Wedding Venues in County Meath: A Celebrant’s Local Guide
County Meath is very familiar territory for me. I grew up in Kells, worked in hotels in Navan, got married at Boyne Hill House and, over the years, I’ve attended family weddings, trained and conducted wedding ceremonies in venues right across the county.
So rather than putting together a list of wedding venues simply because they happen to be in Meath, I thought I’d share some of the venues I actually know.
Some I know as a celebrant and solemniser. Some I know from my years working in hospitality. And a few have a much more personal connection.
If you’re considering getting married in County Meath, here are some venues worth having a look at.
Boyne Hill House Estate, Navan
I have to start with Boyne Hill House because this one is particularly special to me. It’s where I got married myself.
I’ve since returned in a completely different role to conduct wedding ceremonies, so I’ve now experienced Boyne Hill from both sides.
Couples have two very different options for the ceremony itself. The Conservatory is a lovely light-filled indoor space with exposed stone walls, while the Secret Garden is a beautiful outdoor option. Tucked away within the estate, it’s a Victorian walled garden with a waterfall, bridge and orchard.
The estate itself extends to 38 acres, with gardens and parkland giving you plenty of options for photographs without having to leave the venue.
Having your ceremony and reception in the same place also makes things very easy for everyone. Once your guests arrive, they can settle in and enjoy the day without travelling between different locations.
It will probably always feel a little different to me walking into Boyne Hill because I can still remember being the bride there myself.
Ballymagarvey Village, Balrath
Ballymagarvey Village is one of those Meath wedding venues that many couples already have on their list when they start looking.
For ceremonies, there are both indoor and outdoor options. The Mill Loft is a restored corn and flax mill with exposed beams, stone walls and original windows, while Gwenllian’s Garden offers an outdoor ceremony setting.
It’s a good option for couples who like the idea of having everything in one place and want a dedicated wedding venue rather than a traditional hotel setting.
I know Clonabreany from conducting ceremonies there, and it’s a venue that gives couples two very different options for the ceremony itself.
The Orchard Room looks out towards Sliabh na Caillighe and the Loughcrew Cairns and is a dedicated indoor ceremony space surrounded by the estate’s meadows and woodland. If you’d prefer to get married outdoors, ceremonies can also take place in Tunnel Wood.
There’s extensive accommodation on site too, which is particularly handy when you have family and friends travelling.
For me, one of the big advantages of a venue like Clonabreany is that once everyone arrives for the ceremony, they’re there for the day. There’s no need to move a large group of people from one location to another.
Bellinter House, Navan
Bellinter House is another venue where I’ve conducted a wedding ceremony.
It’s an 18th-century Georgian house set on more than 12 acres near Navan. Couples can choose an indoor ceremony in the Nunnery Suite or, weather permitting, an outdoor ceremony beneath the large Weeping Beech Tree on the front lawn.
The house has a relaxed feel to it, and the different rooms and grounds give couples plenty of options throughout the day.
It’s also one of those venues where having the ceremony and celebrations in the same place makes the day very straightforward for everyone.
The Station House Hotel, Kilmessan
The Station House Hotel in Kilmessan is another lovely option for couples looking for something a little different from a traditional hotel wedding.
Originally a railway station, the venue still has much of that character, with the old station buildings and gardens forming part of the setting today.
One of the standout features for weddings is the Turntable, an outdoor ceremony space surrounded by the gardens. There are also indoor options, so there’s always a Plan B if the Irish weather has other ideas.
With accommodation, the ceremony and the celebrations all in the one place, it’s another venue where guests can arrive and settle in for the day.
Headfort Arms Hotel, Kells
This one brings me right back home.
I grew up in Kells, so the Headfort Arms has been part of the town for as long as I can remember.
One of the things that makes it particularly interesting for couples is the choice of ceremony settings. You can have an outdoor ceremony in the gardens, an indoor ceremony in the hotel, or use the Red Chapel, a restored former convent chapel just across the street.
I particularly like the Red Chapel option. You get a separate setting for the ceremony itself and then it’s only a very short walk across the road to the hotel for the rest of the celebrations.
For anyone with connections to Kells or North Meath, it’s certainly one to consider.
Bettystown House, Bettystown
Bettystown House is quite different from some of the larger venues on this list.
It specialises in smaller, more intimate weddings, with exclusive use of the house and grounds, accommodation and dining all on site. Its location near the Meath coast also makes it a little different from many of the country house venues further inland.
I’ll be conducting a wedding here in April, so I’m looking forward to getting to know the venue properly from the celebrant side too.
For couples planning a smaller wedding who don’t want their day swallowed up by a large hotel or function room, Bettystown House is definitely worth a look.
Tankardstown House, near Slane
Tankardstown House has a family connection for me because my cousin got married there, so this is one I’ve experienced as a wedding guest.
Couples having their ceremony on site can choose between the Orangery or, weather permitting, the Walled Garden.
The estate has that country house feel, with the ceremony, reception and accommodation all in one location.
It’s a very different experience attending a wedding as a guest rather than working at one, and it gave me the opportunity to see how the whole day flowed from that side.
Trim Castle Hotel, Trim
Trim Castle Hotel is another venue with a family connection for me. My sister got married there.
Its location is probably the first thing you notice. The hotel sits directly opposite Trim Castle, so you have one of Meath’s best-known landmarks right outside.
There are several options for the ceremony itself, including indoor ceremony spaces and the rooftop garden terrace overlooking the castle.
It’s a very different setting from the country house venues on this list and works particularly well for couples who prefer a hotel wedding while still wanting plenty of character around them.
The Millhouse, Slane
The Millhouse has a connection to the very beginning of my own celebrant career.
I shadowed Lorraine McCarthy there while I was training, so it was one of the venues where I got to watch an experienced celebrant conduct a ceremony before I started conducting my own.
The ceremony room is in the Old Mill, an original Georgian industrial space with exposed brick, open beams and high ceilings. There are also outdoor ceremony options in the orchard and on the riverside lawn.
It’s certainly not a standard hotel ceremony room, which is part of its appeal.
Newgrange Hotel, Navan
I know the Newgrange Hotel from a completely different part of my working life because I worked there during my years in hospitality.
Located right in the centre of Navan, it offers both larger and more intimate wedding options, as well as spaces for the ceremony itself.
Having worked there gives me a very different connection to the Newgrange than the venues I now visit as a celebrant. I know what goes on behind the scenes in a busy wedding hotel and how much work is involved in getting everything ready before the first guest walks through the door.
Ardboyne Hotel, Navan
The Ardboyne is another Navan hotel I know from my hospitality days, having worked there too.
Couples can have their ceremony indoors or, weather permitting, outside in the hotel gardens.
Like the Newgrange, this is a venue I knew long before I became a celebrant. Going back into hotels now in my current role always feels a little different after spending so many years working on the other side of weddings.
Getting Legally Married in County Meath
If you choose to have your legal wedding ceremony at your venue, you don’t need to have a separate civil ceremony with an HSE registrar simply because you’re getting married in a hotel or wedding venue.
As a registered solemniser, I can conduct your legal wedding ceremony at your chosen venue, provided the legal requirements for your marriage are met.
You’ll still need to complete the required marriage notification process and obtain your Marriage Registration Form before the wedding. I’ve explained the full process step by step in my Guide to Getting Legally Married in Ireland.
On the day, I conduct your ceremony and complete the relevant section of the Marriage Registration Form with you and your witnesses. You then return it to the Civil Registration Service after your wedding so your marriage can be registered.
Your ceremony can include personal vows, readings, music and symbolic elements such as a unity candle, handfasting, sand blending or ring warming.
If you’re wondering what you can include in your ceremony, my Designing Your Wedding Ceremony guide takes you through the different parts of the ceremony and the choices you can make.
Your legal wedding ceremony can still be completely personal to you and feel like an important part of your wedding day, rather than something you simply have to get through for the legalities.
Planning a Wedding in County Meath?
Meath has a huge variety of wedding venues, and these are only some of the ones I know personally.
Having grown up in Kells, worked in Navan and got married in Meath myself, it’s an area I know particularly well. These days I get to experience it from a completely different perspective, standing at the top of the aisle with couples as they get married.
If you’re planning your wedding in County Meath and would like to have your legal wedding ceremony at your venue, get in touch.
I’m always happy to have a chat about your plans, check whether I’m available for your date and explain how the ceremony and legal side of things work.