“I had a joint wedding – and honeymoon – with my mum!”
for a meal-tasting session, when Trisha popped another big question.
Aisling recalls, “I could sense Mum was nervous. She told me that she and Joe had come up with an idea, before asking Marius and I to get married with them. We’d both helped with the wedding so much, that Mum felt it was basically our day as well.
“While Marius and I were touched, it seemed crazy. We both said no straight away
– we couldn’t gatecrash my mum’s wedding!
“But that night, Marius and I started chatting and we slowly came around to the idea. We’d save thousands by sharing our big day and the four of us got on brilliantly. When we told Mum and Joe about our change of heart the next morning, they were ecstatic.”
In a bid to surprise their guests, the couples decided to keep their plan a secret – even from Aisling’s six siblings and Trisha’s bridesmaids and Joe’s groomsmen.
SNEAKING AROUND
Aisling explains, “Our guest-list was practically the same – we wanted it to be a surprise to make things even more exciting. Marius’ immediate family knew, but that was it.
“I organised Mum’s hendo – but I didn’t have one as it would have spoiled the surprise. I didn’t mind, though, because I was such a big part of Mum’s.”
On Valentine’s Day 2020, the big day finally arrived.
Aisling says, “I spent the morning with the bridal party, before telling them I was heading off to get my makeup done in a separate room, but really, I was putting on my own dress. The wedding organiser helped me sneak around the hotel.
“Before the wedding, there’d been a mix up with bridesmaids’ dresses. Mine had been lost in the post, so it gave me a genuine excuse not to walk down the aisle with all the other bridesmaids. And no one seemed to notice I was missing.
“As Mum and Joe said their vows, I was hidden behind a door, listening to every word. After they kissed and everyone cheered, Mum addressed the crowd. She told everyone to stay seated because they had a big surprise.
“The door swung open, and 160 guests turned around to see me. I walked down the aisle to loud gasps and squeals of excitement. Marius stepped up to the altar and we exchanged our vows, then the four of us walked back down the aisle together.
“An amazing reception followed and, for the rest of the day, guests kept telling us what a good idea it was to combine the two weddings.”
PRECIOUS MOMENTS
The couples even shared their first dances to A Thousand Years by Christina Perri and, a week later, they boarded a cruise ship and had a week-long joint honeymoon, sailing around the Spanish Islands.
Aisling says, “We all get on so well, that we decided we’d spend our honeymoon together, too. We had a great time.”
But shortly after returning home, the UK entered national lockdown, forcing Aisling and Trisha apart.
Aisling says, “Lockdown has been incredibly difficult for everyone. Mum lost her brother, Paul, to COVID last April, so the seriousness of the virus hit home very quickly. We knew it was safer to stay apart.
“Mum continued to work as a carer throughout the pandemic, while I’m a hairdresser so had to close my salon. We still FaceTime most days, but being apart from each other has made us realise just how precious family moments are.”
Trisha says, “Aisling has been there with me since day one— from the surprise engagement in Amsterdam to the amazing hen do she gave me, and all the planning for my special day.
I had Aisling’s dress, shoes and jewellery safely stored in my house, and even though I slipped up a few times and nearly let the secret out, no one ever noticed. I loved sharing my wedding with Aisling and Marius – it made a magical day even better.”
I WALKED DOWN THE AISLE TO LOUD GASPS AND SQUEALS OF EXCITEMENT RIGHT ALIGNED CAPTION