A Castle Wedding in Ireland
Photo Credits: Tomasz Kornas Photography
As you could imagine, a castle wedding in Ireland truly is a fairy tale come to life. The thing that will surprise you the most is that this dream wedding is actually affordable! The Ballyseede Castle Hotel in Tralee, Ireland offers wedding packages starting at an unbelievable 84 Euro per person (almost half the price of many venues in the Tri-State area)! This castle which dates back to the 1590's is steeped in history and is situated on 30 acres of breathtaking grounds.
Alison & Brian’s ceremony was held in the historic stone room which provided the perfect backdrop of a classic medieval setting. Guests then enjoyed a drinks reception in the carefully decorated formal lounge spaces throughout the castle. The main space where the reception was held was adorned with stone walls, wooden beams and wrought iron chandeliers that made you feel like you stepped back in time as you entered the room.
The bride’s dress and flower crown tied perfectly into the whimsical elegance amidst the beautiful gardens and forests on the property. All of the bride & groom’s personal touches in combination with the venue itself created a romantic and memorable celebration for their guests. The best part is, the impressive castle lounge areas which are usually open to all hotel guests, all become a private space just for your guests to enjoy during the wedding (it’s even possible to book all of the rooms in the hotel, making the whole castle exclusively yours)!
The reception space at Ballyseede was just dripping with character, so much that any excessive decor would overshadow these gorgeous natural features. I was glad Alison & Brian opted to use the traditional candelabra centerpieces offered by the venue which completed their tabletops perfectly. Picking a venue with its own unique character actually helps you save money in the long run, as these spaces require less decor!
To top off this picture perfect Castle wedding, the bride and groom actually cut the cake with a sword! How much fun is that?!
The aspect I have come to love most about European weddings, is the structure of the reception differs so much from weddings in the states. The typical drinks reception (cocktail hour) lasts 1.5 hours, followed by the dinner reception. The reception kicks off with the standard introductions and speeches but no dancing takes place until after dinner. That way, once the party starts there is no interrupting it!
I love this concept and believe it can be implemented into weddings in the US for couples wishing to have a high energy reception without taking breaks for food courses throughout the whole night. This is how pretty much all weddings are run throughout Europe and their parties last until the early morning hours! With a live celtic band, this party certainly was no different!
Can you imagine having a castle wedding of your own?! Dreams can become a reality more often than you think - in this case, a fairy tale castle wedding is very possible and affordable!
A Huge Thanks to Tomasz Kornas Photography for Capturing this wedding so beautifully!
Stay tuned for my next adventure in Andalucia, Spain!