The Six Best Places to Get Married in Ireland
The Six Best Places to Have an Irish Wedding
As anyone who is happily married will tell you, weddings are a wonderfully magical celebration, whether at a chapel in Las Vegas or on a cliff-top in Oahu. But there is something really special about an Irish wedding. Perhaps it is the soft Celtic light silhouetting the bride, or the crackling fire in a castle hall, but it definitely is unique.
Once the hunting retreat of an English gentleman, Adare Manor is majestic and breathtaking, and is certainly at the top of our list. The Adare staff, unassuming yet thoughtful, are of the highest quality. A great hall candlelit meal is a wonderful experience all on it's own. As a venue for a wedding, it is without equal.
Powerscourt Castle, however, would be a close second to Adare Manor. Just outside of Dublin in the Wicklow Hills, Powerscourt Castle is gracious and welcoming. The beautiful and sprawling gardens also include one of the pre-eminent golf courses in Ireland.
For couples that like the hustle and bustle of a city, University Church is a favorite wedding ceremony choice. Set on Stephens Green, in the very centre of Dublin, you will find your pick of hotels in the surrounding area to hold the reception. Within walking distance there are the Merrion Hotel, the August Shelbourne Hotel, and the Fitzwilliam Hotel. From the modern Merrion to the magnificence of the newly refurbished Shelbourne, all of these locations would provide an occasion of the highest quality.
Dromoland Castle is next, in the center of County Clare. Proprietors of this site describe it as one where old-world elegance is combined with the amenities of the modern age. This isn't an idle boast. Dromoland is also less than ten miles from Shannon airport, which is a stop-over point for transatlantic travel, making it extremely accessible for anybody traveling from the United States.
The Radisson SAS St Helens is catered to those who are looking for the advantages of a wedding ceremony in the big city minus the bustle. Fifteen minutes from the centre of Dublin, on spacious and luscious grounds, it's a hidden treasure. Within the walls the city seems like it's a thousand miles away. The Radisson SAS St Helens offers an assortment of packages, from a standard rate to the Diamond Package for people who prefer to push the boat out that bit further.
For couples that are looking for a touch of the country, check out Hotel Dunloe Castle. Completely surrounded by over sixty acres of gardens and parkland, and overlooking the acclaimed Gap of Dunloe, wedding ceremonies here allows the wedding party and guests to travel to see some of the most gorgeous landscape in Europe.
The Irish wedding business is growing and there is an abundance of information and resources, particularly online, that will help in your planning. For information on essentials from floral arrangements to wedding party clothing, you'll find comprehensive lists are available if you look. If it is the magic of Celtic culture and tradition that appeals to you about a wedding in Ireland, there are additionally many jewelers that provide diamond Celtic wedding bands for just about any taste.
So, planning a wedding in Ireland couldn't really be too much simpler, save, of course, for the matter of finding your special someone. But, really, how complicated is that?
L Maher is a writer for http://www.irishcelticjewels.com who writes about Irish history, customs and the remarkable places to have the perfect wedding in Ireland. Get information on Dromoland Castle Hotel and the meaning of Celtic and Claddagh wedding jewelry.
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