Happily ever after for Panto love

TWO of the best-known people in Cork theatre were finalising the script last night for their fairytale wedding next week.

Chris Gaughan, 34, the technical manager of Cork Opera House, and his sweetheart Aisling Byrne, 32, who choreographs pantomimes at the rival Everyman Theatre, will put theatrical competition aside to tie the knot in Las Vegas.

It’s being billed by friends as the showbiz wedding of the year. Oh yes it is!

The key players will take their places in the chapel of top Vegas strip hotel, the Bellagio, next Thursday — exactly 10 years to the day since they first stated going out.

They were busy putting the final touches to their plans last night before jetting out at the weekend.

Once upon a time — 11 years ago to be exact — Chris from Douglas met Aisling from the Commons Road on the set of the Opera House’s Jack and the Beanstalk Christmas pantomime.

Working backstage, Chris fell for Aisling who was dancing in the show.

The couple’s relationship took off the following year when they met on the set of Cinderella, again at the Opera House.

Chris plucked up the courage to ask her out ‘to a ball’ on December 20, 1997.

“Cast and crew weren’t supposed to mix back them. But we broke the mould,” he joked.

They worked together on six pantomimes over the years. “We’ve never measured our relationship in years — it’s always been in how many pantos we’ve worked on together,” he said.

And on Christmas Day, 2005, Chris assumed the role of Prince Charming, departed from the script of the day, and popped the question at their home in Glanmire.

And right on queue, Aisling said yes putting them on the road to a happy ever after ending.

A supporting cast of up to 30 close family and friends — including Chris’s parents, Pat and Breda, and Aisling’s parents Norma and Nicky — will attend next Thursday wedding.

Aisling’s granny Murray can’t make the trip but she’ll be thinking of them on the big day.

The groom will have two best men, Harvey Graham from Cork and William Dempsey, who is also originally from Cork, but who now lives in the US. The bride’s sister, Orla, will be maid of honour.

The couple plan to get wedding photographs taken with Elvis and the Rat Pack and visit the world-famous gondolas attraction in the nearby Venetian Hotel.

They will spend a few days in Las Vegas but Chris, an American football fan who plays with the Cork Admirals, is planning to take in a game at the LV Bowl on Christmas Eve before the couple leave for a week’s holiday in St Lucia.

They jet out to Las Vegas on Saturday but not before taking in the hit musical Hairspray on London’s West End.

It’s the busiest time of year for both of them with Christmas pantomimes underway in both the Opera House and Everyman.

“We’ve both spent a lot of time preparing our work so we can get away this year,” Chris said.

And the shows will go on while they’re away — the Opera House is staging Cinderella while Jack and the Beanstalk is running at the Everyman.