Today's real wedding is a celebration of four of the most important things in life (for my money at least!) - love, laughter, dancing and ice cream! Niamh and Stephen wanted their big day at Rathsallagh House to have a relaxed, welcoming, outdoorsy feel to it. The fact that it was also faultlessly stylish was merely a bonus! As the couple got married on one of the longest days of the year, guests had plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful Wicklow countryside, and Phil from Give Us a Goo Photography had lots of opportunities to take unfathomably gorgeous wedding portraits. There are lots of lovely moments to pore over, so we recommend grabbing a cup of your chosen beverage before we dive in!

We are head over heels in love with Niamh's wedding look, so please allow us to gush for a moment! She found her dream wedding dress, an embroidered, lace, long-sleeved gown at the wonderful Beau Bride in Kildare. "Michelle is an absolute dream to work with and I would so highly recommend the boutique," Niamh says.

It's rare that I come across a proposal that actually brings a tear to my eye, but this is absolutely one of those times! Niamh tells us that she had been very ill for around 18 months before Stephen popped the question. "This had really brought both our lives to a very sudden standstill," she says, "but thankfully we both got through it together. Steve proposed in December 2016, at our home one evening before we were going out for dinner. He said that there was no way he was letting 2016 be the year that we fought a serious illness, and wanted to finish it on an absolute high, and make it the year we got engaged. Up to that point, 2016 had been a pretty bleak year, but the minute we got engaged, it all changed and became the happiest time of our lives."

For this couple, planning a wedding was more about creating the right vibe than getting bogged down with small details. "Stephen and I are a very subtle and relaxed couple, and that’s exactly how our wedding was. We wanted our guests to have the best time, to relax and enjoy amazing food and music. Stephen and I were extremely relaxed on the day, so I think all our guests followed our lead. We were ridiculously lucky to have that week of super sunny weather in June 2018, so that was the icing on the cake. It was a day full of love, joy and laughter surrounded by all the people we love."

With the sun shining, Niamh and Stephen jumped at the chance to celebrate their wedding outdoors. "We had beautiful weather so had our reception outside in the rose garden, which was so special. With our saxophone player, ice-cream van and lots of bubbles, the reception was absolutely perfect."

Niamh's right-hand girls wore a mix of purple, cornflower blue and floral bridesmaids dresses, which created a stunning mix-and-match look!

The couple kicked off wedding planning by searching for the perfect venue. "We had seen a number of places but the minute we met the team at Rathsallagh, the decision was made. There was nothing that the team refused outright, they have been in the business for so long that they advised us what they thought was best for the day to run smoothly and that advice was invaluable. Rathsallagh House is so stunning, inside and out, and allowed us have that relaxed, romantic feel to our day that we wanted."

It sounds like Niamh and Stephen are still on a high from their wedding, over a year later! "The day was so special to us for a million different reasons," Niamh says. "It wasn’t just one or two things that we did, or that certain people did on the day, that made it the most perfect day. It was everything that happened in the 10 years that Stephen and I have been together that made the day so special. We are so lucky to be surrounded by amazing friends and family, and having all the people we love in one place, having the most fun together was what made the day really special." This is what it's all about, folks!

Among the couple's favourite moments from the day was Niamh's Dad singing at the ceremony. "He is an incredible singer, and sang The Prayer, in part English, part Italian," Niamh says. "The day was such an emotional one for my Dad, so that was just the most special moment to both Stephen and I."

Niamh's advice to engaged couples is not to worry about the finer details of the day. "Those aren't the things your guest will remember, but will be the things that cause you stress! Enjoy the planning together and make every moment memorable. The day itself goes so fast, so you want to enjoy every minute."

And that's a wrap! Before we leave you, we've got to say a huge thank you to Niamh and Stephen for giving us the low-down on their big day, and to Give Us a Goo for sharing their beautiful photographs. Don't forget to have a look through the gallery to see more from their day!