Wedding of the Week: A chance meeting at a party led to the marriage of this Cork couple

THEIR paths crossed nearly six years ago at a house party — meet Mr and Mrs Wilkins.

Leigh Bradfield, from Newcestown, and Ken Wilkins, from Crosshaven, who now live in Cork city, wed last September.

They had lots of friends in common but had never met before the party and hit it off straight away.

Leigh recalls the proposal: “Ken originally asked me to marry him while we were at a week long music festival in Budapest in 2016 but there was no ring and I was about to start my Masters in UCC so we put it on hold for a year and he officially asked while we were on holidays in Portugal in 2017. We were on a cliff edge in Sagres and he asked a passer-by to take our photo. As the photo was being taken he got down on one knee and proposed.”

They were married last September in St Martin’s Church, a small church in Newcestown parish, followed by reception at Kinsale Hotel and Spa.

Leigh got her dress from Brides Of Eire in Clonakilty. Hair accessories were all fresh flowers by florist Ailish Murphy. Accessories were particularly special on the day.

“Ken gave me a locket a few days before the wedding with an hilarious picture of him from the festival in Budapest inside and my lovely parents gave me a bracelet on the day of the wedding from SilverWood Jewellers on Oliver Plunkett Street,” she explained.

Ken’s suit, tops and tails, were from Morleys Suits on Grand Parade. Leigh gave him a wedding gift of an engraved pocket watch to wear on the day.

Their talented friends provided music for the church. Leigh walked down the aisle to Concerning Hobbits (The Shire) from Lord of the Rings and they left the church to an amazing instrumental version of Africa by Toto.

Outside of the church, family had set up an ice cream stand as a surprise.

The reception was at the Kinsale Hotel and Spa: “Not only were the staff amazing, the large grounds and beautiful expansive view from the terrace allowed us to have a fireworks display after the dinner,” said Leigh, whose mum made the gorgeous wedding cake.

The Simon Casey wedding band provided the entertainment. The couple’s first dance was to Rosanna by Toto.

As to the most memorable thing about the day?

“Being hoisted aloft by our friends and family while Simon Casey sang Ireland’s Call which was very fitting as we were travelling to Japan for the Rugby World Cup for our honeymoon.”

Pictures by Mark Coombes