Community ensures wedding isn't put on ice.

Louise Walsh and Ann Casey

Community spirit in Meath yesterday ensured that a local couple's white wedding wasn't put on ice, despite the blizzard conditions.

Eric Horan and and his Welsh bride Sian Williams had their dream wedding after locals in Kilmessan rallied around to clear snow and ferry the wedding parties to and from the church, with the help of Trim Fire Services.

Costello's Centra Shop put out a call on their Facebook page for help and local 4X4 drivers answered a call to drive the newly-weds and their guests through the blizzards to the Trim Castle Hotel, some 10kms away.

Trim Fire Services also turned out to escort the happy couple to their reception.

Residents grabbed shovels and anything else they could find to clear the church grounds of snow on the morning of the wedding.

“The community were amazing. They really rallied round and esnured it was an amazing day. They got us all to the church and then to the hotel,” said Erics sister, Michelle.

“Some of those helping were complete stangers to us.”

“The hotel were amazing, they made sucvh an effort. The staff made a big effort to get there and so did the band.”

Guests weren't going to let the weather affect their style as they abandoned their wellies at the church door, swopping them for more elegant shoe wear.

Eric and Sian even braved the wintry winds to get photographs outside a snow-clad Trim castle.

"The veil blew off Sian and they could hardly see the camera in the blizzard conditions but they just laughed through it all," said wedding photographer Ruth Foran 

"It wasn't the ideal romantic, fresh snow that we stopped in - it was driving snow and freezing temperatures.

"The local community are amazing.  I think Sian and Eric were literally blown away by how good everyone was.

"The hotel were also amazing and accommodated staff with rooms so they could work and not worry about getting home.  Everyone went out of their way to make sure that Storm Emma didn't ruin the day for them."

Enfield-based Ruth, who stayed in Trim on Wednesday night in case travel conditions deteriorated,  added that she was due to work at three weddings this weekend, but the other two couples had made the decision to postpone their big day because of difficulties.

Speaking this morning, Sian said: "I was getting ready in the hotel when my sister-in-law sent me a picture of the men clearing the snow from the church and said she was so emotional.  None of my family, or indeed Eric and myself, could believe how amazing the local people were.

"After Gary Costello put up an appeal on Facebook, ten jeeps showed up and there were even more at our disposal, if we needed them.  They say you never forget your wedding day but because of the people of Kilmessan, I really won't forget mine," she said.

Eric who met Sian at his friend's stag do in Cardiff a number of years ago added: "The community spirit was marvellous.  And the hotel was amazing, anything they could do for us, they did.  There was never talk about cancelling.

"They even put up the staff for the night so they could work at our wedding.

"We'd both just like to say a huge thank you to absolutely everyone who did all they could to make our day magical," they said.

The couple had planned a honeymoon in New York, but have postponed it for the time being.