The Register: 6 wedding venues for elevated elegance
Chic ceremony spaces, magical country houses and expansive grounds characterise these elevated bridal party offerings
The Johnstown Estate
The opulent Johnstown Estate in Co Meath offers a multitude of wedding spaces including a private entrance, a chic lobby lounge, a Gala Ballroom and an orangerie, which holds a stylish cocktail bar and leads to an adjoining terrace overlooking the beautiful walled garden.
With its high ceilings, large windows and plush furnishings, Johnstown Estate works for both daytime gatherings and evening events, and the Ballroom, with its plush interiors, high ceilings, glistening chandeliers and an expansive dance floor, is a great option for an opulent party hosting from 80 to 350 guests.
Food is seasonal and locally-sourced, while the extensive spa offers plenty of downtime options, including a beauty suite where you can get a range of treatments for the big day.
There is also The Mulberry, a plush suite that sleeps up to six guests with lots of luxurious amenities as well as the Lady Margaret Suite, a three-room manor suite tailored to couples on their wedding night.
The Johnstown Estate, Enfield, Co Meath, +353 (046) 954 0000, weddings@thejohnstownestate.com, thejohnstownestate.com
The Lodge at Ashford Castle
Now one of the most renowned five-star hotels in the country, Located on the 350-acre Ashford Estate, The Lodge at Ashford Castle can accommodate from 25 up to 200 wedding guests.
Civil ceremonies on-site feature views of Lough Corrib and surrounding woodlands, offering the perfect backdrop for exchanging vows outdoors. The hotel’s beautifully decorated Harbour Ballroom can cater for up to 200 guests with a capacity for 250 with the addition of a marquee.
A bespoke menu using local and estate-grown produce is created for each couple by the hotel’s culinary team and is paired with biodynamic and organic wines from some of the world’s finest wine producers, all tailored to a given budget.
The award-winning Lodge at Ashford Castle can be privately hired for wedding parties and with 64 contemporary and cosy bedrooms, the venue can accommodate up to 130 wedding guests. The hotel can also cater for two and three-day events – from a BBQ to a buffet or private party.
Guests can also enjoy the nine-hole golf course and visit Éalú, Ashford Estate’s new health and wellness centre with a pool, jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, gym and treatment room.
The Lodge at Ashford Castle, Cong, Co. Mayo F31 YC85, +353 (094) 954 5400, cduggan@thelodgeac.com, thelodgeac.com
The College Green Hotel Dublin
The College Green Hotel Dublin (formerly The Westin Dublin) is the city’s newest reimagined five-star hotel. Located opposite Trinity College, the opulent and historic Banking Hall is one of the most grand in the city.
Seating up to 180 guests it comes complete with glistening Waterford Crystal chandeliers, towering columns and original artefacts. The landmark façade and private entrance on College Street, which overlooks Trinity College Dublin, gives a real sense of arrival through a striking Georgian-style doorway.
Registered to host civil ceremonies, its resident wedding planners are on hand to offer expert tips and bespoke advice. Head chef Stephen McGuire and his team will consult with you to create a bespoke five-star menu using locally-sourced ingredients.
The College Green Hotel Dublin, College Street, Westmoreland Street, Co Dublin, D02 HR67, +353 (01) 645 1000, reservations@thecollegegreenhotel.com, thecollegegreenhotel.com
Ballyvolane House
First opening its door in 1728, Ballyvolane House is a magical Georgian country house nestled in the north Cork countryside. As an award-winning wedding destination, couples get the entire house and grounds on an exclusive basis for the duration of their wedding.
Blessings and ceremonies take place in the woods, the tin barn, by the lakes and in the gardens, meanwhile, the four-course wedding dinner and dancing (disco ball included) is held in a converted stone barn alongside the gardens (with a capacity of up to 140 guests).
A farm-to-fork dining focus is key to Ballyvolane House’s wedding dinner, with products sourced from local artisan food producers, while the award-winning Bertha’s Revenge Gin is produced in-house.
Ballyvolane House has been in the Green family for generations, so couples and their wedding guests can expect a warm, family-friendly treatment in elevated, country-chic surroundings.
Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons, Fermoy, Co Cork, P61 FP70, +353 (25) 36 349, info@ballyvolanehouse.ie, ballyvolane.ie
Cahernane House Hotel
Cahernane House Hotel is truly a best-kept secret when it comes to weddings. The entrance to the hotel is framed by a tunnel of greenery which unfurls to reveal the beauty of this imposing manor house, and coupled with the magnificent scenery, it makes for beautiful photos and precious memories.
The hotel is approved to host civil ceremonies and blessings on site with a choice of ceremony spaces available including, The Conservatory with its panoramic views of Killarney National Park, The Library Room or Drawing Room in the Manor House with antique furniture and open log fires, or the great outdoors.
Couples can enjoy exclusive use of the entire house including the 48 bedrooms (80 guests), or a more intimate celebration for up to 25 guests, with requirements individually tailored for the most personalised experience.
Together with stunning food in Herbert’s Restaurant, magnificent grounds, and views to the mountains and beyond, the historic country house hotel has all of the ingredients for a fairytale wedding.
Cahernane House Hotel, Muckross Road, Cahernane, Killarney, Co Kerry, V93 E78W, +353 (64) 663 1895, info@cahernane.com, cahernane.com
Clonabreany House
Clonabreany House is a private Georgian country estate only one hour from Dublin set amid the breathtaking Meath countryside.
This destination caters for up to 220 guests with on-site accommodation for up to 100 guests, while on-site amenities include a beautifully restored courtyard, a cosy Irish country sibín bar, a magnificent permanent Grand Marquee and a luxurious private honeymoon suite with beautiful views of the Loughcrew hills.
From cosy winter weddings to beautiful summer woodland ceremonies, Clonabreany House has a selection of all-inclusive wedding packages to suit each couple’s special day, with options to extend celebrations with two and three-day celebrations also available over weekend dates throughout the year.
To fully appreciate this beautiful venue, a viewing is a must; explore the house and grounds, the beautiful purpose-built ceremony room, courtyard houses and the cosy sibín bar and see what makes weddings at Clonabreany House so special.
Clonabreany House Hotel, Clonabreany, Crossakiel, Co Meath, A82 R9C8, +353 (46) 924 3814, weddings@clonabreanyhouse.ie, clonabreanyhouse.ie
