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Stef Russell (29) from Dalkey and Nick Doran (35) from Terenure have lived in South Korea for three years and were married in the Dublin Registry Office on February 12th.
They invited 27 guests – through Facebook – to lunch afterwards in Forest Avenue on Sussex Terrace and had a drinks party two days later in Fallon & Byrne.
“No engagement ring, white dress, suits, bridesmaids or groomsmen, photographer, wedding cars, cake or first dance,” said Stef. “It was minimal fuss, maximum fun.”
Stef and Nick met in 2007 through the UCD Canoe Club (paddling the Annamoe River) and neither considered marriage necessary. “We’ve known for a long time that we wanted to be together for the rest of our lives.” But two things made them have a re-think.
First, there was the serious illness of a close family member related to Stef. “It made me realise that we don’t know what’s around the corner for any of us. I’ve considered Nick to be part of my family for a long time but I wanted it to be official.”
The second reason was more practical. They plan to raise €30,000 for Headstong through a nine-month cycle next March from South Korea to Ireland and wanted to be legally recognised as each other's next of kin.
In November, Stef asked Nick to marry her and they were married 14 weeks later during a trip home that had already been planned.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds hired Dublin Bikes, tied tin cans to the back and a “Just Married” sign around the bride’s waist, and cycled up the canal to lunch.
“That little cycle was a highlight for us both,” said Stef. “It was a sign of things to come, as well as also being a major reason we were getting married in the first place.”
“As weddings go it was a pretty reasonably priced affair,” she added. “The two days of eating and drinking, new clothes and shoes for both of us, the registry office fee, two wedding rings and staying in Kelly’s Hotel for five nights all came to just under €8,000.”
We’d love to hear your wedding story. If you’d like to share it with our readers email weddings@irishtimes.com with a photograph and a little information about your big day
