Loughcrew Estate

Gary and I have discussed many times since the wedding how there is very little if anything we would change. When we first booked Loughcrew back in 2019 no one new of pandemics or restrictions but Loughcrew proved to be the most perfect venue. There was just something about it, it was the first and only venue we viewed and I can honestly say it is the best decision we could have made especially considering what was to come.
When we first booked there was a different wedding coordinator who was in place and communication just seemed to lack a little. This meant we just weren't 100% on what we needed to include in our budget and what needed to be organised (mostly to do with the bar staff and supply of glasses). However, around Christmas/January time this changed to the fabulous Aoife's. The Aoife's have been amazing, especially Aoife Caffery who we mostly dealt with. Both ladies were incredibly professional and efficient. Along with them you have the owner Emily, whose aim it is to ensure that each couple simply enjoys the property and estate. She is all about a relaxed fun atmosphere and does her best to ensure that couples do not feel restricted as you might do in a standard hotel. Words cannot quite stress how important this became with all that happened in 2020. As someone who is not creative I found Loughcrew perfect as there is so much natural beauty with the gardens, hanging baskets and flower arrangements that mean you can either go crazy with decorations or keep it simple (which is what we did). When it came to the church decorations I provided Aoife and the team with a rough outline of what I wanted, Aoife took this and just made the church beautiful, I remember walking in thinking it was everything I wanted and I cannot thank her enough for that.
The Loughcrew team did every thing they could to work within the new COVID legal requirements while ensuring we had the day that we wanted. Having an outdoor ceremony along with outdoor reception proved to be the key to having such a fantastic day. This along with the fabulous grounds to take pictures, brilliant local bar staff and amazing food from Gourmet Food Parlour made the day. Many of our older relatives were understandably nervous about attending a wedding in August 2020, but the feedback we have gotten (and still get) is how at ease and safe everybody felt. The outdoor facilities enabled all guests to feel relaxed and gave us all a break from all things COVID. We split our guests with some sitting outdoors and others indoors which worked perfectly. By the evening time the fire pit was lit and again everybody felt so at ease. When the DJ arrived Gary felt that he would be wasted indoors and so Aoife went about arranging extension cables and helping set the DJ up outside for everyone to enjoy the music while still feeling comfortable. The team could simply have not done enough to make every guest feel relaxed and safe. I believe my 89yr old Granny summed the day up while sipping her champagne in the sunny court yard and saying to my mom "this is living"

We had such a beautiful day in Loughcrew for our wedding in December. The venue is stunning with so many places for beautiful photos. Deborah and the Loughcrew staff were so helpful and nothing was a problem for them. Deborah also provided great advice on local suppliers and accommodation nearby.
If you are looking for a venue that lets you really make your wedding your own and allows for a really personal, unique day I would go with Loughcrew Estate. Deborah and Emily are happy for you to truly put your own stamp on everything and our wedding really could be exactly how we wanted it. We also loved the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. We stayed there for two nights with our guests and everyone felt at home.
Thank you Deborah!

For our wedding, we wanted somewhere a little less formal and a bit more bohemian, allowing us flexibility to put our own stamp on things, and yet that was still scenic, classy and most importantly would have someone who assist us in organising! Once we visited Loughcrew and met Deborah, we knew we didn't need to visit anywhere else.

We couldn't have wished for our wedding weekend to have gone any better. Our ceremony was in the roofless church, and it was beyond idyllic, with birds singing in the background and butterflies floating through. The sun kissed courtyard was the perfect reception venue, with a layout and atmosphere more akin to somewhere in the Mediterranean than a house on the Meath/Cavan border. Our guests were blown away! The fire pit was a big hit with the guests later on when things got a bit chilly and they wanted some respite from the bar and the dancing, and helped create the festival vibe we were seeking.

For Day 2 we had a few games of tennis on the courts, as well as a walk up the nearby cairns to refresh the heads and admire the amazing views. Later on we hosted the guests in the house itself, which is beautiful and full of hidden and not-so-hidden quirks.

Having the run of the place for the weekend meant we are able to relax completely and make it our home for the weekend, and not worry about noise, or the kids running around on Day 2, or operate to anyone else's schedule. Deborah and Emily are incredibly helpful and chilled, and Deborah was full of helpful advice in the run up to the wedding and on the day, and knew exactly the type of event we were aiming for.

It was the best weekend of our lives and if you are looking for somewhere you and your guests won't forget, then choose Loughcrew!

We always said to ourselves that we didn't want a cookie cutter hotel wedding. We came across Loughcrew by complete chance and just fell in love. It was everything we wanted, laid back, relaxed and we could put our own stamp on it.
Deborah and the team were incredible, super quick to respond and help make our ideas come to life.
We loved our wedding weekend, and all of our guests got to experience a unique treasure in the hills of Meath,made even better by all the sunshine of the weekend!

We loved having our wedding at Loughcrew! Not only was Deborah amazing but everyone staffed at Loughcrew that helped us set up was so friendly! We had recently moved from London to the US and had to plan everything from the US so while this was a bit tricky given the time difference, Deborah was amazing at accommodating us! Just in case you need to hear it again, Deborah was amazing! :P

The venue is a more relaxed and rustic - which is exactly what we were looking for. We had a very casual, backyard BBQ type of wedding. There is a fire pit in the outside courtyard area which was a hit with our guests (it allowed them to gather and talk while still being apart of the dance music inside). The venue had little wooden benches that surrounded the fire pit and was there throughout the wedding for additional seating outside. The bar area was also perfect! It is slightly removed from everything but not too far away that people are taken away from the party. We hired Peter Caffery for the bar - who took care of kegs and glasses but we stocked the rest of the bar - since there is not a corkage charge (which saved our lives in budgeting)! And finally, the reception/dinner area was very romantic and communal. My bridesmaids and I decorated the venue ourselves and while it took the whole day before the wedding - the reception area looked amazing when we were done. It already has a romantic vintage feel to it, so we added flowers and lights and it brought everything to life. We hosted around 120 people and the reception hall was a perfect fit. We also hired John from The Whole Hog to cater our sit down dinner - who was also AMAZING! (I recommend the Lamb, Fish Pie, and the tomato soup). :)

Overall while this venue seems a bit more expensive, you get great value for your money. I've had guests come up to me and my mother in law saying that this is the best wedding that they have ever been to - so check it out! :)

Our wedding at Loughcrew Estate was a dream come true. Deborah and her team were absolutely outstanding! My husband and I live in the United States, so we planned everything overseas without even visiting the venue first. We also had our wedding on the lawn outside which had never been done before, but Deborah worked incredibly hard to make our vision come true. While she warned me about the unpredictable weather in Ireland, she never once tried to stop my vision of an outdoor wedding, rather she did everything she could to make it happen including being prepared with an indoor option if needed. We ended up with the most beautiful sunny day! Needless to say, our wedding would have been impossible without the help of Deborah and her team, and we are so incredibly grateful! I am a wedding photographer and used to hiccups here and there during wedding days, but everything was PERFECT. It was everything we had dreamed of and more. I felt bad because I am extremely detail-oriented and continued to send Deborah very lengthy e-mails all year long, haha, but she always answered so promptly and thoroughly. I can't imagine having celebrated our day anywhere else. My only wish is that I could keep reliving it over and over again! The ruins for our ceremony were incredible! The house was perfect, and we can't wait to one day go back and reminisce over all of the beautiful memories we made there. I can't imagine our wedding day anywhere else but Loughcrew Estate. Thank you SO much to everyone at Loughcrew Estate for making the most important day of our lives SO special. We are eternally grateful to all of you! Kelly & Ben. :)

We wanted something a little bit special and different, something that felt like it was our day rather than buying a package deal. Loughcrew was fantastic, and Deborah was very helpful throughout. The Chapel is pretty special, to say the least. There are bits of the house that are beyond quirky, and we love it. The surrounding landscape is stunning, rolling hills everywhere. Lots of space to move the day around and keep it exciting. Only word of warning - not for those who aren't looking for a project! But completely worth it.

Loughcrew Estate exceeded my expectations of a venue. Every member of staff I encountered on the day was so friendly, St. Oliver's was such a beautiful setting for a ceremony and the grounds around it were lovely. We had a great day and it was thanks to everyone working at Loughcrew - Thank you!

My daughter wanted a unique wedding in a church ruin and Loughcrew was the ideal venue for that. Guests from New Zealand stayed in Loughcrew House. The reception ran smoothly from the meal in the main room, to outside entertainment in the courtyard, to a Ceili in another room and back to the reception room, which had been cleared for a disco. Deborah was so helpful, as were the other staff. The scenery was perfect for photos. It was an unforgettable day.

'Loughcrew is the perfect place to have your wedding. It's idyllic in every way: the grounds, history, nature. The owners are also very hospitable and are willing to help tailor the venue to your liking. We used all the rooms and our guests, of which there were 17 or so, had no complaints. Being in one house with your friends and loved ones can elevate the whole experience. Additionally, if you appreciated nature you will not be disappointed as the grounds and neighboring area are gorgeous, including the cairns which are right down the road. We hired a wedding planner and he, along with the person Loughcrew provided, made everything super easy. The food from Andrew Holmes catering was also fantastic! If you?re willing to put in a little work you can reap big rewards at this magical venue. Just thinking about it now makes me want to go back. I'm very happy I listened to my incredible bride.' ~ Will



'Loughcrew is such a special setting. We're from NYC and never visited St. Oliver Plunkett's Church Ruins or Loughcrew before our wedding week. We visited the cairns on a previous visit, and I felt confident from photographs they listed online and others that I found from sleuthing through the internet. We were taking many gambles and they all paid off! We didn't want to pay extra for a tent, and the weather was crazy at the beginning of the week- strong winds and downpouring. We purchased black umbrellas and had a backup space just in case. Fortunately, the sun came out and everything was perfect! Deborah was integral in this process from day one. She had great recommendations- Brigid from Fernwood Flowers went above & beyond. The Dining hall was so lovely! The bonfire was a big hit. The barman was so great!! We had about 88 people. Loughcrew was laid back and at the same time such a beautiful background to share a very special time with our friends & family members. I felt that Loughcrew was a place that enabled me to connect with the ancient world view of appreciating and enjoying the present moment. I only wish that everyone stayed another day at Loughcrew after the wedding!' ~Crystal

Exceptional venue for a wedding, Day 2 or any other family/friends gathering for that matter.
Absolutely stunning setting with all the beautiful nature and history surrounding it.

We had our wedding in a nearby venue but stayed on site at Loughcrew that weekend and had a perfect BBQ for our Day 2 in the courtyard. Upon arrival we instantly felt it was a home away from home, heat on, flower arrangements throughout the house and a caterer organised. Deborah and her team went above and beyond to oblige, assist and reassure throughout the whole planning process, as well as throughout the weekend.
Couldn't recommend Loughcrew highly enough! All of our friends and family are still raving about it!

As soon as we both visited Loughcrew, we cancelled our other viewings! It's the only venue that we visited because it was the only venue for us. There's a unique spirit and soul to Loughcrew that's embodied by its owner, Emily. We felt so welcome and it was such a privilege for her to share this piece of paradise with us for four days! Writing this now, I wish we could teleport ourselves right back!

As we're based in London, organising a DIY wedding wasn't exactly the most practical endeavour but it was worth every bit of it. Love isn't always logical and neither was our 'vision' of an outdoor wedding in Ireland. However, regardless of the extra effort that we were going to have to put in from afar, we owed it to ourselves and this wonderful venue to at least try!

We were so fortunate to have the amazingly helpful and obliging Deborah to help us every step of the way. If we ever thought that we had a problem, she always had a solution. She adds to the magic and we couldn't have done it without her and the team.

Loughcrew wasn't just a backdrop or a blank canvas for our wedding celebration. It brought all of our hopes and dreams for the perfect weekend to life with its honest quirks and energy. This might sound convoluted but you'll understand when you visit it! Thank you Loughcrew, for making our dreams come true.

Both myself and my husband would most sincerely like to thank Deborah, Emily, Caroline, Bernie, Shaun and Killian for all of their hard work and dedication in the run up to and the day of the wedding itself. Without the staff members either at the other end of the phone or on hand on the day especially Killian who had to change a light bulb in the bridal suite in the middle of the night!
My dream was to have my horses at my wedding, I held onto this dream for over 30 years and because of Loughcrew House and staff members, this dream actually came true! We had both myself and my Husband on horseback, which was absolutely amazing and I will look back on this in years to come! the driver of the Rolls Royce was absolutely delighted he could park it in the courtyard as the wedding was underway and not have to worry about his beautiful car.
The guests were extremely happy with the courtyard set up and all of the space to move about in and even when it came to corralling children in, the doors of the courtyard could be closed over so we had no escapees!
The rolling hills in the background, the sheep dotted in the distance in the fields, the grey of the building against the lush green of the trees right down to the feel and ambiance of the house made such a relaxing atmosphere.
For a fraction of the cost of a "Castle Wedding" where you have the freedom to choose your caterer and decor, why would you bother going anywhere else to have your fairy tale wedding?

Kind Regards,
Louise & Peter Daly

We had a clear enough idea of the kind of wedding we wanted and Loughcrew was the perfect venue for it. The entire venue was gorgeous and the staff were helpful every step of the way. I had planned our big day almost entirely from abroad but Deborah (the venue coordinator) was extremely helpful and I cant praise her enough for all her help. We had just 50 guests and half of them stayed overnight at the venue (each room was well kept and nicely decorated too). They really enjoyed themselves - from the ceremony at the old chapel to dinner and drinks in the courtyard and also the fire pit through the night. Deborah helped organise a big family breakfast the next morning too. It was a perfect day and I was so happy to have chosen this venue! I will be visiting their cafe on my wedding anniversary just to reminisce over that special day.