Aimee Connolly on her fairytale French wedding, parkrun and Sculpted's next steps

The founder of make-up brand, Sculpted by Aimee says she plans to take a delayed honeymoon in a couple of month's time

'We had looked at so many wedding venues, to the point that we almost got divorced before we got married'

When I sit down with Aimee Connolly, the first thing that strikes me is how self-possessed the 30-year-old seems. It's a quiet confidence that has served her well over her impressive career to date, and it's something she attributes to the way she was brought up. The second thing I notice is her lovely newlywed glow; Relaxed and happy, Connolly lights up as she tells me all about her recent fairytale wedding. 

Last month Aimee and her fiancé, long-term partner John Greene said their “I dos” in front of friends and family at a stunning French venue; Chateau de Varennes in Burgundy. She tells me that while she plans to take a delayed honeymoon in a couple of months’ time, the wedding itself felt like a holiday.

“I did French (with Commerce) in college, so a lot of people think that's exactly why I chose France," the Sculpted by Aimee founder smiles.

“It actually wasn't why we chose that venue though. We had looked at so many wedding venues, to the point that we almost got divorced before we got married because we just couldn’t decide,” she jokes. 

Aimee Connolly and husband John Greene on their wedding day. Picture: @louisegoldingphotography on Instagram

“And then we found this gorgeous intimate château in Burgundy that was just perfect because it was big enough to have that impact of being a gorgeous wedding space, but small enough for it to feel like a lovely close-knit group where you're not lost on the grounds. It was amazing to have all our family with us, like when else would you get all your family together for what felt like a holiday? We had the best weekend ever.” 

So if she had to choose her favourite moment of the day?

“Outside of my gorgeous mom who walked down the aisle with me, which was very emotional, there was one particular moment on the actual wedding day where we were crossing over from reception drinks to dinner. The band had started playing, and everyone was on their chairs, just totally loving life. Like we hadn't even had a bread roll yet! And it was the most amazing feeling. You've put on this party for people, you're really enjoying it and everyone's having the time in their lives. I just loved it”.

The 30-year-old has amassed some 188,000 followers on her personal Instagram @aimeeconnolly_com where followers eagerly awaited posts from the wedding day. It's a following that has been built up mostly from her cosmetics business Sculpted by Aimee which she launched in 2016, having previously worked as a freelance make-up artist. On her Instagram, she shares the ins and out of the business, which has been going from strength to strength with a flagship store now on Dublin's Grafton Street, and an expansion into the UK and the Middle East.

“I think I probably never take no for an answer,” businesswoman Aimee Connolly admits when I ask her the secret to her current success, “but only in the nicest way". 

Aimee Connolly pictured in the Sculpted by Aimee store in Kildare Village

“I've grown up with a mum who has had an absolute can-do attitude always," she says. "I think when you have your own business, and when you're making decisions all the time, you have to have a really strong gut instinct and a real back-yourself attitude. So, I just get up and get on with it, hope for the best and it usually works."

Connolly, who won the Emerging category at the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards in 2021, says her biggest business secret is not overthinking things. 

"It sounds so basic," she concedes, "[but] I think if you were to sit down and think about the level that you're doing, or the seriousness of a project or the future plans, that could totally overwhelm. You would probably find it easier to go 'I'm actually not going to bother'. I don't let myself get bogged down.” 

Connolly, who is currently training for a half-marathon, is now taking on another challenge. She’s been announced as a VHI ambassador for this year’s ‘More Than Running’ Campaign which encourages people nationwide to volunteer at their local parkrun — a community-based, weekly, timed 5km run every Saturday morning that takes place in 140 venues around the country.

Aimee Connolly pictured in the Iveagh Gardens, Dublin, supporting the Vhi More Than Running campaign at parkrun. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

“It's really nice where you see families getting involved together," the South Dubliner admits. 

"The great thing about going in as a volunteer is that you can get a flavour of it. So for anyone who is a bit nervous about getting involved, I’d say you're still there witnessing the buzz, you're still feeling part of the community, you're still part of a Saturday morning, and then it might give you a little bit more confidence to actually go [do it] some week. 

"I'm going to run it myself, but you can jog it, or you could run or you could walk it. It's open to everybody. I love that inclusivity.” 

When she’s not in her high-vis herding joggers in her local park, Connolly has some exciting plans for Sculpted that she still can’t say too much about. 

“All I can say is that we are finding a home somewhere very exciting in the next few weeks. More to be revealed on that soon, without doing the classic hush-hush…” she laughs.

“It is on a more international scale, outside of Ireland, which is exciting and terrifying.” 

For Connolly, it's always been the quality of her products that she believes stands out. 

"First and foremost, your products have to perform or else you know you can create all this hype and momentum and people will buy it, [but] they won't come back. I’ve always been obsessed with product quality. One of the biggest compliments for us is hearing that a mum robs her daughter's products, and then the daughter gives it to her granny. For all the generations in a family to enjoy a product is the aim, because they are usable for everybody. And you know, at the end of the day, we just want to make people feel a bit better. And that's what we do.” 

• Aimee Connolly recently launched Vhi’s More than Running campaign which aims to encourage people nationwide to volunteer at their local parkrun. Find out more at parkrun.ie