If you’re creating a truly elegant and luxurious celebration in the heart of Dublin having your wedding at the Merrion Hotel is a wonderful option. Located on Merrion St Upper, just across from the government buildings, the iconic Georgian building offers the elegance and charm of the best experience classic Dublin could offer.
While the main hotel entrance is at No 25, there is a separate entrance at No 24 that leads through a marbled hallway onto the grand salons where you’ll be having your celebration. The space features original Georgian plasterwork, the salons are decorated with antique furniture and luxurious carpets. The rooms showcase an impressive collection of classical 19th and 20th century art.
Civil Wedding Ceremony at the Merrion
The Merrion Hotel is fully licensed to host legal-binding ceremonies, so you have full say of the type of wedding ceremony you want to create. What you’ll be guaranteed is a magnificent light-filled backdrop of one of the period Georgian rooms.
Wedding ceremonies are usually held in the grand Wellington Room on the first floor. Painted in gorgeous duck-egg blue colour, it features stunning gilded mirrors, a decorative fireplace and original ceiling plasterwork. My favourite feature about it has to be the floor to ceiling windows that face onto the picturesque courtyard and flood the room with light. You’ll have the most beautiful space for your ceremony no matter the time of year.
The Wellington Room seats up to 80 people for the wedding ceremony and is also often used for intimate wedding banquets.
Drinks Reception and Wedding Dinner
After your ceremony you and your guests will come down the grand staircase to enjoy your drinks reception. Depending on the weather there are a few options – you can head on to the outdoor courtyard to enjoy some al fresco prosecco and canapes, or you can choose to stay in the cosy Fitzgerald Room on the first floor.
The Merrion Hotel coordinators pride themselves on creating a fully bespoke experience for every wedding couple, and I can absolutely say from experience that no request is too much for Laura – she is amazing and will make your day flawless. The rooms are yours to enjoy with every package, and you can organize your timeline however you want.
The drinks reception is followed by an amazing four-course dinner – I have heard more than once that the food at the Merrion is divine! Depending on your guest numbers you can have your dinner banquet in the Wellington Room upstairs or in the adjacent suites downstairs, seating up to 90 guests. The tables are decorated with Irish linens and fine china, classic candelabras and bespoke flower arrangements. It truly is a scene of beauty!
Accommodation at the Merrion Hotel
One of the big advantages of having a wedding in Dublin is the fact that most of your friends can catch a taxi home. Trust me, they’ll thank you for it! For those who want to spend the night at the Merrion there are 142 suites between the Main House and the Garden Wing, so accommodation definitely won’t be an issue! You’ll also have full access to the Merrion Spa with its 18m swimming pool and steam room.
The Merrion Hotel Wedding Packages
During the Covid restrictions the Merrion Hotel was one of the most popular Dublin weddings for an intimate celebration – it’s private, luxurious and absolutely perfect for a small wedding. Thankfully, we’re at the stage where you’re not limited by guest numbers but it doesn’t mean you can’t still have an intimate wedding! Be it 20 or 90 people, there are plenty of options to choose from. The wedding coordinator at the Merrion will be able to design a bespoke package for you.
For weddings over 40 guests there are a few tailored options available, starting from €159 per person. All the packages include a four-course dinner, a pre-wedding menu tasting, complimentary room hire, a prosecco reception, table plan and floral arrangements, evening snacks and overnight accommodation for the couple.
Where Can You Take Wedding Photos?
Besides the beautiful interiors, the Merrion is perfect for its location. It’s located in between Dublin’s most famous parks – Merrion Square and St Stephen’s Green. Before or after your ceremony we can wander around Dublin’s Georgian quarters, take stunning photos with some iconic buildings in the backgrounds and enjoy some privacy in the parks. A lot of my couples have also enjoyed sneaking off for a cheeky pint of Guinness before their wedding dinner! How cool is it to escape to your favourite pub and remember all the fun you’ve had together?
