory?
Location was the number one priority for this couple, who wanted the rugged Antrim coastline to play a part in their big day. "We spend a lot of time on the North Coast. We met there, we got engaged there and just love it," Michael says. "McShane Glen ticked all the boxes, it had accommodation, a field for the marquee and a view to die for, especially as you could see Rathlin island, where we got engaged!"
Not keen on the traditional wedding timeline, Michael and Joanna decided to make up their own! "We wanted our wedding to be fun and relaxed, so we had to get creative and adjust the structure of the day." Their first step was to split the guestlist - immediate family members at the ceremony, 100 of their nearest and dearest for dinner and a great big group of pals for drinks and dancing!
While Joanna and Michael had their portraits taken, guests arrived at the reception space to rhubarb and ginger gin with Prosseco cocktails from The Giddy Box. Eh, yes please!
The couple say that the BBQ-style drinks reception was one of their favourite parts of the day. "Joanna and I were able to mingle and catch up with our guests, a really important time where we got to spend time with everyone. The craic was mighty! Staff from both Posh Nosh and The Giddy Box were exceptional, leaving nobody wanting."
If you're thinking of switching up the formula of your wedding day, Michael and Joanna say go for it! "Getting everything to flow can be frustrating," Michael admits, "but I think all the hard work that went into planning the day also helped us to enjoy it even more."
They also recommend keeping some key elements of the day a surprise for friends and family. "Our guests knew where to go but didn’t know what to expect, I think this got everyone intrigued and excited as well."
Joanna and Michael kept the good vibes flowing with a three-week honeymoon in Italy, starting with a week of chilling by the pool in Lake Garda, followed by a five-day mountain climbing tour of Via Ferrata, and a week of touring remote Cinque Terre villages. Jealous, us?
Thanks so much to Christine and Xander from Navyblur for sharing their beautiful photographs with us, and, of course, to Michael and Joanna for letting us swoon over their amazing wedding!
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- Catering: Posh Nosh
The Wedding Details
- Ceremony: National Trust garden at Portbradden Harbour
- Reception: Marquee at McShane Glen
- Photography: Xander and Christine at NavyBlur Photography
- Wedding Dress: Jesus Peiro dress from Forever Bridal
- Bridesmaids dresses: Celine Rita
- Shoes: Hispanitas from Solo
- Flowers: Sonya Brown, Cottage Flowers, Cookstown
- Groom’s suit: Remus Uomo
- Wedding bands: Jonathan Styles at T.A.Mercer, Enniskillen
- Cake: Made by a friend
- Wooden names: VM Bespoke
- Stationery: Andrew Bell at The Design Lab, Cookstown.
- Music: Tommy Hamill and The Music Man, The Wylie Green
- Marquee: Oldtown Marquees
- Drinks: The Giddy Box