17th-century country house for intimate weddings in Antrim

Highlights

If you want complete relaxation amidst a serene natural environment in an elegant location with a touch of history, this 17th-century country house in Antrim, Northern Ireland will never disappoint.

Sitting amidst the biggest glen (valley) of Antrim, this wedding venue guarantees endless views of the green landscapes and rolling hills of Northern Ireland. It’s also complete with elegant function rooms and spacious outdoor spots for all kinds of weddings, topnotch catering services, and luxurious accommodations for your whole stay in Northern Ireland.

They can even arrange activities for you so you can spend your honeymoon exploring the culture and different attractions in County Antrim. After getting married in Northern Ireland, you can proceed to an adventure-filled itinerary at the start of your honeymoon!

History

This historic country house started as a simple thatched cottage in the late 1600’s when it first became a residence of Coll McDonnell. The McDonnells held the property for many centuries, with its owners having different approaches in maintaining it.

The first McDonnells wanted to keep the country house simple, avoiding any modernization, and instead prioritizing comfort above all. Later on, the succeeding owners of the same family shifted the direction of the property’s upkeep, and it was renovated for expansion and modernization in the late 18th-century.

The country house was then developed into ‘a three-story stucco house with canted bays and segmental entrance pediment. Horizontally channeled pilasters flank small entrance sidelights.’ It was later improved when purchased by a senator in the early 1900s, followed by the De La Salle Order in 1958.

Surprisingly enough, the country house, after a hiatus of 100 years, returned to the ownership of the McDonnells until today.

Ceremony

Outdoor ceremonies trump all kinds of ceremony arrangements in the country house. Having an intimate wedding in the venue’s open fields means saying your “I dos”, while looking out into the Glenariff Glen (valley), which is the biggest of all the nine glens of Antrim. The evergreen hills and valleys of Antrim will be your backdrop as the ceremony unfolds, which means you have little need for wedding decor.

If you prefer something more weatherproof, you can have a marquee wedding in the gardens or an indoor ceremony in one of the venue’s function rooms. The rooms are flexible for all kinds of decor, and convertible to suit all wedding sizes.

Reception

The reception areas of the country house offer two important things - comfort and beauty. From the chairs and tables, to the walls, and catering services, you can expect beauty and comfort for your wedding reception. One of the function rooms is perfect for intimate wedding dinners of up to 70 guests, while the marquee in the garden can accommodate up to 200 people.

Enjoy the locally sourced food made into original dishes by the venue’s in-house chef. They boast of the freshest ingredients and superb restaurant service for you and your wedding guests.

Accommodation

As an exclusive venue for special events, the country house only has six en-suite bedrooms for the couple and their guests. All bedrooms are located on the first floor, and each one is individually decorated country house style with a boutique hotel twist.

As it always has been, comfort is this venue’s paramount concern, so you can expect facilities and furnishings for maximum comfort in every room. Their interiors are a mix of contemporary and antique design, and each cater to a different style, so you can choose which one fits you best.

The good thing about having accommodations in your venue, especially in case of a destination wedding, is that you do not need to look around for hotels and inns where you can stay your whole trip. You will have an all-in-one venue for the wedding and accommodations.

There’s more. This country house in Antrim is very close to popular attractions in the region, so you can have a full itinerary of places to explore for your honeymoon.

Activities

There’s an endless list of activities around Antrim, especially if you’re coming from this specific wedding venue.

There’s a series of iconic shooting locations from Game of Thrones that you can visit for an exciting start of your honeymoon. Places such as the Cushendun Caves and the Iron Islands are only some of the items on the list.

It’s also a wonderful experience driving along the Causeway Coast where you can stop by various attractions such as castle ruins, sandy beaches, and the famous Giant’s Causeway.

But before proceeding to these locations, visit the Glenariff Forest Park first, which is only a stone’s throw away from the country house. Be delighted by the waterfalls, the scenic paths, and a view to the stunning Scottish coastline.

Getting married in this 17th-century Irish country house is amazing in itself. To have an opportunity to be near the best attractions in Northern Ireland is an added reward that you won’t get from just any wedding venue here. If you think it's worth the shot, and you'd like to explore the possibility of tying the knot here, get in touch with us.