Venue opinion

midsummer21

Hi

Have looked at 4 venues. Does anyone have any real experience of them. Have ruled out barberstown castle because just don't like the reception hall.

The others are carton house, clonabreany and ballymagarvey.

Leaning towards carton house because it has the nicest civil ceremony room and most guest accommodation.

Any comments or opinions welcome.

paulers06

Was at a wedding in Carton House a couple of years ago. Had the fillet steak and was one of the best meals i've had at a wedding.

clint_silver

midsummer21 wrote: »

Hi

Have looked at 4 venues. Does anyone have any real experience of them. Have ruled out barberstown castle because just don't like the reception hall.

The others are carton house, clonabreany and ballymagarvey.

Leaning towards carton house because it has the nicest civil ceremony room and most guest accommodation.

Any comments or opinions welcome.

carton house and clonabreaney will host a better party. bar outside in ballymagarvey. Id personally side with clonabreaney over carton house, bit more character, little in it though.

c6ysaphjvqw41k

This post has been deleted.

clint_silver

The carton suite has the main bar outside the main suite with a smaller bar inside. Its a good room as those rooms go.

midsummer21

Thanks everyone.
It would be the carton suite as the numbers are 150. My other half did pass comment that those in the other room would feel second best. The bar in the carton suite looks small.

Loved clonabreany the only issue is we would gave to assign the rooms as they are in cottages and some are not ensuite it's not an easy task.
With ballymagarvey the grounds are fab but the room was set for 120 the day we saw it and I just couldn't see how we could fit another 30 in. They are making changes to that the bar will go into the room at the corner.

mojesius

I was at a wedding in clonabreany last year and it was fabulous. Food, service, reception room and outdoor area were great. Bar is v close to dining room/ dance floor and you were 2 mins getting a drink.

The next day, they used the bar near the cottages for a trad session and BBQ.

I was in carton house for a conference recently, now granted it was mainly in the new area. The food was top notch and it's a fab venue but I think clonabreany is more personal.

GingerLily

I've been to a wedding in ballymcgarvey with numbers around 160+, it was a bit cosy but on no way cramped, I really liked the venue and it felt really intimate for such a big wedding!

clint_silver

midsummer21 wrote: »

Thanks everyone.
It would be the carton suite as the numbers are 150. My other half did pass comment that those in the other room would feel second best. The bar in the carton suite looks small.

Loved clonabreany the only issue is we would gave to assign the rooms as they are in cottages and some are not ensuite it's not an easy task.
With ballymagarvey the grounds are fab but the room was set for 120 the day we saw it and I just couldn't see how we could fit another 30 in. They are making changes to that the bar will go into the room at the corner.

Ive played ballymagarvey for 180+ more than a few times. Theyll squeeze them in. Their website says they can seat up to 226 which Im sure if they say it they know a way they can but not sure how comfortable that would be if they were at max.

The biggest complaint people had with BMV over the years is the bar isnt in the main room, people go to the bar when the party starts and they dont come back in. Big plus for them if they could correct that even to have a temporary bar like some other venues do.

midsummer21

Thanks. I suppose the only way to judge really would be to see an actual wedding there. So difficult to make a decision after one viewing of these place.

sweetie

clint_silver wrote: »

Ive played ballymagarvey for 180+ more than a few times. Theyll squeeze them in. Their website says they can seat up to 226 which Im sure if they say it they know a way they can but not sure how comfortable that would be if they were at max.

The biggest complaint people had with BMV over the years is the bar isnt in the main room, people go to the bar when the party starts and they dont come back in. Big plus for them if they could correct that even to have a temporary bar like some other venues do.

Clonabreany's bar isn't in the room either but its adjoining it. If music is important bear in mind that clonabreany have a 1.30 curfew and make bands and djs use their built in system which is low enough volume wise (they limit the output further at 12pm and often music cant be heard outside the dancefloor)

Saying that I've generally had better nights there than Ballymagarvey. I'd class Carton Suite as different as it's a modern wedding room. Barbarstown is nice too despite the shape of the room.

SarahMollie

My friend has Ballymcgarvey booked for next year and her guestlist is currently at 210. She's expecting some drop off from that obviously, but I'd say the lowest she'll have is 160, wi th maybe 170 or 180 more likely. She's not remotely concerned!

If they're taking bookings for those kind of numbers, I wouldnt be worried with 150.

ibarelycare

I've been to a wedding in Carton and two weddings in Ballymagarvey. Both gorgeous venues, but Ballymagarvey definitely edges it for me. The venue is just stunning. The food at the wedding I was at most recently was the best food I ever had at a wedding (despite having the fillet steak at the Carton wedding, which was also fantastic!).

Both venues have the bar in a separate room. With Carton (in the Carton Suite) it's easier, as there are two or three sets of double doors opening out onto the bar so it doesn't feel so separate to the reception room. My sister asked to make sure there were no couches/seats in the bar area so people wouldn't linger there. In Ballymagarvey a lot of people did hang out in the bar area, but both weddings were reasonably young and lively, so the dance floor was never empty. I was at another wedding in Barberstown Castle where the agegroup was a little older, and the dancefloor was practically empty most of the night as people were hanging out at the bar.

Jentle Grenade

Clonabreany is a lovely location. I would have loved it myself but it's too far away from Cork :pac: I've been to two weddings there and both of them were fantastic days out. One was about 120 guests, the other significantly smaller but you'd hardly notice it. Never been to Carton Suite for a wedding but have been there for another event and it's nice and all but not sure it has the same kinda wow factor as Clonabreany. Nice dilemma to have all the same!

Barry Badrinath

Another vote for Ballymagarvey from me.

I was at a wedding there on Thursday, beautiful place. Staff were excellent and the food was fantastic.

Its a venue I will be putting on my own wedding list.

ludalyni

midsummer21 wrote: »

Thanks everyone.
It would be the carton suite as the numbers are 150. My other half did pass comment that those in the other room would feel second best. The bar in the carton suite looks small.

Loved clonabreany the only issue is we would gave to assign the rooms as they are in cottages and some are not ensuite it's not an easy task.
With ballymagarvey the grounds are fab but the room was set for 120 the day we saw it and I just couldn't see how we could fit another 30 in. They are making changes to that the bar will go into the room at the corner.

Do you have any more info on the changes Ballymagarvey is planning to make to its reception room?

I'm getting married there next year and the only thing that slightly concerned me was the bar outside the room.

midsummer21

We went to an evening viewing and the guy showing us around said they planned on removing part of the wall at end of bar near the banqueting hall and bringing the end of the bar into the room. They didn't give an indication of when it would happen.

In the end we opted for the carton hotel because of the location and the space in the carton suite for the meal. It also has more accommodation for our guests.