AN ENGAGEMENT gift that gives back to the community managed to land Kate Williams and Graham Austin a wedding worth over €10,000.
Win A Wedding was a raffle fundraiser for the Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism and the main prize was a wedding at the four-star Carrigaline Court Hotel with a lot of extras thrown in.
Kate’s tennis partner Louise Cogan bought the golden ticket for the newly engaged couple after Graham popped the questions on a romantic break in Portugal back in October.
Chatting to The Echo, Kate said she never thought twice about the ticket only to think it was a lovely gesture.
“It was a lovely thing for Louise to do but I never win anything so I never in a million years expected we would win.”
Kate said she got the call two weeks ago and after getting the call, she did a ring around with Graham last on the list.
Kate said the pair were gobsmacked by the win and also by people’s reactions to their good fortune.
“Everyone has been so nice, to the point where it’s unbelievable. It’s just crazy.”
Kate Williams and Graham Austin
Initially, Graham and Kate were planning on getting married in September 2023 in order to give them time to save, but now that they have been gifted a wedding, Kate said “the sooner the better.”
“We have been together for eight years, people kept asking me was I surprised he proposed, but after eight years, I suppose it was going that way!”
Louise for her part was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Kate and Graham and she and her husband Alan will be staying at the Carrigaline Court Hotel in one of the rooms gifted by the establishment as part of the prize.
Louise for her part was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Kate and Graham and she and her husband Alan will be staying at the Carrigaline Court Hotel in one of the rooms gifted by the establishment as part of the prize.
The full wedding package includes a myriad of features including a four-course gourmet meal for 100 guests and a drinks reception A number of local suppliers also donated parts of the price with DJ Dan Noonan of DK2 gifting his time and talent on the day and a wedding cake from Baker Boy Cakes.
Kate will also receive a €500 voucher towards her wedding dress at Diamond Bridal and their drinks reception will have cupcakes and cake pops from Cakeland by Anita among other perks.
Chatting about her good deed Louise said it was lovely to see the price go to a local Carrigaline couple and also said the entire Carrigaline Tennis Club are over the moon for the couple.
