What will probably be remembered as one of the biggest and most fun weddings of the year, went off with a bang yesterday when solicitor Barry Lyons and model-cumparty organiser Sonia Reynolds tied the knot in Co Meath. Her credentials as a party expert meant there were great expectations for the reception - people flew in from New York, Rome, London and Paris - and certainly no one seemed disappointed. The ceremony took place in Rathfeigh Church in Meath - a diplomatic half-way mark between Barry's family in Dublin and Sonia's in Co Armagh.
Apart from close family, the church was practically full of bridesmaids and bestmen - Barry broke with tradition and decided his best men (five in all) would outnumber Sonia's bridesmaids (a mere four). They included Sonia's sister, Jane Reynolds; models Ali Phelan and Cathy Lawson; make-up artist Nickie Whelan, who flew in from London and did Sonia's make-up on the day; Philip Fox-Mills who travelled from New York; Paul Mulligan of Coca-Cola, who flew in from Romania; Stephen Breen, who runs O'Reilly's pub in Paris; Thomas Lenehan, and solicitor Bob Manson, who recently left Arthur Cox to join Drury Sports Management.
Peter O'Brien of Rochas in Paris made Sonia's dress and Jenni Crawford and Michael Leong attended to the hair of that bevy of women. A sister from each family - Ivana Lyons and Emma Reynolds - sang at the ceremony. Afterwards the party moved on to Tankardstown, a Victorian walled garden in Meath which was stunningly transformed by Sonia's mates, John Redmond and Catherine Condell of Brown Thomas. After a weekend of partying, Sonia and Barry will head off for their honeymoon on Pierre Doyle's boat, which is moored near Barcelona.