Áine Murphy & Katie Cornally-Somers  

Radisson Blu Hotel, Limerick

Photographs courtesy of Photography by Ben

Áine Murphy, from Dungarvan, Waterford and Cork City native Katie Cornally-Somers, invited 110 close family and friends to share their first journey together into married life during an intimate ceremony at the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Limerick on July 22, 2022.  

The Meet

The pair were introduced through college friends in January 2017 in Limerick when
jetsetter Katie was back for a visit from New Zealand. They really connected that weekend, spent some quality time together and semi kept in touch via social media. Fast forward a few months and one of their mutual friends bought four tickets to see JoJo (seminal pop sensation of “Get Out” fame) in concert. “The gig was in May and in Vancouver, so we all flew over from Ireland and New Zealand for the week. After that we were on the phone constantly to each other, and in September of 2017, Katie moved home,” recalls Áine fondly. Nine months later, Katie convinced the love of her life to move back to Wellington, New Zealand with her and they have been living there ever since.

The Engagement

In November 2019, during a house party with friends, after coming from a Scottish ceilí, Katie’s heart exploded knowing that she wanted to spend the rest of her days with Áine. She decided, there and then, it was time to share her feelings and told the love of her life that she thought they should get married. Amused in the moment, Áine told her to ask again when she was sober, but Katie was serious and together, early into the next morning, they left the party as a very happy and giddy engaged couple.

The Wedding

Áine was joined by three bridesmaids and Katie two bridesmaids, on their wedding day. The girls both wore stunning

dresses. Aine’s was a fit and flare plain off-white design, with a sweetheart neckline with a slight plunged slit and laced cut design on the sides. An asymmetrical chapel train ending in laced design accompanied the dress. Katie’s guna was a princess dress, with layers of tulle. A shear beaded halter neck, with beading continuing to the waist front and back, over a sweetheart neckline. Their favourite memories were “making our own flowers the day before, getting ready together, the energy off everyone as they came and went the morning of and pinning the buttonholes on their dads.”


Due to unforeseen circumstances, Katie and Áine had to move venues to the Radisson Blu in Limerick and they said it was a “blessing in disguise.” It was truly the best day of their lives. The girls walked up the aisle to an acoustic guitar version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere” and their first dance was “Touch” by Little Mix. To add a little bit of whimsical to their day, their center pieces were jars of flying saucers and penny sweets, and Angela, their wonderful wedding coordinator at the Radisson Blu surprised them the day before by having a couple of Tayto crisp sandwiches sent to the room along with flowers and a birthday card for Katie. Their wedding cake was a Kinder Beuno and Malteser cheesecake, and a banoffee pie.


The girl’s one piece of advice: “Pick a couple of things you really care about: the music, flowers or dresses and let everything else work itself out. No-one at the wedding will know what it was meant to be.”

How was your experience at the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Limerick?

“They were so easy to deal on the run-up to the day. The wedding coordinator (Angela) was a pleasure to deal with on the run-up as we were in New Zealand, so it was great to have someone so responsive. We wanted to make our own bouquets, so a meeting room was made available to us to do so. Everything from the ceremony, which we had in the garden, was beautifully set, last minute bottles of water were provided as the day was so hot. The reception and dinner plans and décor were all taken care of, and still very reflective of us. It really made for a beautiful relaxing and fun few days. While staying there all the staff really took the time to get to know us so they could help, from the reception staff being so responsive and helpful with all the last-minute requests, to the bar and restaurant staff who helped set-up for day two (Katie’s 30th).”


www.radissonhotels.com

Suppliers

The Dresses: Vows in Cork

Cake: Scoozi’s, Cork

Wedding Celebrant: Sharon Quigley

Photographer: Photography by Ben

DJ and band: Suitcase Trio

Décor company: Caroline Delaney with Radisson Blu

Candy Cart: Candy Cart supplied by the hotel and our guest book was a wooden puzzle bought online

Hair: Brenda Wall

Make-Up: Ruth-Anna Croweley & Professional Beauty, Dungarvan