Castle Weddings
Blackwater Castle, Castletownroche, Cork
History, heritage, nature and a warm Irish welcome meet in a spectacular setting at Blackwater Castle, a twelfth Century Castle on the banks of the River Awbeg, which is surrounded by woodlands and a private river and is the perfect setting for a unique Irish Castle wedding. Visitors gracing the Castle down through the centuries include the third century blind magician Mogh Ruith, Strongbow’s Men at Arms, Sir Walter Raleigh, and the “King of Pop” Michael Jackson. Oliver Cromwell and his army also laid siege to the Castle so why not follow in the footsteps of some of the most famous and infamous figures from the past and celebrate your union in a unique setting?
This “charming historic location” which is “steeped in history” (Hitched.ie) is a hidden gem tucked away in the hills of North Cork and is just “perfect for a private wedding” (One Fab Day). We have also been selected among the Best Wedding Venues in Ireland (One Fab Day) for five consecutive years since 2014 and in the top 20 Castle Wedding Venues in Ireland (WeddingDates.ie). Trips To Discover identified us as one of the top 10 most romantic private hire venues while Tanya Sweeney writing in The Irish Examiner on 6th May 2015 claimed that Blackwater Castle was one of only 6 wedding venues that you would ever need in your wedding venue little black book.
We have a coveted 5 star rating on Tripadvisor where we rank as the Best Speciality Accommodation in Cork (out of 76) while we are rated in the top three in Munster (of 331). We were also shortlisted in the top three (Hospitality category) of the North Cork Business Awards 2014 while in October 2015 The Irish Times listed us among the top ten Castles in Ireland.
No formula
There is no formula at Blackwater Castle – you will have complete control over all arrangements so your celebration will reflect your unique style and requirements. Our wedding couples are not drawn to the idea of a hotel wedding which they feel will force them into a formulaic event which more suits the hotel’s arrangements rather than their own requirements. At Blackwater Castle we actively encourage you to turn convention on it’s head if you wish and arrange the type of celebration that bests suits you and your spouse to be and not your venue. We offer contacts of those who can assist you in preparing your special day from caterers and bar staff to magicians and beauticians but we give you complete freedom with the arrangements and help you every step of the way in achieving a Castle Wedding that will live long in your memories and those of your guests.
Rich in History, Heritage, and Antiquities
Blackwater Castle, an estate rich in history, heritage, and antiquities has an impeccable pedigree for hosting weddings as it is the site of the ancient Holy Well of St. Patrick, contains the remains of a twelfth century tower which may have been used as a Chapel in later Medieval times, and is home to a rare 8th or 9th century stone engraving of the female form, a Sheela na Gig, for those who wish to give their marriage a fertility blessing. The abundance of heritage on the grounds adds a unique dimension to your event as your guests will delight in exploring the remnants of structures built by our ancestors over 2,500 years ago on this site of international significance which is also the site of a Mesolithic settlement dating back some 10,000 years.
Exclusive Castle Rental
Blackwater Castle is available to hire in its entirety for your special event as a private hire venue. We encourage you to take over the Castle and create your own magical event so that the Castle is your home from home. There is no formula here – you have the freedom to design your wedding in a way that reflects your unique style unfettered by licensing rules or other restrictions. You can select a theme and dress the Castle in a way that reflects that theme – we encourage you to bring in your own personal touches such as all your old family photos to place around the fireplaces and pianos so that your guests really feel as if they are celebrating your event with you at home.
Rory O’Toole.
Catering
Some of our wedding couples opt to engage caterers who will provide a fine dining experience while other couples select a more modest banquet – the choice is entirely yours. As you are in control of the suppliers you can opt for the caterer who best suits what you have in mind in all respects from menu to range of choice to budget. We will help you select a caterer best suited to you from our list of suppliers who we are happy to recommend from previous events at the Castle or you are more than welcome to select your own caterer. There is a fixed Castle rental fee irrespective of the service providers you engage as unlike other private hire venues we do not charge a percentage of your catering costs – that is entirely a matter for you and your caterer. We can help you arrange some or all of the catering elements of your celebration from the wedding banquet itself to pre-wedding day suppers and post wedding barbeques. Depending on your numbers you can opt to have the wedding banquet in the Terrace Room, Castle Dining Room or for larger events the Coach House Banqueting Hall (all pictured below).
Refreshments
Blackwater Castle is not a licensed premises but has a fully equipped bar which we invite our guests to stock themselves with our help and we can also arrange for barmen to help in the distribution of drinks. We find that amongst friends and family your guests will be more than happy to contribute by way of an “honesty box” or token system as they order so expenses in this respect are more than covered. Again, chat with us and we can advise you what works best in this setting but as you are in your own “home” there are no corkage fees of any kind.
Accomodation
The Castle has 9 spacious ensuite rooms, all beautifully furnished, and each with its own individual character which sleep 23. Further accommodation is available in our Garden Apartments in the Castle Courtyard including dormitory accomodation. We can sleep 70 in total on the grounds of Blackwater Castle while the village of Castletownroche (5 minutes walk) has a number of B&B’s which can also cater for your guests. Additional accommodation is available in the environs of Castletownroche or in the towns of Mallow and Fermoy (both within 9 miles of Blackwater Castle).
kathrynosheaphotography.com
Wedding Ceremony
You may also wish to hold your wedding ceremony on the grounds of the Castle or in any one of several elegant rooms as Registrars now have the power to perform civil ceremonies outside Registry Offices while Humanists and Inter Faith Ministers have now been added to the list of authorised celebrants. Alternatively we have Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland Churches in the village of Castletownroche (10 minutes walk) which can also host your marriage ceremony.
as captured by Rory O’Toole
Welcoming your guests
You and your guests can enjoy a drinks reception on arrival in any of the six Reception Rooms or for balmier days we can accommodate a drinks reception on the Castle Lawn or Terrace overlooking the River Awbeg.
The Wedding Banquet
Our Dining room seats 40-60 and the Terrace room another 40-60 while the Coach House seats up to 150. The converted 17th century Coach House in the Courtyard, with its own kitchen, can seat about 100 on the ground floor with space for a further 40-50 on the mezzanine level. You will have complete freedom to design your own menu and level of service as you have the option to engage your own chef and caterers directly thereby having complete control over the type and cost of meal you wish to have. Your caterers will have full use of our professionally equipped and spacious kitchen in the Castle and the large kitchen space attached to the Coach House.
Time to relax
Throughout your stay at Blackwater Castle your guests can relax in the serenity of our Walled Garden or stroll along the banks of the River Awbeg within the secluded Castle grounds. Our Castle is located on a protected Nature Reserve so your guests can enjoy and admire the magnificent pheasant and other wildlife wandering around the Castle grounds whatever the season. Patrick Nordstrom is also available to offer complimentary guided historical tours of the features of the Castle including access to the fifteenth century Norman Tower – from the ground floor where our pre-Christian Sheela-na-Gig is in residence up 76 steps on the stone spiral staircase where your guests will be rewarded with outstanding views of the beautiful North Cork Countryside. Having such heritage to explore on site provides an extra dimension to a wedding and certainly adds to the experience and enjoyment from your guests’ perspective.
A striking image by Sean Jeffries of a bride resplendent in red with her groom is followed by a shot of a couple on the Terrace with the Autumnal Awbeg river valley as a backdrop taken by Sean Clarke while Tony Dunn took this image of a couple strolling through the Walled Garden.
Party Time
Your festivities can continue in the Castle with music and dancing in the Castle or the Old Coach House. This is located in the Castle Courtyard and is perfect for your own blend of party be it a jazz session, traditional ceili or regular DJ, which can continue until dawn (or beyond) if you so wish. (Most guests opt to have their party in the Castle which is more convenient especially as there is a fully equipped bar). Remember, Blackwater Castle will be yours for the duration of your celebrations – you decide when the party ends! The Old Coach House can also be used as the location for your meal as it can accommodate 100+ on the ground floor with space for a further 40-50 on the Mezzanine level.
Practicalities
The beauty of a Castle private hire for your wedding is that you have complete freedom to arrange the type of event that best suits you however you do not need to reinvent the wheel here and for the basics such as stocking the bar, arranging breakfast, housekeeping etc. we have local suppliers well used to catering for weddings at the Castle who we can recommend to you. Those accustomed to working in the Castle can help with all of the behind the scenes support so you just make decisions on the broad format of the event safe in the knowledge that nothing will slip through the cracks. It can be daunting arranging an event on a large scale but we are more than happy to guide you through the process and have as many on-site meetings, calls and email correspondence as you need to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
We have all sorts of facilities available in the village and immediate area in terms of support staff. We also have a hairdressers and beauty salon in the village in L & A Hair and Beauty Salon while local ladies Thelma or Helena are more than happy to come to the Castle to take care of the bridal party’s hair and beauty needs in house. We also have a fantastic photographer in Karen of Ally Photography with a studio in the village of Castletownroche.
Images from previous weddings
Real Weddings and Slide Shows
Click on the links below to take you to slide shows of some of our recent weddings
“Wedding of the Week” Eoin and Jess in EchoLive.ie
https://www.echolive.ie/corklives/arid-40372502.html
“Wedding of the Week” Anji and Eoin in EchoLive.ie
https://www.echolive.ie/corklives/arid-40897889.html
https://www.lilybungayandco.com/mark-babs
Reviews
Wedding couples in the past have been enthralled by the magical event they have experienced here at Blackwater Castle – here are just some of the remarks posted to Tripadvisor about their “dream weddings”:-
“We got married in Blackwater Castle, and we had the most incredible experience. Sheila and Patrick were by far the most accommodating hosts we have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. With the difficult situation during 2020, they were constantly providing us with up-to-date information all the way through the year and went above and beyond to help us have the most amazing wedding we could imagine. Their friendliness is second to none, and the venue itself is just astounding. You have the opportunity to cater your wedding or event to suit your exact needs which really gives you an opportunity to have a unique experience. We couldn’t recommend a better wedding venue.” Eamonn M, December, 2020.
“We rented the castle for our September wedding and could not have been more pleased. Sheila and Patrick are extremely accommodating and helpful throughout the planning process and always able to help during the stay, but also allow you and your family to feel it’s your place during your time there.
The castle is magical with beautiful grounds and extensive accommodations that allowed our family and friends from the states and Ireland to stay together. The local town is charming with a pub, convenience store, etc. We could not have had a better wedding and loved our stay so much that everyone is hoping to go back for a family reunion in a few years!” HeathKayevs, October, 2019
“We held our wedding at Blackwater Castle in August and everyone had the most amazing time! It’s an intimate space which definitely becomes home for the time that you’re there…The castle is stunning, such an interesting venue with lots of history and charm. There is plenty of space for guests and the gardens are beautiful too. I can’t recommend this venue enough, it’s a really special place!” Hilary O, August 2019
“We got married at the castle this week in the walled garden. Our minds as well as our guests minds were blown out of the water with how truly amazing the castle is in person. Pictures don’t do it justice. Patrick is so full of knowledge and history. And Sheila always has your best interest at heart. The caretakers beyond took care of us and went above and beyond to make sure our stay was truly one of a kind. Us as well as all of our guests have agreed we’ll be going back as an anniversary travel. Couldn’t have picked a better location to marry my best friend.” SammyLammy, July 2018
“We were lucky enough to book Blackwater Castle for an October wedding. Sheila was indispensable in planning the event–being based in the US, I was nervous about finding and booking vendors, but Sheila had recommendation lists and personal tips that were so valuable in planning. She even helped me communicate with vendors and is very quick to respond to questions. I was thrilled with the vendors she recommended.” Melonyce M, October, 2018
“My husband and I had our wedding in Blackwater Castle in October and I don’t even know where to start praising everything about Blackwater, Patrick and Sheila. Aside from the absolutely perfect weather we were lucky enough to have, we truly felt at home in Blackwater.” ArielE, October 2017
“There’s something very magical about the castle itself and the beautiful backdrop of the surrounding countryside. To anyone looking for the perfect wedding location, this is your place. The only bad thing about this place is having to leave again!” Dillrick, July 2018
“We had our wedding here in December 2017. It was absolutely amazing. Blackwater Castle was the first venue we viewed and I just fell in love with it from the second we went there. Sheila and Patrick were amazing. They really allowed us to make ourselves at home in the castle for the weekend. I was worried about it being cold in December but the castle was lovely and warm. Just a beautiful place and an amazing venue.” RoisinN, December 2017.
“From start to finish, our time at Blackwater Castle was epic – we will bring back lifetime memories from this majestic place. Patrick and Sheila as hosts and the masterminds behind the charm and hospitality of the Castle are incredible to deal with. Sheila is super responsive, has an extensive local network of top notch professionals for whatever you need and has such a professional, calm demeanor that it just takes the stress out of whatever you are organizing.” FionaN, March 2018.
Our families had been awaiting the marriage of our children At Blackwater Castle for months. We all arrived Monday March 12, 2018. What an amazing location for this ancient castle and beautiful grounds. The owners and all involved from the castle establishment had been so easy to work with as we planned The Day.” JoyfulTraveller111, March, 2018
“All our guests fell in love with Blackwater Castle and its beautiful grounds and are still talking about our wedding and their stay there.
If you are looking for something different,not scared of a little hard work to put your own stamp on an event to make it unique,want countless options for photos with amazing natural backdrops Blackwater Castle is the place for you!
We could not recommend this beautiful venue any higher!
Thanks for making our wedding day unforgettable in so many ways”. LauraMarc, July, 2017.
“We attended a family wedding in Blackwater Castle last weekend. It was wonderful. We felt that we were completely in charge. No rules as such. The owner, Patrick, is very relaxed and he summed it up when he said that you take the castle as your own for the weekend, and you put your own personality on it. You are the “owners” of the castle, without having the responsibility of the upkeep!” PatDublin, September 2017
“We had the most Amazing wedding at Blackwater Castle! Everyone was raving about it, they all had such a great time! We were able to make the day Exactly what we wanted for our wedding – fun, chilled and Epic! We got in food carts and everyone was delighted to be able to sit where they like, move around and talk to different people. They climbed the tower and got amazing photos. … I couldn’t recommend this more as a venue, you can make it your own and it’s a great experience for all the guests!” QuinnKelliher, September 2017
“The hosts, Patrick and Sheila, were warm and accommodating. Having Patrick on hand to share the history of the place only enhanced our experience. It had everything the wedding party needed and the local vendors in the area were great as well. Cannot say enough good things about our stay at Blackwater Castle and Castletownroche!” Fullerlr, June 2017
“My Wife & I, along with our family & friends stayed in Blackwater castle for 4 days for our wedding in April 17, we married in the walled garden, ate in the Coach house, and danced the nights away in the castle. From start to finish we had the most amazing experience, Sheila & Patrick are the most lovely people and so helpful.” LauraMcca May 2017
“Best Wedding Venue in Ireland…We got married in Blackwater Castle in January. It was the most magical setting and every guest was blown away by the sheer beauty of the location. The Castle, with its own bar, was the perfect setting for a 3 day celebration.” Restaurant104, January 2017
“The place was spectacular, and Patrick and Sheila were so helpful and accommodating anytime we had a question or wanted to pop out for another look. We were able to choose where to have the ceremony (so many amazing options), to decorate everything the way we wanted, and to put a lot of personal touches for a proper Frish wedding etc. An amazing three days in the castle, all the guests were completely blown away by the place and its history.” Dear_mud, September 2016
“The sun came out and the ceremony was held in the walled garden surrounded by apple and pear trees. We had drinks in the castle and out on the terrace and the dinner was served in the coach house…I cant recommend it highly enough. Ann M, September 2016
“We had our wedding at Blackwater castle in August. As we live over seas, our parents were the first to visit the venue. As soon as we heard their feedback about how welcoming and helpful Patrick and Sheila were and how beautiful and rustic the venue was, we knew we were onto a good thing. During the lead up to our big day the pair couldn’t have been more accommodating to our needs, allowing us free rein of the castle, to visualize how everything would fall into place. We had the venue for 4 days in total, and during this time Patrick and Sheila were there to help when needed but also gave us the privacy and freedom to make the castle feel like our own. All of our guests were so impressed with the venue and grounds. We couldn’t have wished for a more perfect place to spend our wedding weekend, surrounded by the peace and serenity of the Blackwater river.” Blaithin B, August 2016
“Owners – the loveliest couple, friendly, helpful, and I would go as far as saying ‘incredible’. My secret renewal ceremony could not have happened without Sheila and Patrick who went above and beyond to make it happen exactly as I had wanted and all ‘in secret’. I cannot stress enough, how much they made our week unforgettable. I am astounded at their dedication and their implementation skills in ensuring that all the guests had the most memorable time. Thank you so, so much!…The whole week was an absolute blend of perfection. You will be blown away.
Collectively our guests gave the whole experience 10/10.” Lin M, August 2016
“We had the most amazing weekend of our life at Blackwater Castle.
This is also echoed in the feedback we have heard from family & friends.
If you are considering this amazing venue for your event then we could not recommend it highly enough.” Hayden P, August 2016
“The venue itself is absolutely beautiful. All bedrooms are individual and different. The bar room is cosy and unique. The dorms and barn are one of a kind and the grounds are absolutely beautiful. A photographer’s dream location. All of our guests were blown away by the venue and had an absolute ball. Couldn’t of imagined a better way to celebrate. A day to remember forever!” CorkCity88, July 2016
“We have just returned from the best wedding experience ever for our two friends. This beautiful castle was the perfect venue for the wedding and our 3 day of partying. The staff wer lovely and very patient despite the severe humidity with the weather. I couldn’t recommend this any higher :)” Sanchez247, July 2016
“Blackwater Castle is the perfect wedding venue if you want to do things your own way. We had the run of the castle for 4 days and 3 nights in June 2016. Plenty of time to prepare and put our own touches on this beautiful venue. An idyllic and private space to spend time with our family and friends.” Fiona C, June 2016
“I cannot adequately describe my experience at Blackwater Castle. We booked it for our wedding, sight unseen. What an amazing experience! As other reviewers have said, while the castle itself is incredible, Sheila and Patrick, the owners, really made this experience what it was. Sheila helped in all ways needed to plan the wedding, from a caterer recommendation, to helping us find the perfect band. Patrick really enhanced the experience while we were there, providing assistance when needed, but more importantly, made us really feel like we owned the place for a week. Make sure he gives you a history tour! The grounds were beautiful, the setting is stunning, the castle was perfect. The whole experience, and it really is an experience, was out of this world. We had some conserns about renting a castle for a week without seeing it first, but it was better than we thought possible. If you are considering Blackwater, do it. It’s amazing. It is the only place I have ever been where I would change nothing. Everything was perfect. I only wish I could give it more than a 5 star rating. This goes beyond a room with a nice view or a good meal. It is without equal, and defies comparison. Do it!” Ryan C, April 2016
“We spent three wonderful days & nights in Blackwater Castle for our wedding over March 3rd,4th & 5th 2016. The venue is positively unique and allowed us put our very own handwriting on our big day! It’s a most stunning backdrop and just oozes atmosphere! We would LOVE LOVE LOVE to do it all again. Thank you to Sheila and Patrick for being so helpful and generally so lovely to deal with.” NMMurphy, March 2016
“Even though we are Irish, the allure of having a big party in your own castle was something we loved the idea of – it exceeded our expectations! The communication with Sheila pre-wedding and the couple of visits we had once we booked, were great for putting us at ease. Every concern or query we had was addressed and we knew a quick call would clarify everything, which it always did. Sheila left it totally open with us on how we wanted to do it our way, giving us little nudges only if we asked for them. We settled upon the 4 day/ 3 night option, which was definitely the way to go in hindsight for preparing, the wedding day, the after-party & relaxing before leaving without having to rush out. We’d love to do it all again….. EricJames1984, December 2015
“…the best wedding ever!! The freedom to create our own unique wedding in the beautiful grounds of Blackwater castle, allowed us to bring a little slice of Azerbaijan to Castletownroche. … The castle itself is beautiful and full of character, and it’s great that we can turn the whole place into our home for the few days that we were there.” Gunel & Hughie, September 2015
“I cannot stress enough how incredible Blackwater Castle was as a wedding venue. My wife and I are from the U.S. and took 16 guests with us for our small destination wedding. Without the ability to tour the grounds, I relied completely on Blackwater’s website as well as the incredible assistance of Sheila O’Keefe, one of the castle’s owner/operators, to plan our two day stay, ceremony and reception. Sheila made everything a breeze… Justin T, September 2015
“Just back from a beautiful wedding weekend at Blackwater Castle, and I cannot recommend it enough. Patrick and Sheila are fantastic and so welcoming to all. The Castle itself is just how a castle should be fun and quirky.” CorkMilly33, August 2015
“I had my wedding in the castle in 2015, i don’t no how to start and try to justify the castle with a comment it is the most beautiful place that i have ever seen it just gets better and better from you drive up the lane to it. …I’d like to mention that there were 70 guests at my wedding and every single person that attended the wedding was amazed the the castle and couldn’t believe that such a beautiful place excisted. I would like to thank Patrick and Sheila for allowing me to have the castle for the 4 days it’s a time of my life that’s I will never forget all thanks to them thank you so much” Loren O July 2015
“We were married here August 15th 2014 and both agree we couldn’t have asked for a better place to host our celebration. Patrick and Sheila were nothing but accommodating as were the Castletownroche locals (who were on hand to help everything run smoothly)… we would certainly recommend this venue for anyone who wants a different kind of wedding, you can make it completely your own and really relax into it”. Ciaran S, August 2014
“Patrick & Sheila were amazing to deal with giving us full run of the magnificent castle for the wedding weekend which made us feel totally at home! As you can supply your own decor and your own catering companies if you like, a wedding couple really get to put their own style/twist on their important day. The bedrooms in the castle are just so beautiful and full of character!” Courtney0605, August 2014
“I’m just back from my wonderful wedding in Blackwater Castle and it was absolutely fantastic. For starters the castle is beautiful, with loads of space and beautiful surroundings. But most importantly Patrick and Sheila are just so easy to deal with, they made organising our wedding so simple and encouraged us to do our own thing helping us and our guests to have a unique experience.” Edel K, July 2014
“Patrick and Sheila showed us the possibility of the venue and helped us plan the most amazing day for our guests. Everyone remarked how laidback, different and fun our day was. We booked the castle from Friday to the Monday which I’m so glad we did as we had the most fun day on the Sunday chilling out in the gardens, having a BBQ, playing rounders and organising zip lining for our friends and family. A huge amount of fun, I wouldn’t change a thing! You won’t go wrong with organising an event here, especially with the fantastic guidance of Patrick and Sheila. It felt like our home and we were heartbroken to leave on the monday! Caroline and Brian” Caroline O June 2014
“We had our wedding at Blackwater Castle a few weeks ago. It could not have been more perfect. Patrick and Sheila were exceptionally accommodating and made us feel as if the castle was our own for the few days we stayed there. On hand at any moments request, they could not have helped us more when needed. The grounds and the scenery are beautiful and in fairness to Patrick, he even sorted the weather out for us!! It was a weekend which all our guests truly enjoyed and would highly recommend Blackwater Castle to anyone and everyone.” Ireland Caz – 31 May 2014
“Patrick and Sheila could not have been more helpful… The atmosphere was fantastic. Our guests all mentioned how wonderful and different the day was and how much they enjoyed it. We ate in the courtyard and moved back to the castle for the evenings music. Everyone felt at home.” Marian H, December 2013
“We got married in this excellent location in September 2013. It was one of the first places we visited when we were looking for a venue and nothing else could compare. The thought of making our own DIY wedding was appealing to my wife who has a lovely artistic touch. Patrick and Sheila could not have been more helpful and accommodating when we needed them but also gave us the privacy and space to make our wedding a very personal event. Our family could stay in the castle and close by on the castle grounds. All the different rooms allowed us to tailor the day dynamically, instead of sitting in one room all evening. We got married on the terrace, one of the first legal Humanist weddings in Ireland, dined in the coach house and partied in the castle. There is a saying that it never rained the day of a wedding at Blackwater Castle, and in a week of rainy weather we had a day of glorious sunshine”. Mark and Emese 13 September 2013
“We had looked for months for somewhere to get married, somewhere a bit different ,a dream location and we found that when we came across blackwater castle. As soon as we spoke with Patrick and Sheila we felt at ease, it felt like our own home straight away. They gave us the freedom too have the wedding of our dreams. As we had a lot of guests that had to travel the accomadation on the grounds was perfect. We stayed at the castle for 4 days with our family and friends everyone felt so relaxed and at home. I cried the day we were leaving…that’s how much we loved it. Even our two young girls didn’t want to leave. Patrick and Sheila are so welcoming. The castle is a stunning location for a wedding or even a family gathering. If only we could do it all over again”. Rob & Monica Larkin – 20 October 2013
“This is the perfect location for couples looking for something different for their wedding. The setting is exceptional, the Castle is beautiful but it is the warmth of the owners Patrick & Sheila that really make this venue unique. From our very first visit and throughout the weekend of our wedding the hosts were extremely helpful, reassuring & welcoming. We had the most amazing weekend and cannot thank you enough.” Bridget and John – 26 July 2013
“Everyone was so impressed by the castle, the accommodation and the freedom to do whatever they wanted for the weekend.The owners were fantastic, on hand if needed but not interfering in any way. They recommended excellent local caterers etc. We are still totally shocked at how these people just hand over their castle to you and your guests”. Deirdre M – 12 March 2013.
“We instantly knew this was where we should get married when Patrick Nordstrom showed us around the castle and grounds. Not only were they stunning, Patrick was the perfect host for us by making everything we wanted possible and more.
We were looking for a wedding venue where we could spend a week with the extended family without going bankrupt, and cater for ourselves. We wanted somewhere we could set up a marquee for the wedding reception and have a civil wedding ceremony on site. Blackwater castle ticked all the boxes. We had the most memorable week there and hosted a wedding reception for 200 guests. Patrick and Sheila were so supportive of all our plans and went the extra mile to make sure we had a week to remember. We had a treasure hunt in the oak tree maze, lunch on the rooftop of the tower, flying our own flag from the mast, Indian and Irish dancing in the coach house, fresh herbs, fruit and vegetables from the garden and singing sessions in the bar until Dawn. The wedding reception was also super and the best thing was being able to do things impromptu, like pre dinner dancing on the patio! Being able to stay in a castle for a week and cook for ourselves was just fantastic”. Shamala – 17 October 2012
“We wanted a unique wedding venue and stumbled upon Blackwater Castle. We got the Castle and the nearby apartments to ourselves for 4 days and had the best weekend ever. All of our guest were thrilled with the experiences especially the 40 or so we lodged on the grounds. Patrick and his wife were great – they told us the history of the buildings, brought all the guests on a tour and were willing to help out with any problems we encountered. If you are looking for a place where you are in charge pick this one for an event no one will forget!” Granturismo – 3 September 2012.
A wedding at Blackwater Castle is a truly unique event – contact Patrick or Sheila on 087 971 0854 who will be happy to help you in designing the Castle wedding of your dreams.
The Walled Garden at Blackwater Castle – one of many perfect locations for your wedding photographs – and below a selection of October flowers picked in our Walled Garden. Our guests are welcome to use the flowers and greenery available in the Walled Garden and around the grounds for their table settings, bouquets, or vases.
You may also like to view further images of the Castle grounds and interior – click here.
