Wedding Venue - Dublin and Surroundings

Lost in SFMA

Can anyone recommend wedding venues in Dublin and surrounding areas - interested in kildare, meath, wicklow, cavan... ? I've 150 guests and looking for somewhere in the middle of the road price range? Also would love to hear where to avoid! Thanks!

Flat2dmat

My sister had hers in Newgrange Hotel, Navan. Was very nice and food was good, fairly average prices as far as I know. Not in own grounds (in the town centre) so if you're looking for nice views, probably not the best bet. My brother had his in Station House Kilmessan. Food is gorgeous there and location is nice, own grounds, countryside. Probably similar price to Newgrange, tho not totally sure. I'd avoid Knightsbrook in Trim tho - rumours about it going into liquidation...

sofireland

To be fair the rumours are flying round about most hotels anyway esp in the current climate. There are also similar rumours re Trim Castle Hotel, Dunboyne Castle etc.
Newgrange and Knightsbrook are owned by the Cusack Group, they also own the Castle Arch in Trim and Ardboyne in Navan.

Knightsbrook is by far and away the best hotel in the cusack group, and from talking to someone who works there, they have an avg of 3/4 weddings a week from march to the end of the summer. Including mine in April.

Station House is lovely, my cousin had her wedding there in December, may be a bit on the small side for 150 though.

OP, what kinda budget per head are you looking at?

burberry

of all the weddings i have been to the old Darnley Lodge in athboy has to be the best food outstanding, service brill, and very friendly staff. Dont know about prices but well worth giving them a bell.

muffinob1

Hi op we're having our reception in the Osprey in nass. Its expensive but great and they will organise for your price as far as i know. Service excellent. The bridal suite is fab as well.

I'd avoid kilashee, the hotel fab but staff not so nice and as well the function room i kinda weird

Lost in SFMA

sofireland wrote: »

To be fair the rumours are flying round about most hotels anyway esp in the current climate. There are also similar rumours re Trim Castle Hotel, Dunboyne Castle etc.
Newgrange and Knightsbrook are owned by the Cusack Group, they also own the Castle Arch in Trim and Ardboyne in Navan.

Knightsbrook is by far and away the best hotel in the cusack group, and from talking to someone who works there, they have an avg of 3/4 weddings a week from march to the end of the summer. Including mine in April.

Station House is lovely, my cousin had her wedding there in December, may be a bit on the small side for 150 though.

OP, what kinda budget per head are you looking at?

Thanks everyone for your replies! Looking through a few now, but there are so many, dont know where to start ! havent really got an idea of budget yet, just want somewhere decent that is good value for money. id consider more than 80-90/ head to be very pricey in the current climate. what does anyone think? are the prices going down with recession - surely they should be??? thanks !

muffinob1

we were really silly and signed a contract just before the bum fell out of the economy and we're paying 86 pp for tthe meal so now you should get great things for that money.

sofireland

You might not be able to hammer them down too much on the meal, i know beef / salmon choice for us is 64.50 a head.
But you can get them down on other stuff i'm sure.
Don't be afraid to haggle.

The key thing i think is not to lose a run of yourself, and go all in.

There are places you can save most definitely.

muffinob1

I'd have to agree with sofireland, I'm a home ec teacher and my fiance is a chef so the food was always going to be our big spend, we have gotten them down on the price of sandwiches on arrival, the price of the afters food and the cost of the bedrooms for 30 guests rather than 10. They aren't willing in our case to move on the price of corkage which is mad!! And the house wines are expensive, other than that they've def been willing to work with us.

Good luck. Oh and pick a hotel that's doing well a friend of mine just found out her hotel is to close and deposits paid make them a creditor but a very small one so they go to the bottom of the list. I think this year you need to be very sure that your hotel will be ok and still there for the wedding.

Eoin

muffinob1 wrote: »

I'd avoid kilashee, the hotel fab but staff not so nice and as well the function room i kinda weird

Couldn't disagree with you more.

muffinob1

eoin wrote: »

Couldn't disagree with you more.

Isn't that the joy we all have such different experiences. My 2 with this hotel weren't great, do hear loads like you that loved it.

With reference to function room at the wedding we attended the dance floor is down stepps from the tables and we had a situation where no one was dancing and there was a weird atmosphere.

As for the staff we'd made an appointment to view the hotel with a view to booking it and we'd an awful encounter witha very rue woman - so rude that we made a complaint and got a call from the general manager and the function manager and they really tried to convince us to book.

That's just my view - sorry to offend

Eoin

Don't worry, I'm not offended at all .

I just had a completely different experience, as a guest at 2 weddings there and our own after them as well.

It was actually a bonus for us that they didn't have to clear out the room to prepare the dancefloor, so the band were ready to go immediately after dinner. If the dancefloor is empty, then I'd say that's more to do with the band than anything else. the dancefloor was packed all night at ours.

We also found the staff to be very helpful, and were very attentive leading up to, and on the day itself. However, I think there are a few different planners there, so maybe we got a friendlier person.

Toots

We're having ours in the Glenview in wicklow next year, the hotel is lovely and I think the prices are quite reasonable, and all the staff we've met so far have been really nice and helpful. They're doing a wedding fair this sunday so it might be worth taking a look.

The Summerhill in Enniskerry is also nice. If you're going midweek it's very reasonable. My parents have been to loads of weddings there and have nothing but good things to say about it. We were considering it for our venue also, but fell in love with the glenview so went there. The summerhill is lovely for photos also, great gardens etc.

Eoin

Friends of ours got married in Summerhill, and it's a lovely venue alright.

mikeanywhere

I am shooting a wedding here- this would defo suit the numbers you have

Lost in SFMA

Toots85 wrote: »

We're having ours in the Glenview in wicklow next year, the hotel is lovely and I think the prices are quite reasonable, and all the staff we've met so far have been really nice and helpful. They're doing a wedding fair this sunday so it might be worth taking a look.

The Summerhill in Enniskerry is also nice. If you're going midweek it's very reasonable. My parents have been to loads of weddings there and have nothing but good things to say about it. We were considering it for our venue also, but fell in love with the glenview so went there. The summerhill is lovely for photos also, great gardens etc.

I've looked at the Summerhill twice alright! I love the reception area and the little cosy areas ppl could have a chat etc. THe prices are very reasonable too. I was just a little bit disappointed with the bedrooms, not that there was anything wrong with them, apart from being a little dated. What does anyone else think? I'm sure guests would be more concerned about the food and atmosphere though???

Eoin

Lost in SFMA wrote: »

I was just a little bit disappointed with the bedrooms, not that there was anything wrong with them, apart from being a little dated. What does anyone else think? I'm sure guests would be more concerned about the food and atmosphere though???

Don't remember them at all - I wouldn't worry about it!

MariMel

Hey..
I know its a little out of your preferred area but I am getting married in the ANnebrook Hotel in Mullingar in November. Already a 10% saving for choosing that month alone. the beef/salmon option is working out at just over €40 a head. I'm not from mullingar and had organially thought of getting married up where I am from, in carlingford.
The Annebrook have been nothing but wonderful and cant do enough for myself and my fiance. Chair covers come in the price, we're having a civil ceremony and the way they decorate their room for it is second to none....they supply the flowers and candlabra. They have a variety of rooms and the service is excellent. I stayed and ate in the hotel before I choose them. They have added in some amazing little extras foc too.
One of the things i loved about it is the fact that the edgeworth suite hasnt got a huge vaulted ceiling that imo cant make the wedding reception room look empty even when there are 150+ people in it. Their candeliers are recessed into the celing. I wanted a more intimate feel. I'm having 50 for the meal and another 150 for the evening.

I cant rave about this hotel enough.....I am soo looking forward to getting married there.

sweetie

Lost in SFMA wrote: »

I've looked at the Summerhill twice alright! I love the reception area and the little cosy areas ppl could have a chat etc. THe prices are very reasonable too. I was just a little bit disappointed with the bedrooms, not that there was anything wrong with them, apart from being a little dated. What does anyone else think? I'm sure guests would be more concerned about the food and atmosphere though???

I was at a wedding there two years ago and whilst the place is nice I was disgusted with the fact that there were renovations or building going on and as it was a nice day everyone who was outide had to move out of the way of trucks full of rubble coming and going. I would have had a freak if it were my day.

Lost in SFMA

sweetie wrote: »

I was at a wedding there two years ago and whilst the place is nice I was disgusted with the fact that there were renovations or building going on and as it was a nice day everyone who was outide had to move out of the way of trucks full of rubble coming and going. I would have had a freak if it were my day.

Is this Summerhill you're talking about? Thanks...

MORISH

Just got engaged so was very interested in this thread, i'm also looking at south dublin/wicklow border. I'v been to just one wedding at summerhill and although the place and surroundings are fab, i was very dissappointed with the food. But that might have just been a one off. Looked at the druids glen marriott hotel, really impressive but pricy, although they seem very keen to work with us, already are including arrival reception, and chair covers and a 10% discount on food bill. They are having a wedding fair on thur 26th Feb. I'm going to check out the glenview too.

Stephen P

I'm getting married in The Station House Hotel in Kilmessan, Co. Meath in June. My sister got married there a few years ago and we thought it was ideal. While its on the small side, its very private, lovely grounds for photo's, superb food. It's not very expensive.

DVD2009

i was at the summerhill in enniskerry for a wedding recently the place was great ,nice hotel, reception area great ,grounds great , lots a snug areas for a nice drink . rooms grand the courtyard houses great .But i didnt think much of the service during the dinner. The starters for the head table was delivered as grace was said, the bride and groom dinner was served while they where not at there place. No manager around to clear room for the band to set up and the position of finger food and cake at end of night was a joke . But the food was very good .