SPONSORED: Newpark Hotel – where nature lends a hand to make the perfect wedding venue

EVERYONE wants their wedding to be extra-special. They want a venue with rich experience in the art of wedding planning, where the staff are always attentive and trained to head off problems before they can surface, where they understand what is needed to truly make your big day the most wonderful day of your lives.

The Newpark Hotel can do all that. They have been hosting wedding receptions since 1966 and it comes naturally to them.

But the Newpark has another asset that few venues in the country can match. The Kilkenny hotel is set amid 40 acres of parkland and award-winning landscaped gardens.

“We don’t deserve the credit for all of that,” jokes Sinéad Monahan, the hotel’s Events Manager. “We’ll claim the gardens and the landscaping but Mother Nature has provided the rest – and she made a great job of it! It’s hard to imagine a better backdrop for your wedding.”

Brides to be (and grooms – it’s your wedding too, lads!) can get a preview of all this on July 21 when the four-star hotel on the Castlecomer Road will host a special Wedding Showcase from 2pm to 5pm at which engaged couples will be in with a chance to win a one-night stay in one of the luxury Balcony Suites.

You can view the beautiful banqueting suites which, if desired, can be combined to host weddings of between 150 and 320 guests, and offer the perfect setting for a larger wedding party.

Each banqueting suite has a bar area where your guests can relax in comfort and privacy. There is also a private garden adjoining the ballroom. It will be reserved exclusively for you and your guests on the night of your wedding.

So how does the big day go? Step out of your wedding car to the toast of your guests. Enjoy a drinks reception in the Newpark’s opulent lobby or terrace and bask in the celebratory cheer.

In the summer months, chilled fruit punch and ice cream cones will be served to your guests, as well as a selection of gourmet canapes. In the winter time, mulled wine and hot chocolate will take their place and have proved equally delicious.

Guests are guided by a personalised table plan. As they find their seats, sunlight will sparkle off the chandeliers decking the ceilings. Opulent drapes frame the floor to ceiling windows and elegant floral candelabras will sit upon each table.

The tables are adorned with crisp white linens, matched by the luxury chair covers. A golden sash graces each seat and every guest is welcomed by a personalised souvenir menu. Classical silverware rests at each table setting, awaiting the sumptuous five-course meal.

Couples will receive a complimentary Balcony Suite on the night of their wedding as part of their wedding package. They will also be offered reduced accommodation rates for a limited number of bedrooms. Your wedding coordinator will go through this in more detail when you are shown around the hotel.

Newpark Hotel has a dedicated wedding team and would be delighted to hear what you want from your special day. You can get in touch with Sinéad by emailing events@newparkhotel.com or by calling +353 56 776 0593.

The hotel’s civil licence means that you can both marry and celebrate your wedding reception in its historic surroundings. Should you wish to get married by civil ceremony at the Newpark Hotel you should first contact the Registrar of Civil Marriages regarding availability of dates and intended arrangements. Your contact is Ann Boyle at the Civil Registration Office, HSE South, Lacken, Dublin Road, Kilkenny. Tel: 056 7784100.

It is truly the perfect wedding venue. “Whether you’re hosting an intimate wedding with your closest friends and family, or opting for a lavish event, Newpark Hotel will be happy to help you celebrate,” says Sinéad.

For more information, contact the Newpark team directly on 056 776 0593 or log on to: http://www.newparkhotelkilkenny.com