Warning - today's real wedding contains graphic images that may cause readers to frantically hop on a plane and re-think their entire wedding plans. Megan & Ciarán's Portuguese wedding was set in the glorious dreamscape of rolling cliff edges, glistening waves, twinkling smiles and floating white roses. An aesthetically beautiful wedding, kissed by the September sun and captured exquisitely by Visual Stories. 

The couple who both hail from Dublin share a gorgeous tale of destiny. Megan describes the moment she first met Ciarán over 10 years ago whilst on a student holiday in Thailand: "We spent many days together in Thailand however we returned home and never spoke. Ciarán never asked me for my number which is something I still won’t let him forget." One month later, fate had a plan of its own and reunited them in a student bar in Dublin which has left them inseparable since.

Fast forward to 2019, Megan and her mother jetted off to the south of France for a well deserved holiday. She had originally planned to go with Ciarán but due to work reasons he was unable to go. I think we all know where this love story is about to go. "One night we were in a restaurant and I heard someone behind me saying 'bonjour', I turned around and it was Ciarán there to surprise me for the weekend! I was so shocked but little did I know what was to come." The next morning the couple set off for a beautiful scenic walk that Ciarán once did as a child. "Ciarán suggested we stop for some water and as we sat on a rock I was waiting for him to pass the bottle of water from his bag but he was actually down on one knee with the ring! I couldn’t have been more shocked. It was perfect!" said Megan.

Portugal always held a very special place in their hearts so when it came to choosing a location, it was a no-brainer. The Tivoli Carvoeiro took their breath away, it was love at first sight. "The second we walked out the double doors of the reception we were hit with the most beautiful view. We were sold!" Megan said.

The glowing bride wore a chic dress by designer Galia Lahav. Ciarán and his groomsmen wore tailor made tuxedos and the beautiful bridal party wore satin dresses from Shona Joy Australia.

The simplicity of the neutral wedding theme paired perfectly against the natural elements of the Mediterranean backdrop. The rustic cliffs and the azure ocean created a magical setting that no amount of décor could equate too. Described as happy, fun, full of laughter and love in the sun, Megan reveals what made the day so spectacular. The couple's priorities were food, wine and entertainment. "We both love the Portuguese food and wine so when we had our menu tasting in Tivoli Carvoeiro we knew straight away we picked a winner."

The music was a very important element for Megan and Ciarán. "We're so lucky that Ciarán's brother and groomsman, Naoise Dack, is an incredibly talented violinist and it was so important to us that he would play at our wedding. Our fabulous musicians Songbird Algarve played with Naoise for our ceremony and it was one of the biggest highlights of our day. Not everyone can say they walked down the aisle to their brother in law playing the violin," said Megan.

The couple paid homage to Ciarán's mother, Anne Marie, who was sadly missed on the day. "It was really important to us to include Ciarán’s mother Anne Marie in our wedding. We did a rose ceremony to honour both of our mothers. Ciarán's sister Clodagh stepped in to represent Ciarán's mum," said Megan.

Their advice to other couples is simple - do not stress over the small stuff. "Enjoy every second of the planning! Milk it. No one will notice what colour the cutlery is on the day. Spend your budget on the food, photographer, videographer and music."

A very special thank you to Megan and Ciarán for sharing their beautiful Portuguese cliff edge wedding with us. The breath-taking images were captured by photographer Visual Stories & Co. Make sure to check out the full selection of images below.

Are you thinking of getting married in Portugal? We have put together a full guide of everything you need to know for hosting your dream Portuguese wedding here. Or why not take a dally at some other destination weddings!