Our Wedding Story: Long distance romance blossoms

Christopher (28), a banker with Santander and Kathryn (29), a researcher and lecturer in politics at the University of Manchester, met in 2005 at a French language class at Queen's University Belfast.

Kathryn, from Lismore, Co Waterford, studied European studies and French and Christopher, who is from Portadown, has a degree in management and French.

After a four-year long-distance relationship – Belfast, Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Canterbury, London, Manchester and Paris – the couple got engaged in Lisbon in 2013 and moved to London.

"I always said if ever I was to get married it would be in St Canice's Cathedral, it's so beautiful and holds many memories from when I was in boarding school at Kilkenny College, " said Kathryn.

On 28th August 2015, she married Christopher there in in front of 130 family and friends.

Kathryn's father Paul is in a wheelchair and so his own best man from 36 years ago, Stuart Weightman – who is also the bride's godfather – walked the bride up the aisle.

“Not being able to walk me down the aisle was an understandably difficult thing for my dad, especially as I am an only child. Stuart is family to us and it meant a lot to us as a family, and to my dad in particular.”

The Kilkenny College Chamber Choir performed throughout the wedding ceremony and Kathryn's friend, Emily Cousins, performed Gaelic Blessing and Beau Soir.

A full weekend of celebrations were held at the Hotel Kilkenny, where Jason O'Callaghan and The Speakeasy Band performed For Once in My Life by Tony Bennett as the newlyweds' first dance.

After honeymooning in Greece, Kathryn and Christopher are back home in Manchester.

Photographs: Elisha Clarke, elishaclarke.com