Our wedding story: “He lured me to the airport"

[ irishtimes.com/weddings ]

Never turn down a blind date, if Regan and Caroline’s story is anything to go by.

After nine years as an army officer in his native New Zealand, Regan moved to London where he set up his own business and serves in the British Army Reserves.

Two years ago he needed a date for his unit’s Christmas party so a mutual friend scoped out the availability of Caroline, from Dunboyne Co. Meath, who works in London as a travel agent.

Regan picked Caroline up that night in his army evening uniform. And, proposed a year later at the Spanish Steps in Rome.

“He lured me to the airport under the pretense that we were going to Hamburg where he had a ‘conference’, the bride said, “I still remember him handing me the boarding pass at the airport, expecting it to read Hamburg but seeing instead Rome and squealing ‘you’ve printed the wrong boarding pass!’.”

The wedding dress was sourced in London with the help of the bride’s cousin, Grainne Dowling, her sister Gina Lynch (maid of honour) and their mum, Nora Lynch.

“I thought I wanted a ball gown-style dress but some gentle steering by my trusty advisors convinced me the fishtail style suited me best.”

On the sunny day of January 3rd, Regan and Caroline were married at the bride’s local church in Kilbride Co Meath where her father, Vincent Lynch, walked her up the aisle.

As the couple is mixed faith (Catholic and Baptist), Monsignor Dermot Farrell, “a wonderful guide throughout the process”, suggested a service rather than a full mass.

The reception afterwards was a short trip down the road at Carton House in Maynooth, Co Kildare and 11 nationalities were represented among their 120 guests.

The groom’s parents, Graeme and Florence McMillan, flew from New Zealand, and the bride’s brothers from Singapore (Conor Lynch) and New York (Barry Lynch with his wife, Audrey, and sons, Ciaran and Danny).

After the wedding Regan and Caroline spent five “hectic” days in Ireland, staying at The K Club, Dromoland Castle, the Cliff House and the Merrion Hotel in Dublin.

What is the groom’s favourite part of being married? “Not having to do any more wedding planning!”

We’d love to hear your wedding story. If you’d like to share it with our readers email weddings@irishtimes.com with a photograph and a little information about your big day

Photographs: Weddings by KARA, weddingsbykara.com