Newly-mets become newly-weds in radio marriage

JUST seconds after they laid eyes on one another, two strangers took the plunge and became husband and wife in Dublin yesterday.

Bernadette Coleman joined Patrick Dunne to say 'I do' in front of 180 guests in Clontarf Castle.

The bride wore a pearl-encrusted veil over her face and only lifted it when she saw the groom at the altar. Bernadette is a 30-year-old accountant from Raheny, while 34-year-old Patrick, who is from Crumlin, works for Securicor.

Both have their own homes but felt something in their lives was missing, so they entered a competition, 'Two Strangers and A Wedding' on radio station 98FM.

While Bernadette and Patrick did exchange wedding vows, their marriage is not legally binding. It won't be official until they decide to obtain a marriage certificate from a Registrar of Civil Marriages.

But their big day, broadcast live on radio, was well worth it. They got a prize package worth €50,000 that included the wedding, a honeymoon at an Austrian ski resort and a year's use of two cars.

More than 200 women expressed an interest in becoming a bride and in excess of 100 completed the application process.

The men were a little thinner on the ground with only 120 expressing an interest and 80 completing applications.

The final four prospective brides and grooms went on air each day over a week. 98FM listeners and an expert panel selected the bride.

Bernadette then made the final decision on the groom, with help from the panel.

Bernadette, who was given away by her father Noel, said afterwards she was delighted to have married a total stranger.

"It is a very unusual way for two people to meet and although it is early days, the initial signs between us are very promising and we can now spend some real time getting to know each other after all we have the rest of our lives," she said.

Ciaran Davis, 98FM's general manager, said the icing on the cake for them was the fact that they brought together two people who appeared highly compatible. "If today is anything to go by, they might just have a fantastic future together," he said.

The wedding was a first for Irish radio.