Elegance and charm

By Sharon Quigley

Are you recently engaged and looking for somewhere special in Cork to tie the knot or for your wedding celebrations after?

Are you looking for a wedding venue with a certain kind of elegance and charm, dignified and private, with a country feel but not too far away from Cork city, and also within a stone’s throw of an inspiring place of natural beauty for your glorious wedding photographs?

Whether you are dreaming of a romantic church wedding with dinner and some great celebrations after or a unique and fully tailored wedding ceremony created with your chosen marriage celebrant (solemniser) who is also your personal wedding ceremony designer, you really are spoiled for choices when it comes to enchanted wedding venues in Cork.

Two of my favourite Cork wedding venues are Courtmacsherry Hotel and Innishannon House.

Courtmacsherry Hotel is ideal for smaller to medium sized gatherings. Located near the end of a winding country road which goes no further, it is a hidden gem where you feel relaxed from the moment you arrive; it feels like you are another world away.

The beautiful dining room can be perfectly transformed into a romantic wedding chapel, but this year a good majority of summer marriage ceremonies have been held outside on the large expanse of lawn. With the beautiful backdrop of Courtmacsherry Bay and its boats and yachts which randomly dot the water, the location is dignified in every way. Less than 5kms from the gorgeous seaside Timoleague Abbey ruins, nearby Woodpoint Walk is another hidden treasure, with its dreamy and expansive views across the Altlantic ocean to the Old Head of Kinsale. See Courtmacsherryhotel.ie.

If you are looking for a boutique country house hotel on 10 acres of parkland less than 25 minutes from Cork city, in a tranquil riverside setting, you should experience the beautiful Innishannon House Hotel.

Ideal for small to medium gatherings, built in the 1720 in the French chateau style, the gorgeous riverside location of Innishannon House Hotel will capture your heart. It boasts meticulous riverside lawns and gardens for an outdoor ceremony, or glorious indoor rooms with large arched windows and expanse of natural light for any indoor ceremony and/or celebrations after. See Innishannonhousehotel.ie.

Sharon Quigley is a marriage celebrant from Australia, now based in Cork for around 10 years. Visit 5starceremonies.ie and corkcelebrant.ie for more.