Fallon & Byrne

ruadh · 06-09-2014 11:12am #1

Hi all!

Just looking for some feedback on Fallon & Byrne as a wedding venue. There are some old threads on F&B but I'm looking to see how guests of weddings there found it. I love the look of it but the negatives are that it closes at 1:30. However, if the venue was worth it, I was thinking of getting everyone to stay in the same hotel and just continue the party afterwards!

So, is it a good venue? By good I mean still fun for after the meal and worth the early closing

Thanks!

unclebill98 · 06-09-2014 12:42pm

Played there a few times and the last time was about a month ago.

The early close is a big gripe with my clients. Bear in mind the size and what you have on afterwards DJ/Band etc. As its a big track in so if possible get them to set up during the day. If you having your CC there then they can't set up. Just eats into you dancing time if things run over etc and given the cut off times its one of the biggest issues so discuss with your band/dj/venue.

Apart from that the staff are great, the location is handy, the food was raved about. One bad bit I heard twice was the selection of wine/beer in the room they give you after your CC being small, some guest headed off so given you numbers that might be something to discuss. Overall its a nice place.

ruadh · 06-09-2014 1:00pm

This is exactly the kind of feedback I'm looking, thanks so much. We're planning a humanist ceremony so I don't like the idea of cutting into valuable dancing and drinking time! The 1:30 is a major downer which would only be negated if everything else was perfect

unclebill98 · 06-09-2014 2:19pm

Well,

I've set up in the corner and we had things started around 9ish and played straight through as there was no evening food. DJ(ME) then played till 1am. So they had a long enough night.

Setting up afterwards might eat into a bit of it but its tight if things run massively over.

Its just about communicating this with your evening entertainment. They can get stuff to outside the room etc just with parking outside being, eh difficult.... They just need to be made aware of this. Speeches where done before the meal etc. They understand themselves that the cut off time is a negative(For some) so they are on the ball etc. Tables are kept clear to allow for the band/DJ to start straight away, just depends on your numbers etc but there are on the ball.

The room itself looks great at all the weddings i've been too.

Teyla Emmagan · 07-09-2014 2:10pm

I've never been at a wedding in there, but have been at a few private functions. I love the room, it has a great feel to it and is beautiful when lit up properly etc. Everything does happen in the one space though. There isn't even anywhere outside to leave coats etc (people are all night pulling coats out of the press right inside the door) and they sometimes have huge coat racks outside the press which ruins the look of the place a bit and makes one corner of the room feel a bit like a corridor. And there are no private toilets - there's only one set for the building, so you're in there with people from the shop/restaurant/wine bar. Which doesn't give the feeling of 'exclusivity' you might like for your wedding. And there is no smoking space, which means half your guests might spend the night on the street 4 stories below. On the other hand, there's a lift which is great for elderly guests etc (but from memory, no disabled loo).

ruadh · 07-09-2014 2:32pm

Great to know, thanks. These are all things that have crossed my mind and really couldn't be answered by the venue, they're going to put a positive spin. I know wedding days are different for guests versus the couple so I really appreciate these points of views.

maria_mc · 08-09-2014 11:10am

Glad to see a recent post on this - I just emailed them this morning about availability for my preferred date. We would be looking to have our civil ceremony there so my only concern was using the same room for ceremony/dinner and the wait time in between where the room was out of action. I was surprised at how reasonably priced it seems to be on the website but might get a shock when I actually talk to them!

ruadh · 08-09-2014 11:20am

I'm exactly the same, it comes in at a great price but I suppose it's because you have to be flexible and adaptable on other aspects. It would probably suit a smaller wedding as opposed to one with max capacity. Such a lovely place. We're going to have a look at it anyways but definitely going to be prepared knowing the downsides

maria_mc · 08-09-2014 11:28am

Please keep me posted on how you get on! we are in the very initial planning (thinking!) stages. We are after something relatively low key - ceremony, dinner and drinks and it looks perfect for that but we would probably be hitting near enough to their 120 limit. Would be interested to know how the price changes when you add dinner wine/drink on arrival into the mix. The no outside is another issue but probably one I could overlook if we got the no-fuss vibe we were after.

ruadh · 08-09-2014 11:37am

Will do. We'll be in Dublin on the 21st so I'll report back then!

lazygal · 08-09-2014 12:23pm

Having viewed it a couple of years ago 120 would be a very tight fit. We saw it set up for a smaller group and even that seemed cramped. When we considered it there was a room rental fee of €800 and corkage wasn't allowed which really put us off but maybe things have changed in this regard.

unclebill98 · 08-09-2014 1:17pm

maria_mc wrote: »

Glad to see a recent post on this - I just emailed them this morning about availability for my preferred date. We would be looking to have our civil ceremony there so my only concern was using the same room for ceremony/dinner and the wait time in between where the room was out of action. I was surprised at how reasonably priced it seems to be on the website but might get a shock when I actually talk to them!

There is a bar/room down stairs that they send you down too while they change the room.

I was allowed in at 3-4pm and guest where back in the room for 5:30.

Also, another thing. THey have no speaker system in the venue so you will be required to either shout or ask your band/dj to supply you with a wireless mic.

maria_mc · 08-09-2014 3:00pm

unclebill98 wrote: »

There is a bar/room down stairs that they send you down too while they change the room.

I was allowed in at 3-4pm and guest where back in the room for 5:30.

Also, another thing. THey have no speaker system in the venue so you will be required to either shout or ask your band/dj to supply you with a wireless mic.

Thanks for the info :-) Much appreciated. Would want to make sure there wasn't a "hanging around while they change the room" atmosphere!

lazygal wrote: »

Having viewed it a couple of years ago 120 would be a very tight fit. We saw it set up for a smaller group and even that seemed cramped. When we considered it there was a room rental fee of €800 and corkage wasn't allowed which really put us off but maybe things have changed in this regard.

Really? What a pain. Was hoping they were being honest about their capacity! They do still have the charge but kind of thought it might be worth it if it gave us everything else we were after. Don't want a big hotel/formal affair and would like to have our ceremony in the same place. We are after a specific date so not going to bother going to see it until I know if it is available. Do you mind me asking where you went for in the end?

Tigger · 12-09-2014 12:10pm

i went to a wedding there and it was a lovley venue
however when we all went back to the city hotel the bar was shut and they didn't open it up for us just provided some cans at a premium price, so check with whatever hotel you plan to use what their policy is on residents bar

ruadh · 12-09-2014 12:30pm

Tigger wrote: »

i went to a wedding there and it was a lovley venue
however when we all went back to the city hotel the bar was shut and they didn't open it up for us just provided some cans at a premium price, so check with whatever hotel you plan to use what their policy is on residents bar

That's a total pain in the face, I wouldn't have thought that to even ask about he opening of the residents bar in a hotel, I'd just presume that it'd be open if needed!

Tigger · 12-09-2014 12:51pm

well i'm glad to have been able to give a heads up

ruadh · 17-09-2014 8:15am

maria_mc wrote: »

Please keep me posted on how you get on! we are in the very initial planning (thinking!) stages. We are after something relatively low key - ceremony, dinner and drinks and it looks perfect for that but we would probably be hitting near enough to their 120 limit. Would be interested to know how the price changes when you add dinner wine/drink on arrival into the mix. The no outside is another issue but probably one I could overlook if we got the no-fuss vibe we were after.

Hey, just to update you. We've decided against F&B. Unfortunately, the pros weren't outweighing the cons. Such a pity because I loved the idea of the place :-/

Fallon & Byrne

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