Clonee couple's dream wedding win at Journal show

When Clodagh Murray and Mick Lyons from Clonee walked into the Wedding Journal Show on Sunday, 10th January, their first port of call was to enter the show’s famous ‘Win a €25,000 Wedding’ competition, run in association with Xpose.

And good thing they did as just three hours later the pair were announced as the winners of a luxury wedding package many newly-engaged couples could only dream of, including a beautiful reception venue, dream honeymoon and much more all to the value of €25,000.

Mick, who has two children with Clodagh, was confident from the beginning that it was going to be his lucky day. Post-win, he told Wedding Journal Magazine: “As soon as I filled out the application form I thought ‘we’re winning this’. I knew it all along.”

Their winning entry was picked from hundreds to take Clodagh and Mick to the final live on-stage at The Wedding Journal Show. Joining seven other couples, they made it down to the final three before cutting into a wedding cake and revealing a golden medal which confirmed them as the overall winners, along with a confetti explosion and victory music.

Mick said: ““I saw the ribbon when I cut into the cake and I just thought ‘yes, it’s us!” Clodagh continued: “Winning will change everything for us.”

“The big thing is the financial side,” adds Mick. “We were walking around the show looking at everything we wanted for our wedding and trying to work out the budget in our heads and the sums didn’t really add up. But that pressure is all gone now which is amazing. We are free to plan our wedding without any worries.”

The couple’s wedding will feature on Xpose, as well as in Wedding Journal Magazine.

The extensive wedding package includes a €8,000 reception at Leixlip Manor & Gardens, honeymoon worth €6,000 at Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay Turkey, €3,000 wedding dress from Alice May Bridal, €3,000 worth of sparkling rings from Rocks Jewellers, €2,500 groomswear package from Protocol for Men, and finally a fabulous photography package worth €2,500 from FINNimaje.

Visitors flocked to The Wedding Journal Show on January 9 and 10, eager to chat to Ireland’s top wedding suppliers and begin their exciting wedding preparations. With features like the International Bridal Catwalk Show and Curvy Bride Style Seminar it was an unmissable weekend for engaged couples across the country.