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Orla O’Doherty (44), who played squash for Ireland and reached a world ranking of 69, is from Portmarnock and moved to the US in 1993. She met Debbie Brown (52), a three-time US national squash champion from California 19 years ago at a tournament in Minnesota and they were best friends until 2009. “That’s when the spark hit us both,” says O’Orla.
On April 7th 2014, Orla’s 43rd birthday, DB (as Debbie is known) finally asked Orla to marry her. Orla had been asking DB the same question every night for five years.
On April 18th, 2015, they were married in the rose garden of a friend’s estate in Montecito, California. Everyone wore white, except Orla’s Scottish male relatives who wore kilts. Orla wore white Doc Martins.
The brides-to-be, with four bridesmaids each, walked into the ceremony to Billy Idol's White Wedding and were given away by their older brothers. The 1980s music carried on with The Molly Ringwald Project playing Duran Duran, the Cure, Depeche Mode, Simple Minds all night.
Among the family and friends who came from Ireland, Scotland, the UK, France, Denver, Seattle, Boston and Philadelphia, was one surprise guest: Irish singer Francie Conway, a close friend of Orla's brother Finbarr, who performed his new single in support of the marriage equality referendum, Love takes no prisoners.
“Having him perform brought tears to our eyes. It was amazing to see and hear everyone dressed in white join in the chorus,” remembered Orla.
“We each married our best friend, our partners in crime,” she added, “And now we’re legal partners in crime.”
Orla owns and operates the Santa Barbara Squash Academy where Debbie is programme director. The newlyweds are planning a honeymoon in Spain next October.
We’d love to hear your wedding story. If you’d like to share it with our readers email weddings@irishtimes.com with a photograph and a little information about your big day
