Luttrellstown Castle Weddings

Luttrellstown Castle is a 15th-century exclusive-hire castle in Castleknock, Dublin 15, with 20 bedrooms and space for up to 180 wedding guests — all on 567 acres of private parkland just 20 minutes from Dublin Airport. It’s one of the few genuine Irish castles where you get the entire estate to yourselves, and that changes the feel of the whole day.

I’ve filmed here many times, and what strikes me every time is how the scale of the grounds and the intimacy of the castle rooms manage to coexist – it feels both grand and genuinely private.

If that doesn’t win you over, the castle won Europe’s Leading Luxury Wedding Resort at the 2023 World Travel Awards, it’s co-owned by JP McManus of Adare Manor, and the Beckhams famously married here back in 1999, which gives you a sense of the calibre.

Last summer, Sean and Jessica chose Luttrellstown Castle for their wedding ceremony and reception. We had a gorgeous day with them – helped by some spectacular weather! They opted to limit their guest list to 100 so they could fully enjoy the day with close friends and family, and it was the perfect number for this venue.

Wedding Ceremony Spaces at Luttrellstown Castle

Luttrellstown Castle is approved for civil ceremonies, humanist celebrations, and civil partnerships, with on-site options for between 20 and 180 guests. You can hold your entire day here, from ceremony through to late-night dancing, without ever leaving the estate.

Indoor ceremony spaces

The Kentian Room is the most popular indoor ceremony space, seating up to 100 guests beneath high ceilings, with majestic tapestries, a marble fireplace, and a welcoming open fire. It’s an elegant, warm room that works for ceremonies of all sizes, from intimate gatherings to fuller guest lists.

For larger numbers, the Gothic Hall accommodates up to 130 guests with its vaulted ceilings and original stonework. It’s a more dramatic setting, and the castle’s wedding team will advise on the best configuration based on your numbers.

Outdoor ceremonies on the castle lawn

For those dreaming of an outdoor ceremony, the castle lawns provide a breathtaking setting with the 15th-century façade as your backdrop. Sean and Jessica chose this option, holding their ceremony on the lawn to the rear of the castle. Adding a personal touch, they were joined by their two-year-old labrador Sully, who lapped up all the attention!

Weather permitting, this is arguably the estate’s most dramatic ceremony setting. With private parkland that seems to go on forever, a 20-acre scenic lake, and over 300 species of trees and plants it’s a joy to film here and create something truly special on camera.

Nearby churches

For couples who prefer a church ceremony followed by a reception at the castle, several options sit within five to ten minutes’ drive:

• St Mochta’s Church, Luttrellstown Road, Catholic, roughly 2km from the estate and the closest option, about a five-minute transfer
• Church of the Sacred Heart, Clonsilla, Catholic, five to seven minutes
• St Brigid’s Church, Castleknock, Church of Ireland, a listed national monument built in 1870 with a Harry Clarke stained glass window, and a particularly beautiful and photogenic option, five to seven minutes away

The return to Luttrellstown Castle after a church ceremony is always a very cool moment. The long, sweeping drive through the parkland creates a striking arrival shot. With many couples choosing to drive themselves from the church back to the castle we try and capture these gorgeous moments using the drone.

Inside the Castle: The Spaces That Make It Special

Let’s be honest, castles can often be dark and enclosed, making them less than ideal for wedding venues. I’ve faced many challenging afternoons filming in dimly lit castles on winter days, and it doesn’t always work out as you would hope.

Luttrellstown Castle defies the dark and cold stereotype. As soon as you step through the main door into the foyer, you’re greeted by an open, welcoming space: the grand staircase, red carpet, lanterns. Every photographer I work with appreciates the opportunity to shoot in this incredibly photogenic venue. The light is simply fantastic.

The Van Stry Ballroom

The Van Stry Ballroom is the main reception and dining room, seating up to 120 guests for dinner across ten round tables. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the room with natural light during the day, and dramatic chandelier centrepieces set the tone for the evening.

Despite the grandeur, couples consistently report that the Van Stry Ballroom still feels intimate even for smaller weddings of 30, which is a testament to the proportions and warmth of the room.

The Kentian Room

Adjacent to the Van Stry Ballroom and connected by double doors, the Kentian Room seats an additional 60 guests for dinner, bringing the combined capacity to 180 seated guests. The double doors between the two rooms can be opened or closed depending on your numbers. It’s a useful piece of flexibility that means the space adapts to your wedding rather than the other way around.

The rooms in between

Beyond the main function rooms, there are spaces that quietly make the guest experience. The Library has plush leather Chesterfield couches, a wood-burning fireplace, and incredible floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate. Apparently it also has a secret bookshelf door, though we’re yet to find it. The Billiards Room downstairs offers snooker and whiskey for guests who need a breather.

These kinds of spaces are what set a castle apart from a hotel function room. Guests can wander, explore, and find their own corner of the evening.

Drinks receptions typically flow through the drawing rooms, foyer, and library. In good weather, they spill onto the lawns and terraces, making for an easy, relaxed transition from ceremony to dinner.

Outdoor Spaces at Luttrellstown Castle

The estate offers a wide range of outdoor locations for photographs, couple portraits, and guest enjoyment. Key locations include the castle’s Gothic façade draped in Virginia creeper, the lawns, the Walled Garden, the 20-acre lake, woodland walks through ancient parkland, the staircase hall with its painted ceiling by Thornhill, and the Queen Victoria obelisk near the waterfall.

We’ve filmed here in every season, and the grounds work beautifully year-round. But autumn is something special at Luttrellstown. The Virginia creeper on the castle walls turns a deep red, the mature beech trees in the parkland show brilliant colour, and the light through the woodland is at its warmest.

Summer gives you long golden-hour sessions on the extensive grounds. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the castle’s many interior rooms, including the library, Gothic Hall, staircase, and drawing rooms, provide excellent wet-weather alternatives. We’re never short of options here.

The Morning: Getting Ready at Luttrellstown

The Beauty Salon – Bridal preparation space

A recent addition to Luttrellstown is The Beauty Salon, a converted pottery barn sitting within the Walled Garden next to the castle. It’s a purpose-built preparation space, with hair and makeup stations, a hair wash station and a lounge area, speakers, and a wine fridge. While it’s a great space just a note that it can be tight on space with larger bridal parties.

You can expect a complimentary bottle of Champagne, still and sparkling mineral water, coffee, and light refreshments such as fresh fruit, pastries, and sandwiches are included. All the nice things that make for a really special morning with your bridal party! The Salon is included in the full wedding packages at a hire value of €1,500.

One practical note worth knowing: castle access begins at 3pm on your event day unless you book from the night before. So if you want to use The Salon on the morning of the wedding, you’ll need to book the castle for at least two nights. If you can stretch to two nights, do it. It also means you get a relaxed rehearsal dinner the evening before.

Accommodation Options for Your Guests

Luttrellstown Castle sleeps 60 guests on-site across the castle and the Gardener’s Cottage, all included in the wedding packages on a bed-and-breakfast basis.

Castle bedrooms

The castle has 20 individually designed bedrooms sleeping approximately 50 guests. Every room is unique, decorated with period pieces, antiques, paintings, four-poster beds, roaring fireplaces, and freestanding bathtubs. There are no TV’s in the castle – a deliberate part of it’s escapist atmosphere!

The Aileen Plunket Room is the one that gets people talking. It was the former owner’s original bedroom and comes complete with a four-poster bed and a stand-alone copper bathtub in the bathroom.  One detail that couples love is the chance to tour the bedrooms in advance and personally assign specific rooms to their guests.

I stayed at Luttrellstown for my brother-in-law’s wedding a few years back, and one of the highlights was a late-night, slightly merry exploration of the narrow corridors and winding passages throughout the castle. Many of the bedrooms still have interconnecting doors and old passageways linking them, which gives the place a genuinely old-world feel you simply don’t get in a modern hotel. Our whole family took over the castle for the weekend and it was really special. Just make sure you leave a trail of breadcrumbs to find your way back to your room!

The Gardener’s Cottage

Located in the Walled Garden moments from the castle, the Gardener’s Cottage is a restored two-storey historic house with 5 double bedrooms, an open-plan living and kitchen area, a private patio, and views of the Walled Garden. It’s a great base for the bridal party or close family.

Seasonal rates range from €2,250 in low season for January to April and September to November, to €3,000 in high season for May to August and December, though the cottage is included as part of the overall wedding packages.

Nearby overflow accommodation

For guests not staying in the castle, Castleknock Hotel is the go-to. It’s a four-star, 190-room hotel just five minutes’ drive away with a spa, pool, and two restaurants. The Crowne Plaza Dublin Blanchardstown and Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley are also strong options within a ten-minute drive.

Five-star city options like The Shelbourne, The Merrion, and The Westbury are about 30 minutes away for guests wanting a Dublin stay. The wedding team at Luttrellstown can help coordinate shuttle buses between hotels and the castle.

Food and Dining at Luttrellstown Castle

All catering at Luttrellstown is handled in-house by the castle’s team of chefs using locally sourced Irish produce. No outside caterers. Food quality is one of the most consistently praised aspects of a Luttrellstown wedding and I can attest to this personally!

The standard wedding package includes a five-course set menu: one starter, one soup or sorbet, a choice of two main courses, one dessert, plus tea and coffee with petit fours. A silent vegetarian main course option is standard. Evening snacks are included, such as fish and chip cones, miniature beef sliders, pulled pork on blaa bread, and vegetable spring rolls, with fresh coffee and tea. Half a bottle of house wine per person is included, with Prosecco for the reception and canapés on arrival.

The wedding events team, particularly Shauna are fantastic – couples have remarked on their responsiveness, attention to detail, and the ability to work with couples’ own vendors and planners. Several international couples have planned their entire wedding from overseas without needing a separate wedding planner, which says a lot about the level of coordination here.

Typical Pricing for Weddings at Luttrellstown Castle

Luttrellstown operates on an exclusive-hire model across four seasonal packages, based on 2026/2027 rates from the venue’s rate card received in March 2026. Each package includes exclusive hire of the entire castle with all 20 bedrooms on a B&B basis, the Beauty Salon, and the Gardener’s Cottage with all 5 bedrooms and breakfast. A per-person rate applies for the wedding meal, including Prosecco reception, canapés, five-course dinner, half bottle of house wine per person, and evening snacks.

Cherry Blossom: January, February, March, November

• Per person: €170 (Friday) / €180 (Saturday)
• Minimum guests: 40 (Friday) / 50 (Saturday)
• Package total before food: from €18,445 (Friday) / €19,145 (Saturday)

Autumn Leaves: April, September, October

• Per person: €170 (Friday) / €190 (Saturday)
• Minimum guests: 50 (Friday) / 70 (Saturday)
• Package total before food: from €21,520 (Friday) / €22,320 (Saturday)

Summer: May to August

• Per person: €195 (Friday) / €215 (Saturday)
• Minimum guests: 60 (Friday) / 100 (Saturday)
• Package total before food: from €25,650 (Friday) / €26,650 (Saturday)

December: available until 30 December

• Per person: €170 (Friday) / €180 (Saturday)
• Minimum guests: 50 (Friday) / 70 (Saturday)
• Package total before food: from €20,050 (Friday) / €20,650 (Saturday)

What does a wedding at Luttrellstown actually cost?

To give you a sense of real numbers:

• Cherry Blossom Friday, 40 guests: approximately €25,245
• Autumn Leaves Saturday, 70 guests: approximately €35,620
• Summer Saturday, 100 guests: approximately €48,150

These figures are before supplements such as fillet of beef at €8.50pp or champagne upgrades, the 12.5% service charge on all food and beverage, and any add-ons like seafood stations, oyster bars, or cocktail receptions.

Luttrellstown is unquestionably a premium venue. When you factor in that the package includes 25 bedrooms with breakfast, the Salon, and exclusive hire of the entire 567-acre estate, the all-in nature of it starts to make sense. It’s also worth noting that off-peak packages such as Cherry Blossom and December offer noticeably lower minimums and per-person rates for couples wanting a winter or spring celebration.

I’d recommend taking Afternoon Tea at Luttrellstown before you book. It gives you an insight into the standard of food and service you’ll receive on the day, while you enjoy the surroundings and the castle itself. It’s not available every day, so book through the venue. For couples who can’t visit in person, the castle offers a virtual tour.

Couples should confirm current pricing directly with Luttrellstown Castle as packages and pricing change. Rates shown here are from the venue’s 2026/2027 rate card.

Exclusive Use: What It Actually Means

When you choose Luttrellstown, you and your guests have the entire castle and estate to yourselves. No other events, no other guests, no strangers wandering through your photographs. Every room, every garden, every stone corridor is yours for the day and night.

This includes a touch that never fails to impress: the option to fly your chosen flag from the castle turrets. Sean and Jessica went for Mayo and Dublin flags, old rivals, but a match made in heaven for one day.

The exclusive-hire model is what couples praise most consistently in reviews. It turns what could feel like a formal venue into something more like an incredibly grand house party. Multiple international couples, especially those from the US planning destination weddings, highlight how the all-inclusive model reduces planning stress compared to assembling your own team of suppliers.

Activities and Things to Do on the Estate

The estate offers a multitude of on-site activities, especially valuable if you’re making a weekend of it:

• 18-hole championship golf course (MacKenzie/Steel design, 7,347 yards)
• Falconry
• Archery
• Fishing on the lake
• Cycling
• Historical tours of the castle and estate
• Woodland walks through the Walled Garden and parkland

Many couples book the castle for two nights to take full advantage, with a rehearsal dinner the evening before, the wedding day itself, then a relaxed morning-after gathering with golf, falconry, or a walk through the grounds. The Clubhouse on the estate features the Rugged Lane Restaurant and bar for day-two events, and breakfast is included for all castle and cottage guests.

The Phoenix Park, one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital, is just minutes away, with Dublin Zoo, Farmleigh House, Castleknock village, and the city centre all within easy reach.

Castle or Clubhouse: Know the Difference

One thing worth knowing: Luttrellstown Castle Resort operates two separate wedding venues on the same estate, and they’re very different experiences.

The Castle is the historic 15th-century building, intimate, ornate, and available only on an exclusive-hire basis. This is the flagship experience and the focus of everything we’ve covered here.

The Clubhouse is a contemporary, three-storey alpine-style lodge beside the 18th green, overlooking an illuminated water feature with panoramic views of the Wicklow Mountains. The Millennium Suite accommodates up to 140 guests. It’s a lighter, more modern option at a generally more accessible price point, though it doesn’t include on-site guest accommodation. Couples interested in the Clubhouse should enquire separately as it has its own pricing.

Sean and Jessica’s Luttrellstown Castle Wedding

Sean and Jessica’s wedding film captures everything we love about filming at Luttrellstown, from their emotional First Look in the castle grounds, to the outdoor lawn ceremony with Sully stealing the show, through to spectacular fireworks over the castle that evening. They opted for 100 guests, deliberately choosing to spend the day with their closest people rather than filling every seat, and it was the perfect fit.

We’re excited to share their film. Have a look and see for yourself what a wedding day at Luttrellstown looks like.