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Avril, from Co Roscommon, became a social media hit after a photo went viral (over 18,500 likes on Facebook) of the moment she spotted her brother, Paul, during her walk up the aisle to fiance Colin Dowd on December 29th, 2014 at St Eithne & Fidelma Church in Tulsk.
“He lives in Australia and had been home a few weeks before for our brother’s wedding so he wasn’t meant to be there,” said Avril. “When my dad whispered that Paul was there, I got such a shock. Paul just leaned over and said, ‘keep going’.”
The only people who knew about the 48-hour surprise trip were groomsman Derek O’Reilly and another Hunt brother, Des.
For the couple, who have known each other since they were in secondary school, choosing the wedding venue and date was easy.
“The Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone is where Colin asked me to start going out with him [watching his beloved Man Utd lose to Liverpool] and where he proposed five years later,” said Avril, who now works at the same hotel.
Avril – who found her dress in The White Room in Mullingar – and her three bridesmaids spent the night before the wedding at home with her parents, Des and Maura. “I didn’t sleep a wink that night but on the morning I was so excited, so calm and relaxed. Especially after talking to Paul on the phone . . . I thought he was ringing from his holiday in Mexico. ”
Kerri Larkin was the make-up artist on the day and Lorraine Lohan the hair stylist.
The day after the wedding it was back to the Hunt family home for dinner and on to Jason Hanly’s pub in Strokestown.
The newlyweds mini-mooned for a few nights at Carton House, Co Kildare and then spent a week in Paris. They hope to honeymoon in Cancun and Las Vegas this August.
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