Couple may still have their dream wedding
Tipperary woman Carol Fleming from Drangan is set to marry her partner of 11 years Dermot Molloy in three weeks time but worried about how she would now pay for her big day after winourwedding.ie owner Elaine Whitney pulled the plug on the company and said there was no more money left.
The couple had never planned for a wedding because of the expense of caring for their son Danny, who has a complex cardiac condition. It was Carol’s sister who entered her into the competition hoping it would allow the couple to finally get married.
Since her story was highlighted in the Irish Examiner earlier this week, Carol has been contacted by numerous wedding suppliers and brides who want to help her prepare for her big day.
A post on Carol’s facebook also attracted attention across the country with brides offering their bridesmaid dresses and other wedding essentials.
Aherlow House Hotel in Newtown, Co Tipperary has also confirmed that it has agreed to cover the remaining balance so Carol and her husband Dermot will have the wedding reception they had planned.
The hotel’s wedding and events manager Eve Quigley has said that management wanted to help Carol after the upsetting incident.
“We were truly delighted Carol and Dermot chose our venue for their special day,” she said.
“Sadly the couple along with suppliers experienced difficulties in their dealings with this company which hindered the wedding plans.
“It has been deeply upsetting for Carol and Dermot in what should have been the most magical, exciting and happy time for the couple.”
The couple won a text and online voting competition to win the grand prize and had received more than 24,000 votes. One hundred couples were in the competition before it was whittled down to 10 finalists.
Speaking to this paper, owner of winourwedding.ie, Ms Whitney said she has not pocketed any money from the competition and admitted she got into a cycle of debt which in turn, led to the closure of the company.
She said she was “heartbroken” for letting the couple down and promised to reimburse them when she could.
