At the risk of sounding like a fangirl, I've been totally charmed by the couple at the centre of today's real wedding, Michelle and Rob, and not just because their wedding day looks are on point (but I think we can all agree that they both look incredible in these images by Dasha Caffrey Photography!) What's really impressed me is their practical approach to wedding planning, which ensured that their hopelessly elegant day at Virginia Park Lodge was a roaring success! These guys kept their priorities at the forefront of every decision, from budgeting to their on-the-day timeline, and it paid off hugely - as you swoon over these beautiful photographs, you'll see exactly what I mean!

There are so many things to love about Michelle's bridal look; the contemporary, caped silhouette of her gown, the cool, bridal headband, and the bold, statement earrings, to name but three! She'll be talking us through her wedding dress shopping experience later on in the feature.

How gorgeous is this wedding invitation by Appleberry Press!? It really captures the natural beauty of Virginia Park Lodge.

Michelle tells us that she and Rob first crossed paths at Oxegen music festival in 2006, ending up in the same group through mutual friends. "We went to see Artic Monkeys and the majority of the group headed straight for the pit, including me," she remembers. "I was slightly more timid and reserved than the rest of the mad lot in the pit, and was struggling to keep up. Robbie’s sister, Lorraine, could see I was not keeping up, and removed me from the pit and into her brother's arms, with the strong instruction to take care of me. And the rest is history. We had a table called Oxegen at our wedding, and the majority of the people at the table were there the weekend we met!"

Rob proposed during a trip to Cinque Terre in Italy with Michelle's family. "A few days into the holiday, Robbie suggested we head off for the day, just the two of us," Michelle remembers. "So we decided to hike to the next village, Vernazza. With about an hour of the hike complete, and Vernazza in the distance, Robbie asked me to stop and take in the moment. All of a sudden, he was down on one knee asking the big question. People behind us quickly realised what was happening and backtracked and hid in a nearby corner to give us a private moment! Of course, I said yes, after saying, ‘Is this for real?’ a few times - I was totally taken by surprise!"

Michelle and Rob tell us that their goal from the beginning of wedding planning was throwing a terrific party. "Our ethos from the outset was to spoil our family and friends with good food and wine, at a unique, exclusive venue, with an array of musicians appearing thoughout the day. We wanted to create an experience they would never forget in a relaxed environment, filled with love, fun and happiness."

I love how methodical this couple were in wedding planning, they even set themselves a three-month deadline for finding the perfect venue! "Robbie suggested I select three venues, one at the top of budget, one at medium end and one at lower end, and go see them first," Michelle says.

Michelle tells us that she really struggled to settle on a bridal look that she was comfortable in. "It took me eight weeks to find the one," she remembers. "White is not a color I would be most comfortable in. and the typical bridal look was one that intimated me. My mother made the final decision and I will be forever indebted to her as a result!" 

Meanwhile, Rob chose a classic black suit with bow tie from Benetti. This look is a foolproof choice in our books!

Michelle and Rob decided to begin their venue visits with the venue at the upper end of their budget, Virginia Park Lodge. "Robbie and I are foodies, and my Dad is also a chef, so the food, along with exclusivity, really appealed to us," Michelle says. "We both instantly feel in love with the place. The next weekend, we brought my parents to see it, and the decision was made. It was the only wedding venue we viewed and it was the best decision we made! The venue is a gem, one of a kind in Ireland."

Prioritising was key for this couple when it came to budgeting and finances! "We invested in areas that were important to us, the venue, the band, the photographer and the videographer, and then we divided out what was left," Michelle says. "I tried to save in areas such as stationery and flowers, which resulted in a bit more DIY - we created our own ceremony booklet and did the flowers in the church ourselves - but it meant I could invest in the areas mentioned above. I didn't commit to other gimmicks like entertainment, photo booth, signs, etc. due to not having enough in the budget. In hindsight, it was a good decision, as I don’t believe the venue, or the day, needed it."

Michelle and Rob kept it simple when it came to décor, a strategy that works well when your venue is as beautiful as Virginia Park Lodge! "We wanted to bring the outside in, so the flowers were white with a lot of green foliage," Michelle says. "There were also ferns on each table setting, which we felt complimented the surrounding grounds. We also wanted a rustic feel, so we had wooden décor throughout and lots of candle light."

Rob suggested that the couple have their speeches early in the day, so the speechgivers could relax and enjoy their meal, which we think is a great idea! "We had the speeches outside on the lawn before we all sat for dinner with everyone gathered around us," Michelle says. "Having the weather on our side was a bonus! Both fathers spoke for a few minutes and really did an amazing job, you could feel that both families felt the wedding was a true celebration of love, and the binding of both families was very important."

We are big fans of Michelle's words of advice for engaged couples, which are incredibly practical. "Sit down and agree a budget together and always include a contingency," she says. "Agree a budget you can afford and do not overextend yourself, you never know what’s around the corner, and life is hard enough. You can easily get carried away and want everything, so agree what is important to both of you from the start, and invest the money into those things, as you really do get what you pay for."

She also advises taking measures to have a calm wedding morning. "I had to decorate the church, with the help of family, on the morning of the wedding, which I enjoyed doing at the time, but it did take up some time and that time is precious! My advice is to try be as organised as possible, and ask for help or delegate a task or two so you can get the most out of your time on the morning of the wedding, and not have to rush through the last hour."

Immediately after the wedding, Michelle and Rob went to Finn Lough in Enniskillen for a short break. "We spent a night under the stars in a bubble dome, and then went to Lisbon on a city break for six days." The couple are planning a longer honeymoon in 2020, but are still deciding on destinations!

I love this stylish and thrifty table name idea, featuring picture frames purchased in Penneys! "We have travelled a lot together, so each table was named after one of our favorite places, with a little note with why it was so important to us." Michelle says. 

This is one of those weddings that's almost too gorgeous to cover in a single feature, so we've added lots more photos to the gallery below! Before we go, we must say a huge thank you to Michelle and Rob for sharing their day with us, and to Dasha Caffrey for providing the beautiful imagery.