Today's real wedding kicks off a week of winter weddings on the site, and we can't think of a better place to start than with Natalie and Paddy's effortlessly stylish day. Most couples planning a wedding in February would default to sequins, fairy lights and a rich colour scheme - and in fairness, that would be pretty fabulous! Still, we admire this pair's ingenuity in favouring spring colours like pale pinks and peaches, and bringing their unconventional colour palette to the cosy, candlelit surroundings of Virginia Park Lodge. Paul McGinty Photography captured the day in typically beautiful fashion, and we are so excited to show you the results!

Natalie's bridal look combines some of our favourite things - high necklines, cute cover ups, retro waves, an oversized bouquet and an epic veil! Her Pronovias gown is such a show-stopper, don't you think!? We're also smitten with the peachy-pink floral arrangements by Frog Prince.

Natalie tells us that one of the highlights of her day was driving to the church with her Dad. "He's been a car fanatic all his life, and is himself a chauffeur, so we decided to use his Mercedes, which meant a lot to me, and was a detail not many people would be aware of. It’s a car that's ferried me around for normal, mundane things, so it was really nice to have something so familiar on the day - almost like my something old and something borrowed! We also drove the long way to the church as we were a bit ahead of time, and we ended up taking the route that I would always take when calling over to Paddy when we were teenagers. I got to drive right by his house on the way to marry him!"

The bride's pet beagles are so adorable, I don't know how she resisted bringing them to the church! They're called Issy and Kaia.

Natalie and Paddy tell us that they met when they were just 16 years old! "We both played basketball so shared a few social circles and friends that way. Our first ever date was a double date, but we were on separate sides, both seeing each other’s friends! A few months later, when we were both single again, and we finally got together, with blessings from our friends of course! We’ve now had nearly 12 years of escapades together!

Paddy popped the question on date night in London, whe the couple are currently living, a few days before they were due to fly home for Christmas. "We went for dinner and then decided to head down to the river for a drink or two after. We arrived at the Golden Jubilee Bridge, where we could see Big Ben and the London Eye all lit up at night. Paddy suggested we get our photo taken, and asked a family to take one for us. As we were posing, Paddy got down on one knee and popped the question! The man taking the photo was quick off the mark and managed to record it on video for us! There was a lot of cheering and clapping from strangers on the bridge, I was so embarrassed and ecstatic all at once, and couldn’t stop crying!"

We just had to give you a sneak peak of Paddy's Louis Copeland & Sons suit! A velvet bow tie is always a winner in my book.

That's one happy groom!

Natalie says that their wedding date had a huge impact on the look and feel of the day. "Having it in February, we wanted to go for a very cosy, romantic and elegant feel, and very inviting," she says. "There were candles, roaring fires, neutral florals and brass-band music. It was old-world romanticism with a new-age spin."

What a gorgeous crew! Natalie's bridesmaids wore pale pink gowns, staving off the cold with matching pashminas, while Paddy and his groomsmen looked absolutely smashing in classic navy blue.

For this pair, the most important thing about their wedding day was looking after their guests! "How many times in your life do you get every single person you love and hold dear in your life together under one roof?" Natalie points out. "Our priorities were making sure that everyone was happy and enjoyed themselves immensely, while keeping the day and details reflective of us as a couple. We hope we achieved it!" Judging by the smiles on everybody's faces in these photographs, we'd say you both nailed it!

When it came time to visit wedding venues, Natalie and Paddy fell rapidly in love with Virginia Park Lodge. "The Lodge itself reminded me of my grandma’s house in Louth that I spent nearly every weekend in as a child," Natalie says. "We loved the open fires, the smell of burning logs, little nooks to hide and get cosy in. The day we visited Virginia was a sunny, crisp February morning and when we walked out the doors onto the lawn and saw Lough Ramor, we just knew that this place represented us. We also both love going out for a good meal, and couldn’t ignore Richard Corrigan’s reputation for a good spread!"

Portrait sessions with large wedding parties can be tricky, but Natalie and Paddy tell us that their photographer, Paul McGinty, put everyone at ease. "Paul helped us understand how the day would run, how we could make the timings work for us and how to get the most out of the day. He managed to keep our wedding party of 14 under control long enough to get the most beautiful pictures, and had us laughing the whole time, while allowing us more than enough time to mingle with our guests and experience our wedding day too!"

Natalie and Paddy paid close attention to small details when planning their day. "We knew that a lot of our friends would have very sore heads in the morning, so we put together little 'For Sickness and in Health' hangover kits in each room. Paddy has also always loved a scratchcard, so we thought it would be a fun detail for our favours and help start conversations at the tables. Everyone got a 'For Richer or for Poorer' scratchcard at their place setting. I think we only had one €50 winner though!"

Can you believe that Natalie created these incredible escort cards herself!? "I wanted to add small, personal touches where I could, so I decided to do my best attempt at calligraphy and make all the table names, place names and seating plan! It took weeks but was worth it in the end for me - I love how it looked on the day."

Natalie's advice for engaged couples is something that all future spouses need to hear! "Don’t lose track of why you are doing this," she says. "We kept telling ourselves that, as long as we finished the day married, it had been a success and we’d got it right. And do think of your guests - they are doing you a favour by attending your special day, celebrating you, not the other way round!"

For their honeymoon, Natalie and Paddy headed to the Maldives and Dubai, which sounds just wonderful if you ask us!

That's a wrap on Natalie and Paddy's incredible wedding day! But before we go, we've got to say a huge thank you to the couple for giving us a peep behind the curtains of their celebration, and, of course, to Paul McGinty for sharing the lovely photographs.