WeddingDates.ie

I was thrilled to hear the news yesterday that one of our premier venues here on WeddingDates.ie, Markree Castle just topped a poll for Ireland’s Wedding Venue of the Year!  Well done to Patricia and all of the team in Markree who put a huge amount into each and every wedding they host there.

Thousands of brides, grooms and wedding guests voted in the competition sponsored by one of Ireland’s leading wedding websites, www.realweddings.ie .  Of six venues from all over the country nominated for the award, Markree Castle, Sligo was the run-away winner with 1/3 of the total vote.

And from the gang in Markree themselves….

The team at Markree Castle were honoured to be nominated in the first instance and, as one of the smallest venues in the running, are absolutely delighted to have done so well.  We would all like to thank everyone who voted for us-  this is the best Christmas present possible for all of the crew at Markree who have worked so hard over the years to earn and sustain Markree’s position as one of Ireland’s leading wedding venues.  Markree Castle is a truly unique location for your special day and our dedicated and professional staff, team of top class chefs and one-of-a-kind atmosphere are paid tribute to with this incredible result!

To celebrate our win, we are offering complimentary wine for all wedding guests to couples booking their wedding on selected dates in 2010.  Included is a half bottle of wine per guestfor your wedding meal- for a wedding of 100 people, this is 50 free bottles of wine!  For more information and conditions, and to check availability, please contact us on 071-9167800, check out our website www.markreecastle.ie or e-mail info@markreecastle.ie.

If you are looking for a wedding venue in Kerry, I couldn’t recommend the 5 star Dunloe Castle Hotel more.  With every wedding couple getting personal attention from the General Manager Jason Clifford himself, you are guaranteed a level of service and quality that you just don’t get everywhere.  The hotel is really unique set in the outstandingly beautiful Gap of Dunloe and the views have to be seen to be believed.

Check out our video walkthrough and let us know what you think of the place in the comments!

Why not check out the availability of Dunloe Castle Hotel for your big day!

Patricia over at Markree Castle has written a great blog post on “Wedding Price Wars” looking at price cutting and haggling from a hotel’s point of view.  Obviously, we are all out there looking for the best deal nowadays but you have to bear in mind that if you are squeezing the hotel massively, that they are a business and they will have to cut corners in places to keep their margin.

Here are some of Patricia’s tips for “Would-Be Hagglers“:

1.  Sort out the prices before you sign the contract and/or pay a deposit- the reasons for this are obvious.  Firstly, you won’t know if you’ll be able to get the deal you want/need until you ask and you may end up stuck with a venue that can’t fulfill your needs.  Secondly, it’s only polite to let the hotel know if you are on a budget before things are set in stone.

2.  Watch out for catches in ‘package’ prices.  Lots of hotels offer, for example,  1/2 bottle of wine per person as part of their package- rarely, in fact nearly never, would your wedding guests drink even close to this amount and not many hotels are offering you the left-over wine to bring home with you!  Often you’ll get a better deal on a per consumption basis.

2.  Remember that hotels are businesses-  exceptionally low prices mean they will be cutting corners somewhere to protect their profits, whether it be on the quality of food or staffing levels on the day.

3.  Beware of hotels that will only give you the best price if you pay for the whole lot 6 weeks before the wedding- we can’t think of a single non-shifty reason for this.

4.  Bear in mind that if you really want the best prices you will have to make some compromises. For instance, you will always get the best price if you choose an off-peak date for your wedding even if it means compromising your ideal of a sunny, summer Saturday.

5.  Don’t get too caught up in the price.  Ask yourself this-  is the cost the most important thing about my wedding day?  The answer is of course no-  instead think about value for money.

6.  Don’t always thing about value as being purely relating to something that you can physically hold on to.  Think of all the other intangible elements that will make up your wedding day: atmosphere, company, backdrop….

7.  The number one issue of contention seems to be corkage.  Seems to be a rip off since you aren’t paying for a product.  Instead think of it as a service and consider the other costs associated with serving wine, aside from the wine itself:  storing, chilling, polishing glasses, laying glasses, opening, serving, washing the glasses.

You can read Patricia’s full post here and of course if you dream of a castle wedding or are looking for a Sligo Wedding Venue, you can check availability for the ever-fabulous Markree Castle on weddingdates.ie!

Delighted to let you all know that the fabulous Dunloe Castle in Killarney is opening their doors for a Wedding Fair this Sunday the 19th July from 2 – 6pm.

This luxurious venue has stunning scenery of the Gap of Dunloe and the River Laune, is a magical setting for your wedding day.

Why not head down to Killarney to sashay up the Red Carpet which will be rolled out to greet guests and then enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbly to the backdrop of the magnificent Gap of Dunloe. Everything from Executive & Vintage cars to Horse Drawn Carriages will be on display outside, whilst inside guests will enjoy samples of delicious food prepared by the executive chefs.  Yum yum!

Get ready for your close up - RSVP magazine are going to be there on the day snapping away, so make sure to wear your sunday best!

There will be fashion shows (at 2:30pm & 4:30pm) hosted by Celia Holman Lee & the Holman Lee Model Agency will showcase a range of Bridal wear & collections from boutiques & designers….so you KNOW its going to be a good one!

Win, win WIN!  Competitions and special offers will be available on the day for those attending the Wedding Fair.

Before you hit for Killarney for the Wedding Fair, why not check out the availability of Dunloe Castle a fabulous wedding venue in kerry for your big day!

Latest in our Wedding Fair announcements is the Clontarf Castle wedding fair, coming up at the end of the month.

Venue: Clontarf Castle Hotel
Date: Sunday 28th June 2009
Time: 2pm-6pm

In their own words:

Join us for a “royal afternoon” and take the opportunity to discover what the dramatically redesigned hotel can offer you as a reception venue for your magical day.  Clontarf Castle Hotel will have the Great Hall and Viking Suite laid out in the style of a wedding, therefore guests will get to experience how the room will look and feel on the day of their wedding. It gives future brides and grooms an idea of the ambience of the Great Hall as well as showcasing the various options and styles available to them.

You can also go and check out all the bedrooms and in particular the bridal suite, which I have seen myself and have to say it is fantastic with the 4 poster bed!

Clontarf Castle have responded to the recession by cutting rates for their weddings by 10%  for 2010 and they have also recently launched a new FairyTale Package offering even more choice and value to couples.

Check availability for your fairytale wedding in Clontarf Castle, a wonderful castle wedding venue in Dublin.

Special Promotion on the day of the Wedding Fair: If you book your wedding at the Wedding Afternoon, you get a complimentary evening buffet for your guests (worth over €1000.00) absolutely free!