Planning a wedding and want to do something a little diferent? Sinead Bailey Kelly and Deirdre Young from alternative styling and production company H&G Creations are here with some savvy top tips, and venues, to get you started.

Different strokes for different folks, they say, but when it comes to looking for a something a little unconventional for your wedding day, it’s not always easy to stray from the ‘one hotel fits all’ route. There are lots of alternative venues vying for your business, places where you can fashion a celebration in which you can include as many of the traditional elements as you want, or ditch them all and start from scratch. But if you’ve decided not to have your standard hotel wedding and are looking at different venues, there are some things to bear in mind from the very outset.

“Create a Pinterest account to have a look at an aesthetic, theme or style you feel would best represent both your personalities.

LOCATION

Whether you’re traveling from abroad to have your wedding at home in Ireland and have a huge selection of international guests, or you, your family and friends live here in Ireland, location is everything. You will have to find something that is suitable to accommodate you and your guest’s needs and travel limitations. We find most of our clients look for venues that are central to big cities across Ireland, to ensure the costs for their guests to attend and enjoy themselves remain relatively low.

FACILITIES

Every venue is different and therefore offers different facilities within its wedding rental agreement. Facilities that should be outlined in conjunction with costs would be items such as catering, drinks reception, usable furniture, sound system, lighting, late license on an in-house bar (or is the venue BYOB?), and how long will you be able to use the venue for setting up, the wedding itself, and cleanup. It’s very important to work out all the finer details on what is included in the cost of the rental fee before making any agreement.

COSTS

We would advise working through some rough figures before you approach venues. That way you can be realistic about what you are able to spend on the venue, food, drinks, flowers, styling etc. Also, this will keep you from getting a shock if the costs of an ideal venue or service are too high for you. On a side note, don’t be afraid to haggle and ask questions in an attempt to get the very best deal for your budget.

CAPACITY

The guest numbers each venue can accommodate will really dictate where would be a feasible venue to accommodate your wedding party. Be sure to have a rough number of estimated guests before approaching venues to save you and the venue time. As an alternative, to save on costs and seat numbers, we have had clients who divide their wedding party into guests who will be dining with them, and then guests that will join them for drinks after the food has been served.

AESTHETIC

We would recommend that you create a Pinterest account to have a look at an aesthetic, theme or style you feel would best represent both your personalities. You can use Pinterest to create a mood board on your look and feel, you can then compare with your ideal venues and see which of them would be a good fit for the style you are trying to accomplish.

H&G’s Top 5 Alternative Wedding Venues

D-light Studios North Strand, Dublin 1

This venue is a favorite of ours. A photography studio/art gallery/performance space, it’s a versatile blank canvas located on the top floor of an industrial building tucked away on the North Strand. For those of you looking to host an industrial-themed wedding, it really lends itself to a minimal, whitewashed chic and can be chopped and changed in innovative ways to suit your personal tastes. Also, they have a ramp that you can use to drive a food truck straight into the venue, for a more casual dining experience.

The Drury Building Drury Street, Dublin 2

This venue ticks all the right boxes for those who are looking for a more intimate affair for their wedding day. The upstairs space in the Drury building can accommodate up to 80 guests, and as it is also a restaurant, food and drinks can be provided in-house. With exposed brick walls, herringbone hardwood floors, large lofty windows and located right in the heart of it all in Dublin, this certainly is a winner for us.

Loughcrew House Co. Meath

Dating back to the 1820’s this venue is a beautiful Georgian Mansion set against the gorgeous backdrop of the rolling drumlin hills of North County Meath. There are loads of nooks and crannies to get lost in, it has a very warm bohemian feel, and the owners could not be more accommodating. There are plenty of opportunities for couples to put their own personal touch on the venue and with 17 bedrooms on site, there’s plenty of accommodation for your wedding crew.

Headfort House Kells, Co. Meath

A Georgian stately manor tucked away on a golf course in Kells, this little gem has now been re-purposed as a functioning boarding school with charming Harry Potter vibes. This venue is so full of character and beauty and can transform itself to meet styles from minimal to extravagant. With a newly renovated Georgian ballroom, this room alone would be enough to wow your guests and create the perfect backdrop for a memorable big day.

Killyon Manor Hill of Down, Co. Meath

Notorious for hosting the quaint music festival Another Love Story, this is a great wedding venue for couples looking for a romantic festival-styled celebration. A large manor, it has plenty of forest and field areas that can also be utilised for an open-air ceremony. With large, bright, charming rooms, and giant disco balls, what’s not to love? Be sure to book far enough in advance, as this popular little spot tends to fill up quickly.

To find out more about H&G Creations’ wedding planning and styling services, visit hghome.ie