Today's real wedding was a real family affair, with everyone pitching in to help the lovely couple Joe and Julie make their dream day happen.  Julie and Joe are from Armagh and Louth they chose a venue close by for both of them, a brand new venue, Segrave Barns. The couple wanted something non-traditional and unique and as Julie says they wanted a relaxed and fun day with "delicious food and a great band. If the day isn’t amazing with those two key elements in place, then you invited the wrong people" They invited all their favourite people and of course the wedding was a roaring success! We're delighted to share their super fun wedding with images by Louise Scott.

Julie and Joe met originally through mutual friends and following several months of "painfully public social media courting" they got together in late 2010. Years later, a life well established together and the couple were ready to take the next step. So Joe prepared himself to ask the big question, but the plan went slightly awry...

Julie told us what happened... "It’s not the fairy-tale story you might expect, but it certainly was unique! I was out with my friends Edel and Julie one Friday night in December and so Joe was left in the house on his own. He cleaned the house and got it decorated for Christmas. Unbeknownst to me, after much cryptic texting to me to figure out if my parents would be in the house, he drove down the road to get their blessing. Anyway, the next morning Joe had the house decorated and the ring in his pocket, but had no clue how he was going to actually pop the question...

...Long story short, after trying to decide whether to go for a walk and ask, or decorate the tree and ask, and following a number of missed opportunities, he saw his chances slipping quickly and amidst complete panic, he opted to pounce the question on me just as I had decided to take the bins out. So out from the kitchen I came with a full black bin bag of rubbish in my hand, and Joe was there waiting in the living room with the ring in his pocket. After much stumbling and stuttering – he asked and I said yes!"

Isn't Julie's Rime Arodaky gown just a dream? Loving the back detail - an essential element of any wedding dress for that all-important walk down the aisle.

The couple knew what they had in mind for their wedding, it was just a case of finding the perfect location... We really wanted the wedding to feel like a massive party for our guests. We didn’t want anything that felt very traditional.It was important that we could have the ceremony on site so there was no moving from place to place.

Segrave was the only venue we looked at and from the second we stepped foot in it on a rainy December day, we were blown away. Everything about it is so beautiful, from the owners John & Eugene, to the barn, right down to the Llamas on site.

The couple opted for a humanist ceremony which was important according to Julie because it "allowed us to craft the ceremony itself too, so it was really special to have my parents and Joe’s parents, along with our friends, recite readings that were actually personal to us, and take part in an essential element of the day."

While it all looks fabulous, and turned out beautifully in the end, Julie admitted something that I'm sure will echo with many couples. It was the Best Day Ever. Genuinely! But I really didn’t enjoy wedding planning. Segrave was quite a new venue and we didn’t know anyone that had gotten married there before, the catering and bar were also done by an external vendor (although they’re hoping to bring this on site soon so this could be different now) so all of this combined was quite stressful and had our parents at high doh! Although I must say that John and Eugene in Segrave could not have been more helpful. They were amazing throughout and calmed us down every time we got carried away! Anyway, in the run up when everyone kept telling us it would be the best day of our lives, we had our doubts but thankfully, they were right, it was more than we could ever have imagined.

I think it's important that Julie explained this, as there's a misconception that wedding planning is easy, or simple and that it should all be great fun and smooth sailing - after all it's just a big party right? Well we all know that that's wrong. It's an incredibly important event with lots of details involved in the planning - everything from outfits and hairstyles, to flowers, accomodation and the actual readings and music at the ceremony. Throw in family and friend opinions and expectations, the financial management and the big personal emotions and it's not a surprise that it's very stressful for many people. Even those who manage these sorts of events professionally, sometimes wilt under the pressure. So don't worry if you don't love the planning part, take a breather and have a look at this post: how to Deal With Stress and Anxiety Around Your Wedding. It's ok to not be ok. But as Julie knows well - it all does turn out fantastically in the end!

Julie and Joe were not alone in the planning though, they were lucky to have a great circle around them, reading to pitch in and help with all the details that go into making a wedding as special as this one. Julie gave us some insight into what happened... "What made it really special was that our friends and family all helped out in their own way in the run up to our wedding. It was lovely to look around the venue and see it all come together on the day. My friend Edel is an art director and she designed all of our stationery, my Dad made the candle holders for the table, Joe’s Dad helped source the wine, my sister made the wedding cake and Joe turned some pallets into some nice signage for the day. Although my bridesmaid Sinead is a technology and design teacher and she created some arguably much nicer and much more professional looking signs for us to dot around the venue. A team effort!"

The Kooky Ukes provided the music during the ceremony and then entertained the guests during the drinks reception...

As an guest at an Irish wedding knows... a little rain never hurt anyone!

So do Joe and Julie have any advice for other couples planning at the moment? "Not to worry because whatever happens, it will be the best day of your lives. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Organise some delicious food and a great band. If the day isn’t amazing with those two key elements in place, then you invited the wrong people!"

The couple did manage a holiday but not a full honeymoon, but are looking forward to an escape as soon as Covid lifts... We went on a mini moon to Ibiza to relax by a pool straight after the wedding and had planned to go to Vietnam in March this year for a big honeymoon, but unfortunately that fell victim to Covid, so we’re hoping to get away somewhere gorgeous in 2021. We’ll fairly be dragging the wedding out by then!" Sure, why not!

Huge thanks to Julie and Joe for sharing their day with us, and hope married life is treating you both well! And of course a big thank you to Louise Scott for sharing her lovely photographs with us!