Couple whose wedding hotel went bust go for a more-than-unique setting

Marilyn O'Connor and Paulus Ungerechts after their wedding in a polytunnel in Ballinafad, Co Sligo Photo: Peter Wilcock

Greg Harkin

A couple whose wedding reception at a luxury hotel had to be cancelled after the company running the venue ceased trading last March tied the knot yesterday in a polytunnel instead.

Marilyn O'Connor and Paulus Ungerechts, from Ballinafad, Co Sligo, had been due to say 'I do' at Cromlech Lodge.

"We couldn't change the date because we had guests coming from Germany, so it wasn't an option for us," said Marilyn.

"We tried to get another venue, but we couldn't get anything to suit the date. We had ordered two new polytunnels for our garden and we started joking that if we couldn't get anything suitable we could always use those. Then the joke turned into reality."

More than 120 guests joined the couple, who grow their own organic food, for the civil ceremony inside the polytunnel.

The local football club provided astroturf.

The couple then hopped on a motorbike for the 600m journey to the local pub, the Mayfly Inn, for the reception.

The groom, who is originally from Germany, said the polytunnel will be filled with plants within weeks.