Confetti

Confetti Bride of the Year 2010

Irish brides-to-be have lots of questions and little time.

You have the final say on lots but that doesn't mean you have to go it alone.
We went to those in the know to bring you practical advice to help you make your decisions.

Search the Expert Answers From the Categories Below

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Q: I would like to spend a few days in Dublin before jetting off on honeymoon. Can you recommend any hotels in the city?

A: Recently voted one of the world's 50 most romantic places to stay, The Merrion Hotel is one of Dublin's most elegant venues - and just the kind of setting to make you feel like newlywed kingpins. The junior suite is French country-house style, featuring vintage look bed linen, ornate mirrors and old-style fireplaces. The hotel also has a number of grander, city-view suites from which you could host your own post-wedding dinner party on the terrace.

Art and architecture lovers will appreciate the proximity to the National Gallery and the RHA, as well as the fact that the hotel hosts one of the country's largest private art collections. The property was created from a row of four restored Georgian buildings and has two landscaped period gardens.

Q: We have a no-holds barred budget and would love a fairytale setting for our wedding day. Do you have any suggestions for venues less than an hour from Dublin city?

A: Located just outside Maynooth, less than 40 minutes from the city, there has been much hype about Carton House. One of Ireland's foremost stately country houses it has recently been renovated into a championship golf course and five-star hotel that caters for a very select amount of weddings every year.

Smaller weddings of up to 50 guests are catered for in the 'Gold Salon' - an opulent Georgian style dining room. Bigger parties up to 350 people are in the ballroom, which is a similarly gorgeous period room on a grander scale, with chandeliers, mahogany tables and south facing terrace overlooking landscaped woods and gardens.

Menus start at €70 per person. Complimentary accommodation and champagne for the bride and groom of weddings of more than 80 and accommodation rate for wedding guests.

Q: How soon should I book the venue?

A: As soon as you decide on your date! Don't delay, some venues are booked at the weekends 1-2 years in advance! You will get some great deals booking during the winter months or midweek. There may be a difference between city and country venues so be flexible about the reception location.

When deciding on the type of venue, consider your guest list; how long is it? Is there anyone with that may have trouble with a castle's medieval staircase? If children are invited, will there be a room just for them? Another question to ask the venue is do they provide other wedding services (very helpful when getting hitched abroad). But don't bogged down by logistics, remember that guests will be happy if the bride is happy.