My Top 15 Favourite Irish Wedding Venues – Wild Things Wed
Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of working in some really fantastic Irish wedding venues all around the country so I thought I’d put together a list of a few I though were particularly awesome.
Here they are in no particular order ^^, … also I’ve definitely left some cracking spots out and could have made the list longer but honestly I just ran out of steam to write the descriptions ! >.<
1. Lisnavagh House, Carlow
Lisnavagh is a stunning county house estate surrounded by acres of beautiful private land and gardens. I was lucky enough to shoot here on a lovely bright day where the ceremony and reception was held outdoors {they have two beautiful outdoor ceremony locations -one right in front of the house and another spot which is lined with trees and is just a minute from the house}. The interior is so beautiful though that you’d be happy to use this venue rain or shine!
Inside is a mix of grand and quirky interior design. Every room is full of beautiful wallpapered rooms, endless intriguing nicknacks, sculptures, paintings and decorations.
You can check at more in the gallery from Edel & Mark’s wedding >>here<<
2. Mount Druid, Co. Westmeath
Mount Druid is 100% up my street as a wedding venue as it’s a bit different and has a really cool and relaxed vibe. It’s a boutique camping ground with 3 beautiful buildings throughout the site to cater to all your wedding needs. There’s a gorgeous corrugated iron barn style chapel, another lakeside converted barn-esque building {pictured below} for your drinks reception and finally a lovely spacious dinning hall / bar area where you can finish your night eating and partying.
Also in case you’re wondering what the hell boutique camping is it’s nothing like the tents you pitch for regular camping, it’s luxury furnished yurts and adorable colourful caravans dotted throughout the grounds and within walking distance to all the festivities.
Check out the full blog post >>here<< to get a real taste of what it’s like!
3. Killyon Manor, Meath
Killyon Manor is a hell of a cool venue! It’s actually quite like a mix between Lisanavagh and Mount Druid as it has a main old fashion manor house and a small field of fancy camping yurts just a short walk from the house. There is also the option, weather permitting, to have your ceremony offsite in the beautiful tree covered woodland complete with it’s own crumbling church ruin. I’d actually say you could even have it there if it was raining as the canopy of trees offers so much cover.
You can check out some shots of the ceremony at the full gallery >>here<< of Gretta & Mark’s wedding last year.
Other awesome features included the eclectic and cozy decor throughout the house {in particular the library room, pictured below, and the cinema seats} and a beautiful dinning ballroom with floor to ceiling windows that open to a lovely outside area.
4. Kippure, Wicklow
Kippure is one of my most frequented venues and I absolutely love the final leg of the drive here as you go winding up the Wicklow mountains. I always make sure to take the scenic route and say hi to some sheep on my way!
This is a lovely relaxed venue and as it doubles up as an outdoor adventure centre it has absolutely tonnes of grounds and paths that lead you on forest walks and down through woods and streams.
Kippure is particularly great for breathtaking outdoor ceremony locations! You can choose between a purpose built little gazebo which overlooks views of the Wicklow mountains and has wild horses running though fields in the background or if you have a smaller number of guests you can even have your ceremony on the footbridge that goes over the source of the River Liffey !
5. Ballybeg House, Wicklow
Ballybeg house is another fabulous Wicklow venue with the most amazing views ! The outdoor garden and reception area {in the picture below} feels like some sort of quaint village out of a Tolkien novel.
The venue is split up in to several separate buildings. There’s the Ayers ceremony room which is a beautiful dark candlelit room with exposed stonework walls, wooden beams and stained glass windows. Thens a short stroll away is the aforementioned reception area with gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside and finally just around the corner is the dining room Marquee.
More shots of Anna & Robs wedding can be seen >>here<<
6. Ballymagarvey Village, Meath
It’s been a while since I was at the lovely Ballymagarvey Village but I’m dying to get a chance to go back. It’s another beautiful all in one venue with a central courtyard that’s surrounded by all the different wedding hosting rooms – the Manor House, the banqueting hall and the lovely walled garden.
Such a lovely countryside feel here and (for fellow Dublin based people) it’s less than just a 40 minute drive away.
I have some shots up on my old website >>here<< if you’d like to see more!
7. Clonabreeny House, Meath
I was at Clonabreeny as both a photographer and a guest and for both it was top drawer! Again it’s another all in one venue (you might have notice by now that that’s my fav – it’s just so handy when you get ready, married and party all on site!). There’s the option of a lovely chapel for your ceremony or if you’re as lucky as my friends, Phoebe and Conal, you can have your ceremony outdoors under the shade of some trees in the beautiful grounds.
I haven’t been able to comment on this for the other venues but there’s an awesome little Shebeen where you can carry-on partying late in to the night once the main house is closed. There’s also loads of really nice on-site accommodation for guests and it’s a lovely set-up for having a BBQ party for some second day antics.
Checkout some more of Phoebe & Conal’s lovely wedding >>here<<
8. Bellingham Castle, Louth
This 17th Century Castle is a lovely classy wedding venue with looks to impress and buckets of space if you’re having a large wedding. Bellingham Castle is set on the banks of the River Glyde and the massive estate includes a weir and man-made river island with footbridges, mature trees and formal lawns and gardens. So tonnes of lovely on-site options for photos! You can also have ceremonies on-site, both indoors and outdoors. Oh and finally I remember the food here was particularly delish!
Hoping to get Ruth & Nacho’s awesome Irish/Spanish celebration here up on the blog soon!
9. Borris House, Carlow
I was at Borris house for Rob & Fiona’s super stylish wedding in 2015. It was my first time shooting in Borris House and I really hope it won’t be my last. It’s just such a cool venue full of quirky little details {like old fashioned rocking horses, odd little ceramic cats and painting everywhere} and stunning architecture.
It had it’s own amazing little chapel too { I think it’s part of the house’s old laundry rooms} just a 1 minute walk from the house and a gorgeous dining room with gray brick walls and a high ceiling with beams and rafters.
You can have a good creep on it on my old blog >>here<< and also >>here<< where it was featured in the Irish Independent – WOO
10. Loughcrew, Meath
Loughcrew is a fantastic venue if you’re looking for somewhere super laid back that you can put your own stamp on.
I was here for a chilly November wedding so the reception took place in the cozy main house drawing room where there were open fires and beside this a station of burners were set up with lovely mulled ciders in the house porch (I say porch but if you check out more images >>HERE<< you see it’s more like a conservatory and a really nice feature of the house as it’s got a stunning glass ceiling and some mad taxidermy too!}.
Behind the main house there’s a courtyard surrounded by buildings on each side {There’s the ceremony room, a lovely long dining room and then a bar room for partying!} and this would make an awesome ceremony/reception area in summer months too.
11. Marsfield House, Wexford
I was only here for a couple hours to shoot a very intimate civil ceremony {there were 5 of us, including me!} but what I saw of it was absolutely gorgeous and I would love to come back for a full day to explore more of the house and grounds.
So I guess not much info to pass on except that it is an beautiful looking venue {as you can see there’s a lovely conservatory out the back and I think this is where dinner takes place}, it’s a fairly short spin up from Dublin and the grounds and gardens are lovely too!
12. The Millhouse, Slane
The Millhouse is an elegant Georgian manor and heritage mill on the banks of the River Boyne. I’ve shot here a good handful of times and am always so impressed with this venue.
It’s made up of three key buildings which are all within sight of each other (like a 30 second walk!). There’s the main manor where your reception takes place (there’s also 15 bedrooms here too), the old mill building for your ceremony (pictured below) and then the dining pavilion.
My favourite parts would have to be the ceremony room, with it’s exposed brick walls, old features and the high, open-beamed ceiling, and the amazing grounds with endless cool spots for photos.
I’ve yet to blog any of my 2016 wedding from here but in the meantime here’s a few from the old blog >>here<< & >>here<<
13. Brooklodge, Wicklow
Brooklodge and Macreddin Village is a beautiful country house hotel. It’s stunning grounds come complete with roaming chickens and a chapel set beside a beautiful tree-lined steam.
The house itself, as you can see in the picture below, is covered in the most beautiful different colours and shades of ivy. A bonus here, unlike a lot of the more DIY style houses and manors above, is that there’s on-site accommodation for all your guests.
I didn’t get a chance to blog the wedding below from 2015 (yet >.< ) but if you’d like to see more of Brooklodge then check out this old ( I mean super old, like one of the first weddings I ever shot) blog post >>here<<.
14. Fallon & Byrne, Dublin
This is the only venue I’ve shot in in Dublin City centre but I can’t imagine it could get much better! Fallon & Byrne ticks all boxes for excellent location, buckets of style and ridiculously delicious food!
You can get married on site upstairs in the main ballroom or if you’re having your ceremony off-site there’s great nearby options for civil ceremonies (like City Hall, the Registry Office) and of course tonnes of beautiful city churches for religious ceremonies too.
You also have your pick of awesome pubs and bars (I don’t think your could find a street with more options than the ones around Exchequer and Georges St!) to have your reception in too.
I’ve shot here twice before (and have a few upcoming bookings here again, yay!) and you can check out Ana & Stephen’s 2016 wedding >>here<< or one I shot quite a while back up on the old blog >>here<<.
15. Glendalough Hotel, Wicklow
As if I need to sell you on why Glendalough would be a beautiful location to get married ^^, Just check out some of Sarah and Mark’s wedding >>here<<. Bear in mind too that it looks that great on a crazy windy and rainy day, imagine how awesome it would be in the summer too!
