500 guests to watch on as marriage goes to the dogs

A Labradoodle is about to wed a golden doodle in a ceremony with 500 guests, writes Áilín Quinlan.

IT was love at first sight a few short months ago — and next month, sweethearts Breff and Ralph will marry in a spectacular wedding attended by 500 bemused guests.

On Sunday, Jul 14, at the Blarney Golf and Spa Resort Hotel, Breff, from Cobh, in Co Cork, will don a diamond tiara and a stunning, ice-white fishtail wedding gown that has hints of green and a pretty, ruffled hem by designer Stiofain Dennehy.

Husband-to-be Ralph, a Dubliner, will sport a sleek, custom-made tux, also by Dennehy, while the wedding party ensembles are designed by Victoria Dawes.

The wedding will be complete with bagpiper, an authentic vintage car, and entertainment by Eurosong’s Simon Casey — and, yes, a bone-shaped cake.

That’s because Breff and Ralph are dogs — the fetching, 18-month-old bride is a Labradoodle (a mix of Labrador and poodle), while her groom is a manly golden doodle.

Instead of exchanging rings as part of the civil ceremony, the couple will swap green collars.

The couple’s best man, Rollo, a chocolate Labradoodle, will sport a cream dickie-bow, while pageboys Dempsey and Denis, will wear special tuxedo outfits.

Flower girl Fiadh, who hails from Midleton and is a golden doodle, will wear a pretty white dress.

A special, mother-of-the-groom outfit is being designed for Queta, who hails from Doneraile, and is a Labradoodle too, while the bride’s mother, Shelley, a Lab-Retriever cross, will also wear a designer outfit.

The event will be attended by broadcaster Ryan Tubridy — his name was added to the guest list after he interviewed the groom’s owner, Eleanor Bermingham, on his radio show.

The plan is to raise €10,000 for the Blarney-based charity, My Canine Autism Services, which was set up in 2011 to provide highly trained and skilled assistance dogs to people who have disabilities, particularly autism.

Each assistance dog costs more than €10,000 to train and the process takes two years.

But the organisation says the animals can dramatically improve the quality of life for children with autism, and also that of their families.

Wedding planner, Deirdre O’Dwyer, whose 12-year-old son Evan has autism, admtis it was her idea. ‘‘I was trying to think of a fund-raising event that hasn’t been done before, but which was different and involved dogs.”

Breff and Ralph’s big day begins at 2pm when they will be chauffeured to the hotel, from Blarney Castle, in a vintage car.

On arrival, the happy couple, who will be met by a red carpet and cheering crowds of well-wishers, will be led into the ceremony by bagpiper, Norman O’Rourke.

A civil-marriage ceremony will take place at 3pm, followed by a buffet reception, with entertainment by singer Casey.

The cutting of the bone-shaped wedding cake will take place following the meal, after which there will be dancing to live music.

The charity colours of green and white will feature throughout — the wedding gown, to be worn by Breff, who met Ralph months ago at a charity fundraiser, will have hints of green, while the mothers of the bride and groom will sport tasteful, green and white outfits. Following the celebrations, the canine canoodlers will spend the night in the bridal suite of the Blarney Golf Resort, before enjoying a lavish honeymoon breakfast.

“There was a phenomenal amount of planning in this; it’s been months in the making,” says O’Dwyer. The happy couple kindly donated their wedding gift, a Mitsubishi Space Star car, to the charity. The car, which is to be raffled at a later date, will be on show at the wedding.

“The interest in this has been phenomenal, it’s such a novel idea and for such a good cause — so many families are affected by autism, it’s good to know there is help out there.

“The assistant dogs make a huge difference to the children’s lives,” says O’Dwyer.

Her son Evan’s dog, Dempsey, one of the wedding pageboys, is awaiting training with the charity — Dempsey is scheduled to begin classes in September.

“Dempsey has already been a huge asset to our family,” says O’Dwyer.

Breff is in training to become an assistant dog for a little boy in Cobh, while husband-to-be, Ralph, is a qualified assistant dog working for a family in Dublin.

* Tickets to the wedding ceremony cost €20 per person; family tickets are €50. For further information, visit www.mycaninecompanion.ie or contact Deirdre on 086-1733255.