CSO based statistics about marriage in Ireland.

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New Years Eve is the perfect time for a wedding, everyone is in a celebratory mood, most family and friends can attend and everyone is still in that festive spirit. On a day when glitz and glam is encouraged, you could opt for a black tie wedding. Black, gold and silver are the colours typically associated with New Year’s Eve celebrations, so use those if you can for your New Year’s Eve wedding. What better day to opt for your fairy tale wedding full of sparkle and glamour?

You can’t go wrong with lots of gold details in your wedding decor – gold cake details, chair décor, gold table numbers and table décor. From gold champagne buckets to gold glitter in the glasses to gold stars on the ceiling – this is the night that you can afford to go all out with lights, candles, sparkles, fireworks – the lot!

You could consider having New Year’s Eve themed wedding favors -  include miniature bottles of champagne, bubbles, hang over/ survival kit, confetti and party hats. Other favors to consider for the New Year’s Eve theme include fortune cookies or personalized calendars for the year to come. Have a Guest Book with a difference where you encourage your guests to share their New Year’s resolutions!

Winter snow is a fabulous background for wedding photograph but consider having an early ceremony to get the best shots as it gets dark early.

Incorporate the countdown as part of your New Years Eve wedding celebrations. Get the band / DJ to do a countdown and gather your guests to ring in the New Year and have a champagne toast.     Have packs of confetti to throw once the clock strikes 12.

Other ideas for the countdown might include having small boxes on the tables filled with masks, glitzy ties, funny glasses, hats that say Happy New Years. You could even add some noise with some extra large party poppers .Top off the celebrations with a balloon drop or a fireworks display.  

Think about the advantages that come with tying the knot on the last night of the year. You are guaranteed a great party, everybody wants to attend a New Year’s Eve celebration,  most of the invited guests will attend,  everyone’s in a great mood from the holidays and that helps create a fun and exciting atmosphere. What more could you ask for – from popping champagne bottles at midnight to glamorous décor and an anniversary date that is impossible to forget!

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Barberstown Castle – A romantic castle in County Kildare

We enjoyed a relaxing two night stay recently at Barberstown Castle. We arrived in the afternoon and despite there being few other guests in the hotel at the time, there was a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The receptionist was lovely and surprised us by informing us that that they upgraded us from a double room to a junior suite!

Our room overlooked the gardens and was nice and spacious with a massive four poster bed and a lovely bathroom.

All the rooms are unique, each room is different from the other and is named after a previous owner of the castle, which adds interest and a personal touch to a stay in the Castle.

After checking in we headed for the restaurant, which turned out to be Edwardian style tea room Restaurant with a crackling log fire overlooking the gardens.

The menu was Bistro Style,  we enjoyed our  meal, the food was delicious and I loved the  comfortable surroundings  of the tea room with a lovely log fire burning as the evening closed in.

The bed was so comfortable we overslept on the first morning –  we were the last guests down to breakfast , it didn’t seem to be a problem in the least- the staff were so professional – there was no rush to get us out of the breakfast room and the breakfast was amazing!!

The staff in Barberstown Castle are wonderful, we chatted with the receptionist before heading off for the day, she asked me if I had any plans to go anywhere special, I mentioned I was going to Kildare Village and immediately she produced a discount voucher for me to use there.

I was delighted and returned to the hotel in the evening loaded down with Ralph Lauren and Cath Kidston bags just to mention a few!

The second morning we were in plenty time for breakfast and I went for a wander in the gardens afterwards, the gardens are lovely and a great backdrop for photographs.  Then we asked to be shown around the wedding function room, I was so impressed with it, it looked  gorgeous and one of  the most authentic castle looking function rooms I have seen to date, it is really beautiful.  It is situated in a separate part of the hotel from the main reception and the bedrooms. Barberstown Castle is a truly magnificent venue for a castle wedding.

Barberstown castle would make a fantastic wedding venue, but it is worth mentioning they also provide murder mystery evenings and medieval banquets. The banquets are historical representations of the castle’s history which all sounds very interesting and entertaining.

Barberstown Castle is close to Dublin City, Dublin Airport and lucky for keen shopper like me -  close to Kildare Village! . .

All in all we had a very pleasant stay from check-in to departure, the rooms were extremely comfortable,  the staff are wonderful and I the breakfast was superb!!. Along with being a fantastic wedding venue, it was a lovely hotel for a short break.

Address: Straffan, Co Kildare, Ireland, Straffan Ireland

Tel: 00 353 1 628 815700 353 1 628 8157

Email:  info@barberstowncastle.ie

Web:  http://www.barberstowncastle.ie/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barberstown-Castle

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Twitter: @MonicaBlain

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An Unique Wedding Venue

A few weeks ago I was invited to visit Lusty Beg Island in Co. Fermanagh to experience what they have to offer their guests. Let me start by saying it was a wonderful event!

From the moment we arrived on the shores of Lough Erne we were treated like VIPs – the staff were so welcoming and helpful.

We were the first of the invited guests to arrive as we made our own way to the venue, we were shown into the bar and were given a welcome coffee while we waited to be booked into to our room.

We were allocated  a lovely, cosy en-suite room with little goodie bags for everyone in our group!! While we were there we had an opportunity to try out all the scheduled activities which included a boat trip on the lake, clay pigeon shooting, off road driving, archery and a spa treatment.

I was booked in early for a Spa treatment so I made my way across the courtyard to the Island Spa.

The therapists were so helpful and professional – I had arrived without my swimming costume but that wasn’t a problem, one was produced for me in the matter of seconds.

I was escorted to a lovely relaxation room while I waited for my treatment. There was an amazing selection of delicious fresh fruit and juices provided for us while we waited for our treatments.  I chose a facial treatment and it was an absolute treat.  I left feeling radiant and relaxed as I made my way back to the bar to meet up with the group organisers and other invited guests for a light lunch of soup and sandwiches.

After lunch we took a boat trip on a speed boat around the lake then we tried our hand at archery. I took a rain check on the clay pigeon shooting and the off road driving and went instead to look at the wedding venue and find out what facilities they had to offer wedding couples! I located the wedding function room and had a good chat with the wedding banquet staff, who were setting up the room for a wedding for the next day, they were happy to answer my questions and I got a good insight into what this magnificent venue has to

offer.

Lusty Beg offers couples and their guests an exclusive venue and a unique wedding experience.

The venue has lots of character and a totally relaxed atmosphere. The function room is capable of hosting up to 200 wedding guests and can be decorated and styled to your personal theme. Couples can opt for individually tailored weddings or for a complete wedding package and there is a dedicated wedding coordinator on hand to look after you and your guests from the moment you arrive on the island. Lusty Beg offers on site civil wedding ceremonies in the willow room or you can have an outdoor wedding ceremony on the scenic lakeside veranda.

http://www.lustybegisland.com/weddings/

In the evening we went to the Thatch Bar (a beautiful little thatch roofed bar, which overlooks the lake) for canapés and pre – dinner drinks.  The canapés and smoked salmon on brown bread were amazing; we had time to meet other guest before going to a gala dinner with the Cadden Family. The dinner was excellent! All in all a most enjoyable experience!

There is something special and unique about Lusty Beg. Take a serious look at this venue if you are tasked with organising a wedding, hen night, stag night, conference or a team building event. This venue has everything! All in all, I had a fantastic experience at Lusty Beg Island, I really enjoyed my visit. Thank you so much to the Cadden family and to Rachel Dalton Communications.

Address: Lusty Beg Island, Boa Island, Kesh, Co Fermanagh BT93 8AD

Tel: +44 (0)28 686 33300+44 (0)28 686 33300

Web: Lustybegisland.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LustyBegIsland?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LustyBegIsland

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Why Choose A Destination Wedding?

Most couples opting for a destination wedding are looking for a romantic location, a place that is filled with romance and elegance.  If your preference is a stunning setting, beautiful sunshine with a breathtaking ceremony, unique and enjoyable reception, amazing food and a choice of activities for all your guests. Then this is all possible with our dedicated wedding planners in Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Malta and Croatia.

Just imagine having the wedding of your dreams in an historic or exotic destination where you can provide a unique memory for everyone. Part of the enjoyment of having a destination wedding is showing off a place that has special meaning for you or going to a location you’ve always dreamed of visiting.

It is worthwhile having a reputable Wedding Planner who will do all the planning for you. A good planner will coordinate the entire wedding for you, including your rehearsal, ceremony, and reception. There is no need  for you to worry as they will take care of every last detail. Most planners will provide you with unlimited planning via phone, email, and meet you in-person. They will provide assistance with budgeting, vendor selection, and contract negotiation as well as guidance on menu creation and guest management as well as all your legal and wedding day documentation.

With a destination wedding in a stunning location, your setting can form the theme for your wedding, from fairy tale castles to pristine beaches.  When you choose an amazing backdrop, it doesn’t take much to dress it up. Opt for a fabulous venue, a lovely vineyard, a blooming garden or a historic house; just add some wedding touches and a few floral arrangements to create your dream. Destination Weddings can save you time, stress and money. Another thing to consider is you can get married any day of the week. After all, if everyone is already there, what does the day of the week matter in dreamland?

You will get an opportunity to enjoy quality time away with your friends and family. Most weddings last for a day and the bride and groom spend most of that time running from table to table, trying to speak to all their guests. A destination wedding can span over days — which means, you can actually enjoy it and spend quality time with your family and friends!

Your guests can incorporate a holiday while attending the wedding.  Ultimately, your friends and family will have a blast! Destination weddings give friends and family an opportunity to relax — to kick back, enjoy amazing locations and celebrate. And what’s more fun than that?

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For most couples flowers will play a prominent role on their wedding day.You can embrace the season’s hottest trends by doing some planning and getting what you want from your florist by asking the right questions.  A good starting point is to compile a scrapbook of flower varieties and colour schemes you like and work from there. You can do this by gathering pages from wedding magazines, flower brochures or other magazines.

Once you have picked your dress and the dresses for your bridesmaids add a swatch of both fabrics to your scrapbook and you can refer to this when you are looking at colours for your flowers. Take your scrapbook with you when you have your appointment with your florist. She will tailor designs and incorporate colours to suit your requirements. It is worthwhile noting that certain flowers are in season all year round while other flowers are seasonal.

For instance if you are planning to tie the knot during the Autumn, there are plenty vibrant shades of orange, red, green and yellows to choose from. Autumn flowers are perfect for creating a warm dramatic look and you can incorporate stunning colours and textures into your overall wedding theme. Get your florists to create innovative and exciting floral designs using rich sumptuous shades and an array of colours, berries and foliage. The good news is there are plenty floral favourites in season to choose from once you pickyour perfect shades.

Some couples like to include certain flowers for their distinctive fragrance, hidden meanings or symbolic colours. If you plan to add to the magic of your day by saying your vows surrounded by scent –filled flowers, there are plenty varieties to choose from. Incorporate a sweet floral aroma by including flowers such as freesia, roses, carnations, boubardia, hypericum or lily. If you prefer anaromatic fragrance you can incorporate sprigs of dill or rosemary, lavender and eucalyptus. If you prefer a citrus fragrance you can incorporate waxflowers, lemon verbena or Mimosa. Your florist will be able to advise you and may even do a mock-up of your wedding bouquet for you.

If you plan to include shades of autumn in your wedding bouquet, you can choose from a selection of flowers, green flowers symbolise nature, fertility and life. Orange is fun and flamboyant and radiates warmth and energy. Yellow shines with optimism, enlightenment and happiness. Red is the colour of passion and commands attention. Whatever shades you decide on for your big day you can personalise them with a sprinkle of glitter, diamantes, pearls and many other fabulous floral finishing touches.

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Wedding trends for 2013

The current trend is to incorporate a personal touch by adding fun and instructive wedding signs to direct your guests to different areas at your wedding. They are perfect to show where the wedding gifts can be left,  where food or drinks are being served or as an alternative to table numbers.

Wedding signs give a perfect elegant but rustic charm to a garden or outdoor wedding and can be custom made to suit any wedding style.  The wedding trend for 2013 is neutral colours which allow you to easily incorporate them into your wedding colours and theme.

Wedding signs are available from most shabby chic retailers or online. Or for some inspiration why not check out Pinterest, a fantastic resource for personal Wedding ideas for the big day.

For regular updates, inspiration or ideas for your wedding see The Wedding Consultant on Facebook   or check out our boards on Pinterest.

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We were delighted to be chosen by Paul and Catherine to organise and coordinate their beautiful humanist wedding ceremony at Harvey’s Point Hotel, Donegal.   It was a beautiful wedding with very personal readings, in Irish and in English with beautiful music performed by The Irish House Party.

What is a Humanist Ceremony?

A Humanist ceremony is very personal and meaningful,  it is essentially two people celebrating their love  for each other and making

their commitment to one another, in the company of those close to them, with appropriate well-chosen

words, readings and music and in a place of their choice.

 Typical Venues

Typical venues for Humanist wedding ceremonies range from country house hotels and castles to private gardens. The setting on the on the edge on the lake in the fabulous sunshine made this an idyllic setting for an outdoor wedding ceremony.

What is Humanism

Humanism, for those who don’t know, is a positive ethical philosophy of life based on concern for humanity in general and for individuals in particular.  It is a view of life which combines reason with compassion.  It is for those people who base their understanding of existence on the evidence of the natural world and its evolution, and not on belief in a supernatural power.

Humanism is the belief that we can live good lives without religious or superstitious beliefs. Humanists make sense of the world using reason, experience and shared human values. They seek to make the best of the one life they have by creating meaning and purpose for themselves. They take responsibility for their actions and work with others for the common good.

For more information please contact us.

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