Ann Marie Hodnett and her husband Michael said ‘I do’ on July 19th 2025. The bride, originally from West Cork, and groom, a native of Faranes, met exactly six years before their wedding, marrying on the same weekend as their fateful meeting. The couple met “the good old fashioned way” at Dwyer’s bar in Cork City.
“Michael saw me from afar, followed me to the bar and took the chance to buy me a drink,” Ann Marie said. “I gave in and said I would entertain him for a while, and lo and behold, a few hours later we were still chatting about all things life. Before I knew it was home time and we had talked the night away. A few months later we were going for regular Sunday spins and things gradually developed from there.”
The Venues
We chose Cloughdubh Church for the ceremony. It’s a beautiful little country church about five minutes away from us so it made sense. We love the setting and the priest made us feel so comfortable and at ease.
We chose Rochestown Park after lots of venue visits between Cork and Kerry. Hands down it ticked all the right boxes for us. From the get-go, they were absolutely incredible and made everything so easy . What really stood out above the rest was their professionalism and attention to detail. They really aim to make everything possible for the couple and aim to please. I can only say the very best about the management, staff, venue, food – everything was what we wanted and more. They went above and beyond to create our special day. Even allowing us to do a butterfly release the following day in the garden. Special thanks to Shibby, he was a pro – everything was perfect!
Saying Yes To The Dress
Having 20 years of fashion behind me, I knew picking the dress was going to be a walk in the park. I always had a style in mind and a month before Michael proposed, I had seen a dress and screenshot it. Unbeknownst to me, eight months later I’d be wearing it!
Some brides like a crew of spectators to try on dresses, but I actually went on my own and had two beautiful dresses from Vows picked in two hours. When you know, you know. I had four dresses in total.
Some brides opt for robes for the morning, but I went for a sequin feathered dress. I felt comfy, special and glam in it, I loved it .
My second dress for the church was a lace and sequin fishtail dress by Mori Lee. I felt incredible in it.
My third dress for the reception was an art deco fishtail design, it was my absolute favourite.
And my last dress was a sparkly flapper-style full-length gown. I wore this for the dancing part and it was such a fun look.
My jewellery was Azure. All my pieces looked incredible with each style. Audrey, the owner of Azure, was incredible and knew exactly what would work with all of my dresses.
Wedding Planning
We had a short engagement .Michael proposed on Christmas Day and we were married within seven months. I couldn’t think of anything more stressful than years of planning to be honest – a wedding could take over your life if you let it.
In hindsight I look back and think ‘wow I don’t know how we did it.’ The most stressful part of wedding planning was juggling it all – life, work and our darling dog got sick in between it all. Thankfully she turned a corner after a long vet stay and has recovered.
Favourite memory
One of my favourite memories of the day was the morning of the wedding, with us all getting ready together. Michael and I both got ready at home with our bridal teams and did our first look on the balcony along with Goldie, our dog. It was such a special memory and the photos exude the fun we had. Before we even left we had a ceilí in the hallway as my bridesmaid Lisa played the fiddle. It was like a scene from a romcom, and on reflection, brings a smile to my face as I think of it.
Special mentions
Photographer: Mark Combes
Content creator: Anastacia Bel N Photography
Hair: Alison at Blow Dry Bar
Make up: Pam Pratt
Ceremony music: Fiona Kennedy
Entertainment: Magician Liam Sheehan
Entertainment: Saxophone by Lauren Fitz
Band: Irish Weavers
DJ: DJ Bertie
