Getting Married at the Royal Marine Hotel, DUn Laoghaire
If you're looking for a wedding venue in Dublin that has a bit of everything, beautiful architecture, sea views, plenty of space, and somewhere your guests can actually stay — the Royal Marine Hotel in Dún Laoghaire is definitely one to have on your list.
Overlooking Dublin Bay, the Royal Marine is one of those venues that gives you loads to work with photographically. You have the grand, historic interiors of the hotel, the beautiful Victorian staircase and high ceilings, and then you're just minutes from the harbour and the sea. So whether you're planning a big wedding or something a little more intimate, there are plenty of opportunities for gorgeous photographs without spending your entire wedding day disappearing off for portraits.
A wedding venue with plenty of character
The Royal Marine Hotel dates back to the 19th century and has retained many of its original features, including high ceilings, intricate cornicing and a beautiful Victorian staircase. There's a lovely mix of old-school Dublin elegance and more contemporary spaces throughout the hotel.
And honestly, I love a wedding venue with character.
It means your photographs don't all have to happen in one room. There's texture, architecture, light and little corners everywhere, which gives me plenty to work with throughout the day.
The Carlisle Suite is the hotel's main ballroom and has views across Dún Laoghaire Harbour and Dublin Bay. It's a particularly lovely space if you're having a larger wedding and want that classic hotel ballroom feel, but with an amazing view as your backdrop.
Can you get married at the Royal Marine Hotel?
Yes. The Royal Marine is fully registered and certified for civil ceremonies, with a number of rooms available depending on the size and style of your ceremony.
This is a huge plus if you want to keep your wedding day simple and have your ceremony and reception all in the one place.
The hotel also offers a dedicated civil ceremony package, which currently includes the ceremony room, Chiavari chairs, red carpet, floral arrangement and a Prosecco toast for the couple.
There's also the National Maritime Museum right beside the hotel, which is another option for couples considering a civil ceremony in Dún Laoghaire.
What is there to photograph?
This is probably my favourite thing about the Royal Marine.
You're not restricted to photographing your entire wedding inside the hotel.
The grand staircase and interiors are brilliant for those slightly more editorial photographs, while the windows and sea views give you completely different options. Then you've got Dún Laoghaire Harbour right outside, so if the weather is behaving itself, you can get out for a few photographs around the harbour and coastline too.
And I don't mean disappearing for an hour.
My approach to wedding photography is very much about keeping you at your wedding. I want you to actually enjoy your drinks reception, chat to your friends, hug your family and have the craic with your guests.
I'll absolutely steal you away for a few photographs together, but I'm not interested in turning your wedding day into a photoshoot.
Some of my favourite wedding photographs are the ones that happen when nobody is really thinking about the camera — your dad laughing with your friends, your granny giving you a massive hug, everyone piling onto the dance floor or the two of you having a quiet five minutes together while everything is happening around you.
That's the stuff I want to photograph.
What about wedding guests staying at the hotel?
This is another reason the Royal Marine works really well for weddings.
The hotel has 228 bedrooms, so your guests can stay on-site rather than having to organise transport to another hotel after the reception. Many of the rooms also have views across Dublin Bay.
There's also a leisure centre with a pool and health club, as well as dining options within the hotel, so your wedding can feel like more than just one day.
For couples with guests travelling from outside Dublin, having accommodation in the same building as the reception can make the whole thing considerably easier.
What are the wedding packages like?
The Royal Marine currently offers two main wedding packages, the Ruby Wedding Package and the Royal Wedding Package. The hotel's wedding packages also include extras such as a pre-wedding pampering package, complimentary menu tasting and a six-month Pier Health Club membership.
The hotel also provides a dedicated wedding coordinator and a range of practical extras for the day, including Chiavari chairs, personalised table plans and menus, a cake stand and knife, microphones for speeches and accommodation options for wedding guests.
As always with wedding packages, I'd recommend asking the hotel for their current brochure and a breakdown of exactly what's included for your date, as packages and pricing can change.
Is the Royal Marine Hotel a good wedding venue for photographs?
If you want Dublin wedding photography with a mix of elegant interiors, candid photographs and beautiful coastal scenery, it gives you loads to work with.
And that's exactly how I'd approach photographing a wedding here.
I'm not going to spend the day dragging you from one photo location to another just because a venue has them. I'll photograph what's actually happening — the nerves, the laughs, the hugs, your friends being idiots on the dance floor, the quiet moments and all the little things you'll probably forget happened.
Then we'll make the most of the Royal Marine itself, because it really does give you some beautiful options for photographs.
The best part is that you can have those gorgeous, timeless photographs without feeling like you've spent your wedding day posing for them.
Thinking about getting married at the Royal Marine?
If you're planning a Royal Marine Hotel wedding in Dún Laoghaire and you're looking for a Dublin wedding photographer who will give you beautiful photographs without taking you away from your actual wedding, I'd love to hear from you.
Tell me a bit about your plans, what you're looking forward to most and, most importantly, what kind of photographs you love.
We'll take it from there.
