Fota or Maryborough???

polly08

hey, looking to book our wedding reception in cork city area. Gonna have about 300 guests and we are torn between Fota and Maryborough House Hotel. Looking at a March wedding.

Anybody have experience of weddings at these venues?? Any help or advice would be great.

Thanks

polly08

hey, looking to book our wedding reception in cork city area. Gonna have about 300 guests and we are torn between Fota and Maryborough House Hotel. Looking at a March wedding.

Anybody have experience of weddings at these venues?? Any help or advice would be great.

Thanks

pwurple

Both are lovely....

I prefer Maryborough myself. I like the old house, the food and they have a great spa.
Fota is more modern, which other people might prefer.

I'd be delighted to go to either, they are both very professional and should run events without a hitch.

ABajaninCork

Maryborough. Have you considered Carragaline Court? Lovely hotel, great food and service and they cater only one wedding a day. Might work out a little cheaper than either Fota or Maryborough House.

Milly33

Ohh they are both very different spots.. It really depends.

Fota is fantastic, I haven't been to a wedding there but I have enquired (their prices are mad I will say that) they know how to charge. But then it does look rather pretty..

The only thing would be accommodation for people, I know the hotel is big but the rooms there also come at a hefty price. If people were to stay outside the hotel they would either be heading back into cobh or well the Radisson then would be the next closest place.

The Marybourough is loverly have been to the afters of a wedding there, I like it but I don't think it is wow.... It would be easier for guests as there is a lot of accommodation in the area bnb's, Rochestown Park all are close..

The Imperial in town also has great prices and is loverly if you would like something in the city centre

Milly33

Oh are these suppose to be double posts... It all depends what ye are looking for.. Stick them down there in bullet points might give people a better idea of how to answer the question..

It is a killer trying to pick

polly08

Thanks so much, thats great help. Ya room rate for guests in fota is €160 and for maryborough its €140, so not a huge difference. I have heard that the food in Maryborough is fantastic and the staff are very good. also a lot of people have mentioned that the drinks reception in Maryborough was very good, under a marquee. But this is soon to be taken down and a new extension has being built in its place, which makes me nervous because we have no idea what it will be like for a drinks reception. we viewed fota and loved it but have heard some contrasting stories about it. and fota is also a little bit more expensive!!

An Bhanríon

Don't know Maryborough, unfortunately, but was at a wedding in Fota a few years ago. All went without a hitch, good food, etc. One thing I liked was that there were seats straight outside the function room where people could go who didn't want to be in at the dancing. There were a few guests who wouldn't be into the loud music! And it was nice that they didn't have to go far to find a cosy spot to chat. The hotel in general was lovely too and very comfortable.

Good luck with your choice!

Faith

My mum was at a wedding in Maryborough recently and she said the marquee area was gloomy and freezing. But if they're renovating it, I'd be wary of it being a building site for your wedding.

If the prices are similar, I'd go with Fota - if only because about 50% of people I know who got married had the reception in Maryborough so Fota is a change of scenery for a lot of people.

ABajaninCork

You also need to consider whether there is cheaper accommodation nearby for your guests if they cannot or choose not to stay at your venue...

CorkClaire82

I've been to weddings at both and are both very nice. However I think I'd have Fota slightly ahead of Maryborough. There are no windows in either function room but Fota is so big you wouldn't notice it. The dancefloor in Maryborough is a bit pokey as well. The food in both was very good I thought so I wouldn't pick between them on that.

One thing I would say that I really didn't like about Maryborough was the staff's attitude in the resident's bar. I know it is supposed to be for residents only but most places tend to turn a blind eye for a wedding. There they were adamant we weren't getting in with a bouncer checking for keys, chairs up to block the way etc. Eventually the bride and groom went over and asked them to let us in. We got in eventually but it left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths. None of us were drunk either so it wasn't that. If the resident's bar isn't something you want/will use then this isn't a big deal of course.

Milly33

Really they stopped you. I thought for a wedding ye would all surely get to go to the residence bar.. That's just nasty..

Marybourough, oh I was thinking in my head the one thing it has going for it, is that lovely garden space. If there were kids going at least they have somewhere to run around and if ye wanted pictures it was quite nice. Building onto it seems daft...

I would think if there isn't a huge difference go with Fota. It does look fantastic, and the price difference might be worth it for that magical touch..

You may have to do a little extra work perhaps looking into some cheaper accommodation for guests but just give them a selection of places and ye will be fine.. Let them choose. I don't know any local taxi in Cobh but I know the Cork Taxi co-op are trust worthy maybe you could ring and arrange a few taxis to call out to bring someone home, let them pay but just have the numbers for them..

You have Silver Springs hotel in and the Radisson close by so they would be cheaper hotels maybe to stay in

hoodwinked

i'd be for Fota, went to a colleague of my husbands wedding there and it was fantastic,


beautiful garden area for photo's lots of space on the dance-floor especially with those numbers, lovely reception area before you go in, and the staff were so lovely and the food was delicious!

dreamer2009

Have been at three weddings at Fota in the past few years. All were lovey and the food served was great (in particular the vegetarian dish served at one of the weddings). The staff were very efficient and polite. A downside is that there are very few chairs in the drinks/canapes reception area and a lot of guests mill out and over to the main bar and into the lobby.

I have only been to one wedding in Maryborough. I have to say the gardens are great there on a summers day and the bar is just off the garden area so people can mill around& have a bite to eat whilst bride & groom get photos taken. The only downside is the dance floor is much smaller in Maryborough and for that many guests I would think the main room would be quite crowded. However, I'm also told the bath in the honeymoon suite more than makes up for any downsides to the hotel.

Frog Song

CorkClaire82 wrote: »

I've been to weddings at both and are both very nice. However I think I'd have Fota slightly ahead of Maryborough. There are no windows in either function room but Fota is so big you wouldn't notice it. The dancefloor in Maryborough is a bit pokey as well. The food in both was very good I thought so I wouldn't pick between them on that.

One thing I would say that I really didn't like about Maryborough was the staff's attitude in the resident's bar. I know it is supposed to be for residents only but most places tend to turn a blind eye for a wedding. There they were adamant we weren't getting in with a bouncer checking for keys, chairs up to block the way etc. Eventually the bride and groom went over and asked them to let us in. We got in eventually but it left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths. None of us were drunk either so it wasn't that. If the resident's bar isn't something you want/will use then this isn't a big deal of course.

Same here, there was no way we were being let near the resident's bar. My brother was the best man and I was trying to get his car keys to him and they were having none of it. It took the groom's mother to have a word to get me in. Really thought it was ridiculous. I wasn't even drinking that night as I was driving my parents home so it's not like I was drunk and I was very polite and understanding about it but there was no way, I even offered to leave my bag with him so he'd know I'd be straight back! I understand they have a job to do but that really was taking the piss. It really put me off the place personally. I'd hate if I was getting married to have a guest treated like that. Also we were frozen in the marquee and it was a July wedding, a cold enough day but I'd hate to see what it's like in the winter, even with heaters, it was quite dreary compared to other marquees I've been in at weddings. I'd personally pick Fota but each to their own.

Toots

Threads merged

Milly33

Frog Song wrote: »

Same here, there was no way we were being let near the resident's bar. My brother was the best man and I was trying to get his car keys to him and they were having none of it. It took the groom's mother to have a word to get me in. Really thought it was ridiculous. I wasn't even drinking that night as I was driving my parents home so it's not like I was drunk and I was very polite and understanding about it but there was no way, I even offered to leave my bag with him so he'd know I'd be straight back! I understand they have a job to do but that really was taking the piss. It really put me off the place personally. I'd hate if I was getting married to have a guest treated like that. Also we were frozen in the marquee and it was a July wedding, a cold enough day but I'd hate to see what it's like in the winter, even with heaters, it was quite dreary compared to other marquees I've been in at weddings. I'd personally pick Fota but each to their own.

I cant believe that, still shocks me. Any wedding we have gone to we have always gone well if awake to the residents bar. even if we aren't staying at the hotel, tis just plain rude I would think. Fota looks like it is winner

CorkClaire82

Milly33 wrote: »

I cant believe that, still shocks me. Any wedding we have gone to we have always gone well if awake to the residents bar. even if we aren't staying at the hotel, tis just plain rude I would think. Fota looks like it is winner

Yeah it put me off the place. A friend, who got married in Fota actually, said to me that she had been wondering why they didn't get married there but then with the resident's bar carry on she remembered that the staff she dealt with at viewings weren't great. I mean it was lovely and we'd great craic at the wedding but it left a bad taste. My gang are big resident's bar people so that's why we were so disappointed.