Taking a long walk down the wedding aisle!

NOT many couples would complete a 10k ‘mini’ marathon walk on the morning of their wedding – but for Anne Hermon and Jamie Dougherty, this was the perfect start to their special day.

‘What else would we be doing?’ Anne joked. ‘We’d probably be running on that morning either way so it was nice that all our friends could join us.’

Jamie, from Simon’s Cove near Clonakilty, and Anne from Toronto, Canada met nine years ago while studying medicine at the University of Limerick.

The couple completed 10km of the Great Wild Atlantic Walk in Courtmacsherry on the morning of their wedding. They were joined by their friends who ‘flew in from all over’ to be there.

‘It was really fun,’ said Anne, ‘but I don’t think my hair and make-up people were too happy about it!’ A few hours later Jamie and Anne became husband and wife – with their wedding ceremony and reception at Monk’s Lane in Timoleague.

‘The wedding was brilliant – we had it at Monk’s Lane and Gavin and Michelle there are also family friends – they’re just incredible people. They really made everything perfect,’ said Anne.

Jamie Dougherty and Anne Hermon on their wedding day at Monk’s Lane in Timoleague. (Photo: Gearoid Holland)

A typical trip to West Cork for the couple usually involves heading to Jamie’s home place in Simon’s Cove, and going for a swim in the sea. ‘We always go to the beach and try to go for a swim, no matter what time of year it is,’ said Jamie.

The newly-weds embarked on another exciting adventure on Tuesday – this time for their honeymoon – jetting off to Austria for five days of hiking.

When they return from their travels, Anne and Jamie will be moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada where they will both start work as consultant anaesthetists.