Weddings are famously the place many singletons meet their future notable others but in Aoibhín Garrihy’s case, she has her dad to thank for introducing her to John Burke.
The year was 2010, Aoibhín was ‘single and ready to mingle’ when she attended her cousin’s wedding and she wondered if there might be some nice men in uniform present (her cousin was marrying a guard), rather, she met and fell for the hotel’s owner.
One ‘creepy’ Facebook add, and 15 years later and she and John are happily going strong and share three gorgeous children (with a fourth on the way!) and it’s all down to a chance (or perhaps not so chance) conversation with her dad Eugene.
As Aobhín and John announce they are expecting baby number four, hear’s how their love story unfolded:
## The First Meeting
Aoibhn first clapped eyes on her hubby John at her cousin Eileen’s wedding at the hotel, although in her retelling it might have been the other way around.
The wedding was hosted at The Spanish Point Hotel which John owns and it truly seems he made a beeline for the Garrihys when they walked through the door.
John’s late father had been a pal of Eugene Garrihy and their long friendship proved to be the perfect icebreaker with Aoibhín’s dad inadvertently acting as matchmaker for them.
‘Dad kind of set up John and I,’ Aoibhn previously told EVOKE although her mum Clare insisted at the time: ‘No he didn’t set you up he introduced you!’
‘well John, he constructed it that way,’ Aoibhín laughed before continuing. ‘He said, ‘Who are you here with?’ Knowing full well, he saw us coming in, he was working in the Armada Hotel and it was my cousin’s wedding and I was single, ready to mingle.
‘She was marrying a garda. I thought maybe there might be a few nice men in uniform.’
Recounting that fateful encounter she said: ‘John was working and he saw us coming in the door and he said ‘I’ll go up to her Dad first,now that’s the best thing’,and got talking to Dad who knew John’s dad down through the years but his dad had passed away.’
J
Aoibhín Garrihy Re-wears wedding Dress for Special Occasion
Aoibhín Garrihy and her husband celebrated a special occasion by revisiting a cherished memory – their wedding day. It looks like they pulled off their sentimental day in style when they first wed in 2016.
Photos from the event show Aoibhín looking stunning in a simple yet elegant Emma Manley dress. The gown featured a drop waist and deep v-neck, beautifully adorned with 3D flowers on the skirt. She collaborated closely with the designer to create this unique detail.
aoibhín later shared that she believed the dress was too beautiful to wear just once. She plans to give it another life, telling RSVP: “Every embellishment was hand stitched with TLC. I feel it absolutely deserves another outing!”
“So whether it’s a christening ensemble or a recycled number for myself, those Swarovski crystal petals won’t go to waste and will be reappearing.”