Avril and Kenneth say ‘I do’
From overlooking Oysterhaven bay to magical fireworks, we recently caught up Avril Murnane from White’s Cross and Kenneth Sexton from Knocknaheeny to hear about their perfect wedding.
How many different dresses did the bride fit on before choosing the perfect dress? I went to 3 bridal shops and tried on an average of 7-10 in each. I got my dress from Say I Do in Midleton. The ladies were so helpful and the bridal collection they have is amazing.
Where did ceremony take place and why? St Michael’s Church in Upper Glanmire, the bride’s local parish.
Where did reception take place and what drew ye to that location? It took place in Kinsale Hotel & Spa. We choose this location as it wasn’t too far away from our church but not too close either, as we wanted our guest to make a weekend of it. The entrance and views from this hotel are spectacular. The function room is a great shape and the perfect size with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Oysterhaven bay.
Where did you meet? We were initially introduced by mutual friends, but it was Halloween night of 2009 where we were both dressed up and bumped into each other in Mangan’s. The relationship went from there and we started dating from January 2010.
How long were you going out before you got engaged? We were together 11 years when we got engaged.
How long was the engagement? We got engaged in March 2021 and married on 31 December 2022, so it was 1 year and 9 months. I (bride) always wanted a New Years Eve wedding, as what better way to ring in the new year as a married couple surrounded by your family and friends.
What was the most memorable part? We really enjoyed arriving at the reception as the atmosphere in the Kinsale Hotel & Spa reception area was amazing. The glass front allowed everyone to see us coming from the car and entering. We had cold sparks set off as we walked in and everyone was cheering. You could hear the music playing in the background which was echoed by the high ceilings in this area. We also really enjoyed walking up the aisle and our first dance.
Have you any advice for couples planning a wedding? Take it all in! You will hear this advice a lot but I (bride) did it by actually stopping in the moment a few times throughout the day and just looking around and taking it all in. I remember these moments very well as a result.
Was the work divided up equally? I (bride) did majority of the design side and all the 1,000 little bits with all the vendors but Kenneth was great to deal with the videographer (Uray Weddings is fantastic) and photographer (Stefano Ferrier Wedding, also great) and the fireworks.
What was the hardest part of the wedding to organise? We found that the church required a lot of information that had to be got from different places, and the course, etc, so that was probably the hardest part. We also had a vendor cancel on us late. This was disappointing and it added a bit of pressure, however it all worked out for the better in the end.
Did you have anything quirky at it? We had fireworks and they were fantastic. We didn’t tell anyone about this so it was a nice surprise for all the guest at 12.
Would you change anything about the day? No, I would not change a thing, it went perfect. Oh, maybe one thing. Remember brides to hold your flowers in the right position going up the aisle. I got caught up in the moment and had them way too high but that’s a minor detail.