This weekend I had one of the most random experiences ever! I was at a wedding where I didn’t know anybody!! No, I’m not billy-no-mates….I was invited to Hotel Meyrick‘s Wedding Taster evening where they showcased their facilities for a wedding….by hosting a fake one!! Engaged couples were invited to attend, and were given a great insight into what a wedding in Hotel Meyrick consists of.
I brought along my friend Kelly and from start to finish the event went flawlessly! When we arrived, we were offered valet parking for our car and we were blown over by the bedroom that overlooked Eyre Square through the charming sash windows. The champagne reception started at 7pm and when we arrived down there was a great atmosphere with everyone dressed up and a pianist tinkling the ivories. We greeted the Bride and Groom (Maire Eilis Ní Fhlaithearta & Seamus Moran from Ros Na Rún), the Priest Fr Short (Alan Short) and a very entertaining mother of the bride! They all kept up their characters perfectly, and we felt like we were in the middle of a live drama!
The happy couple!
The bell sounded for the meal to begin, and we checked the table planner to see where we were sitting. When we walked upstairs to the ballroom it was very impressive with the sparkling chandeliers and the whole room dressed for a wedding…very white! We were then served 4 delicious courses, a cold seafood plate, soup (to die for!) and a choice of Beef or Sea bass for the main. The desert was a medley of the yummy treats you could order on your own big day. My fav was the mini Lemon Meringue pie!
Then came the speeches, which went on for ages (like a normal wedding then!) but the best was last with Alan Short doing his famous Bertie impersonation.
Kelly & I with Fr. Short!
Then came some Irish Dancers, who put on a great performance and really entertained the crowd, before getting all of the top table up to join in…”isteach, amach, isteach, amach!”
All in all, the Hotel Meyrick did a great job at hosting the event and it really was a unique concept to allow prospective couples see what the place would be like for their own special day. As for the hotel itself, I was really impressed with the way they had blended the old character of the property with retro/funky decor. It is a truly elegant hotel and all of the staff were super friendly, even the barman in the residents bar who was kept working till the wee hours!! I loved the real silverware at breakfast and the chef coming out to ask us how we would like our eggs to be cooked! I have not had as good poached eggs since I lived in Australia!
I was delighted to be able to experience the hotel for myself and if someone was to ask me for a recommendation for a Galway Hotel now, I would not hesitate to tell them to go check out the Meyrick. I’ll be looking forward to my own next visit there!
To see some photos I snapped at the event, check out the Facebook album.
