The real wedding we're sharing today is a pretty emotional one. Full disclosure: I teared up when I saw the pictures from the couple's gorgeous first look! US bride Anna and Irish groom Cathal planned their family-focussed celebration at Parknasilla Resort and Spa from 3,000 miles away at their home in NYC, and you can really feel their excitement when the big day finally arrived, especially when you peruse the gorgeous photographs by Awake and Dreaming. Their effortlessly elegant black tie soirée, which took place in 2019, strikes a perfect balance between chilled and luxurious, so let's bring on the images, shall we!?

Anna tells us that she met Cathal at a party, shortly after he moved to NYC. "My friend, Jessie, had recently just listed a room for rent, and Cathal got in touch," Anna says. "Realising that Cathal had just moved to the city and was still sinking his feet in and looking to meet new people, she invited him along to her birthday party. Cathal, feeling somewhat adventurous, decided to join and it was there that we met! We chatted at the party and went on our first date soon after."

Years later, Cathal decided to propose during one of the couple's customary long bike trips in upstate New York. "Because it was just us and our bikes, we would always have to pack very light, often just sharing one backpack between the two of us," Anna says. "Somehow, on one of these trips, Cathal snuck a ring in the backpack. He popped the question right before dinner, during a walk. I hadn’t a clue! I should have been suspicious from the beginning, because he offered to pack for us, even though he hates packing!"

This is the exact reaction you want when your pals see you in your wedding-day finery for the first time...

...but nothing quite beats a hug from a proud parent!

This is the moment that had us blubbing in the office! And Awake and Dreaming Photography captured it so beautifully!

Anna chose a wedding dress by New York bridal designer Anna Maier for the big day, which featured a timeless silhouette and a contemporary, wrap-effect bodice. I think we can all agree that she looks incredible!

I mean, have you ever seen a happier bride and groom!?

The couple's ceremony was conducted by two priests from Co. Longford, Fr. Simon Cadam and Fr. Reji Kurian. "We felt really fortunate to have them perform our wedding mass," Anna says. "Fr. Simon has known Cathal’s family for many years. We met Fr. Reji around two years ago and I found out that he's from the same part of India that my family is originally from! It was really special for us to include him in our wedding mass, as he was able to incorporate some Indian Catholic wedding traditions into our service."

In planning their big day, the top priority for this pair was keeping the wedding focused on friends and family. "Because we were bringing people from all around the world (seriously! – from all over the USA, Australia, Germany, Dubai, India, England, and of course, Cathal’s home, Co. Longford), we wanted the weekend to be about all of our families and friends coming together," Anna says. "It was so amazing for us to look around and see all of our loved ones from near and far together. We wanted them to know just how much we appreciated them travelling great distances to be with us."

We love that Anna went for a mixed-gender bridal party! That combination of dusty blue bridesmaids dresses and a classic tuxedo is foolproof!

When it came time to find a venue, the couple decided to fly to Ireland for a weekend of viewings. "We drove about 30 hours that weekend, and, after a day of disappointing appointments, Parknasilla was the last venue we visited," Anna says. "We absolutely fell in love with how warm the venue felt, and its beautiful setting. It truly felt like it was in a world of its own. Not to mention how welcoming all of the staff there are. They were so accommodating and lovely to work with. It felt like it was meant to be."

It sounds like Anna and Cathal had a clear vision for their day from the beginning. "We wanted the wedding to feel romantic and timeless with a bit of an antique and elegant feel," Anna says. "We loved Parknasilla’s setting on the Kenmare Bay, and wanted to complement it with our décor. We went with different shades of blue and lots of greenery and creams in our florals."

When asked to choose a highlight from the wedding, Anna gives credit to the couple's guests. "What really made the day special was having so many people from all corners of the world come to join us on our wedding day. Our videographer, Kevin, from Little Bear Films, did a phenomenal job at capturing all of the emotions in our video, and same with our photographers, Awake and Dreaming."

Anna's biggest piece of advice for engaged couples is to enjoy the rollercoaster of wedding planning! "Planning may seem really daunting and never-ending, but it can actually be really fun if you set a bit of time aside each week to plan together."

The couple are currently planning a trip to South Africa for their honeymoon, which sounds absolutely dreamy!

A sensational end to a sensational day! At this point we've got to say a huge thank you to Anna and Cathal for sharing their wedding with us, and to Awake and Dreaming for providing the beautiful imagery. Be sure to click through the gallery below to see more!