Hello everyone! It’s an absolute pleasure to be back with weddingsonline writing about my favourite topic! I’ve been very lucky to have the thoroughly enjoyable job of travelling to some of the all important winners of this year’s prestigious weddingsonline awards, giving you an insight and background in to the hotels, meeting the magic makers for your big day and finding out what it means to win such an amazing award as this.
As we all know the weddingsonline awards are like the Oscars to the Wedding Industry and I was there on the night handing out the gongs, thrilled to see so many familiar faces from the industry and also to make some new friends! One thing is for sure, the standard in this country for weddings is second to none so when I was given the task to sample some of the delights of Ireland’s top venues… well I couldn’t resist!
Firstly, I travelled to Cork to the Stunning 5 star Castlemartyr Resort which has hosted the likes of Hollywood and Rock Royalty; Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen and Bill Clinton no less and to my mind is one of the most exciting venues in Ireland as it really does have it all from Amenities, to Ambiance to an A-list Team. It’s no wonder it won the top prize and I have to say, having stayed here once before, it has everything a wedding venue needs and more. Last weekend for Daffodil Day, a very poignant day for me, I took myself and my mother’s friend Susan who is thankfully cancer free for the past 2 years for a real treat which had me grinning from ear to ear.
When we arrived I glided on to the gravel on to the majestic driveway that I had forgotten was so expansive, vast and more importantly, impressive. The grounds and the beautiful lake plus the horses greet you on arrival. There is a certain sense of calm about the hotel and needless to say the 5 stars shows in every facet of this incredible building. Castlemartyr Resort has been very lucky this year in terms of its awards; not only was it named ‘Overall Venue of the Year’ but it also took home the prestigious ‘Munster Venue of the Year’ as well at this year’s weddingsonline Awards. I sat down with Sian James, Events Manager at Castlemartyr who has been with the hotel for 10 years helping to plan and organise weddings for brides and grooms-to-be. Sian has a wonderful team in both Jackie and Danielle who also help with the organisation of the weddings. So how did the A-team feel after they won the big award on the night?
“It really is a huge honour, there was so much stiff competition but we didn’t have any huge expectation and when we won for Muster Venue we were absolutely thrilled, we were only getting over that high when we won overall venue… we were so delighted. It’s a huge effort here from all the team and certainly having won the award our enquiries are higher and it’s really put us on the map!’
I’m sure having won the award the phones have been hopping Sian?
“Yes, there has been a lot of interest and past couples are going on our Facebook page and saying well done and writing more reviews for us, everyone is really joining in with our celebrations.”
Castlemartyr has so many 5 star amenities and none more so than the Spa, the indoor Pool and everything in between. Having spent some time at the pool I was bowled over by how creatively it’s been designed so that outside meets inside and how peaceful and calm one feels while enjoying the trees and flowers outside while you swim. The Spa is second to none and the team are so experienced when it comes to the health and wellness department. You can even pre-honeymoon here and according to Sian, couples tend to stay a few days before and after the wedding.
“Most of our couples stay for 3 days or more, we have pre-wedding dinners, rehearsals dinners we have lots of options- they feel like they can make it into a mini-break and we really are a great destination wedding venue also for those coming from abroad.”
What makes Castlemartyr so special aside from the glorious surroundings?
“So we have 103 rooms in total in the hotel and we have 10 rooms in the manor house, that’s where our spectacular bridal suites are, we have lots of options for any budget, we have Franchini’s, our informal Italian restaurant which is popular before the wedding where you can have BBQs and Pizzas… we also have The Pod, our Gold Clubhouse, it’s very modern and has a very different feel so nobody gets cabin fever. We have a manor house that dates back to the 18th century which has a lovely feel and we are very fortunate to be situated on a 220 acre estate.”
Indeed, the 5 star luxurious Castlemartyr Resort is set on incredibly large grounds featuring its own Castle ruins, lake and surrounding woodlands offering the perfect backdrop for your special day. Situated only 20 minutes from Cork City, you can enjoy all the culinary delights from the award-winning team… and what about the all important food?
“Our executive chef Kevin Burke has been with us a number of years and he works very much with seasonal products, local suppliers and he perfects what he does. Our gourmet menu is a 5 course menu and it’s quite a dining experience. He also looks after our fabulous afternoon teas and wedding menus. The great thing about us is you can literally do any type of wedding.”
Castlemartyr Resort are delighted to cater for humanist, civil and outdoor ceremonies and offer a number of location options, including their stunning 13th Century castle backdrop, which will take your breath away, but according to Sian you can make the most of the venue:
“You can really put your own personality and stamp on the venue, you literally can do any style of wedding you want. We have seen couples put rubber ducks in the fountain, we’ve seen vintage themes, old glamour themes, country living, anything works… the ballroom is spectacular in itself with very neutral colours so you can do whatever you choose to do. We had a couple from Mexico who had a ‘flight theme’ going for the big day and our guest relations manger dressed up as a pilot! It was fantastic so as you can see, we love to take it a step further.”
It’s easy to see that the team at Castlemartyr are more than happy to help you with your theme and help you achieve your dream. They are very fortunate also that couples keep coming back to visit after they’re married. Sian feels that “it’s such a pleasure to work with couples and see their big day come to fruition here. We had some unusual weddings such as an Alice in Wonderland themed day and this particular couple are coming back for their child’s christening. It really is very special “
But my final question HAD to be about the awards… Where are they both and what has it done for the morale of the staff and guests?
“ The Awards are in a glass cabinet in the lobby in prime position, we are very proud of them both, but we are very excited as we will have a billboard outside the hotel to showcase that we have won the best wedding venue of the year also. It means a lot to past couples and future couples, the staff and management here too and it creates a buzz around the hotel as well!”
So there you have it, a worthy winner and an incredible triumph for the hotel. I am delighted that Sian and all the wedding team are thrilled with their win and I hope it encourages people to go and visit the resort and experience a visit to one of the nicest hotels here in Ireland.
Lisa xx
