They swiped right on a dating app.
They met for a stroll.
That was during pandemic times, when lockdowns and travel restrictions were the norm.
But little did this Dublin couple, Tosin Idowu and Kieron Cullen, imagine that within two years their first short wander along Grafton Street together would really go the distance, gather pace and expand into air miles to 10-plus countries together — and their life adventure would attract an audience of 40k TikTok followers ( @Kosinfinityandbeyond).
“We swiped right on the dating app Bumble on October 2020,” says Tosin.
“We spoke for a bit, but I got really busy and didn’t respond for a while. When things calmed down, I messaged Kieron asking if he wanted to go for a walk. We met up for some socially distanced walks late Fall — and have spoken every single day ever since.”
Those chats included planning their big day — the first of two nuptial celebrations.
Tosin, who is Gabonese Nigerian and grew up in Georgia, USA, and Kieron, who moved to Dublin a few years ago from Forfar, Scotland, first exchanged vows in a traditional Nigerian ceremony in the United States in December 2022 — and another aisle awaits them for what Tosin describes as their “white-dress wedding” in June, in Portugal.
“He found the most beautiful Airbnb and on our last morning, he asked me to dance in our living room. I got a little distracted looking out at the view of the canal and when I turned back around, Kieron was down on one knee.”
Just over six months later, they were on the other side of the globe, when they were married in the Sosis banquet hall in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 17.
“It was a cultural wedding and we planned to stick to a lot of the Nigerian traditions,” says Tosin.
“Kieron’s parents asked me to join their family, and my family gave me away. I had to pick one gift out of the many brought and we had our first dance. There are a lot of traditions that take place in a Yoruba (Nigerian) wedding and we participated in them all. It was a beautiful day. We were the last ones on the dance floor and didn’t even want to leave. I didn’t get a chance to eat any wedding cake because I was too wrapped up in the moment having fun. I think what made the day so special was having everyone in my family there to celebrate. We don’t get to be together a lot because they are all in America. Kieron’s parents also flew over to be there for the big day and it made it all that much more special.”
The bride’s dress for her December wedding was tailor-made in Lagos, Nigeria, but she is quick to point out that the groom also had star treatment.
“Kieron was thrilled to get his hair cut by a barber who usually styles actors and celebrities in studios and film sets. Any time we walked into a room with a mirror in it, Kieron would end up in front of it — this went on for days!” she says.
Tosin describes the design she will wear for the June event as “whimsically romantic”: “It was bought at Dublin Bridal House and the groom and his party will be getting their suits from Diffney’s on Mary Street in Dublin.”
The bride’s brother, Taiwo Idowu, will perform the role of celebrant at the Portuguese ceremony, in Quinta Do Torneiro venue in Lisbon.
Rather than the traditional bridal or wedding party, adds Tosin, “we are doing things a little differently. We have an ‘I do’ crew, made up of friends and my brothers, Kehinde and Tolu.”
The newlyweds will honeymoon in the Maldives and Thailand. “I used to live in Thailand and I am so excited to take Kieron there and show him around,” adds Tosin. “We plan to live in Dublin for a while. We love it here.”
- If you would like your wedding featured in Weekend, email eve.kelliher@examiner.ie