There are some wedding venues that lend themselves to splendour, glamour, and glitz and then there are other wedding venues that are food for the soul. Ashley Park House is the latter. A wedding venue with ancient roots, spectacular vistas, and a “smorgasbord” of wedding photography opportunities. I’ve put together my top 5 reasons for why Ashley Park House is the perfect spot for wedding bliss.
Ashley Park Wedding Venue
1: The History – Ashley Park Wedding Venue
I really love a wedding venue with a history to it. The roots of a venue are found in the most unexpected places: an old, gnarled tree, ancient tumble-down walls, established gardens and a sort of feeling that is hard to describe but often translates into exquisite and unusual wedding photographs.
Ashley Park House was first mentioned as far back as the 1600’s, one of the oldest wedding venues I’ve featured so far. It was originally known as Rathone, ‘earthen fort’ in reference to several Neolithic ring forts found on the grounds. The present house was built in the 1700’s and has been maintained and lovingly restored to all of its grand beauty.
From a wedding photography perspective, some of the aspects that history has gifted this wedding venue include beautiful window architecture, doll house like gabling and beautiful ancient rose gardens.
As a wedding photographer, these little touches of the past make for unusual, poignant, and serene wedding photographs as the weight of history puts everything in perspective.
You can see some reviews: https://www.weddingsonline.ie/venues/ashley-park-house
2: The Lough Ourna
I think the fairy tale of Lough Ourna is a wonderful touch to the magic of Ashely Park House. The story goes that a priest found two farm workers in a field of barley on a Sunday. While chasing them off to church he told them that they should never work in the field again for their grievous sin of working on the day of rest. When they returned to their field, it was covered in water now known as Lough Ourna.
The fresh, crystal, water of the Lough certainly is a reminder to rest and enjoy the pleasures of family and friends. As a wedding photographer there is something particularly special about the still, glass-like, lough that infuses serenity into wedding photographs of couples at Lough Ourna.
I particularly like using the Lough as a backdrop for romantic walks, photographs with the reeds sighing the wind and the many coloured facets of blue the Lough offers.
3: The Boathouse
One of the most tranquil aspects to wedding photographs at Ashley Park House is the ceremony venue – The Boathouse. Built so that it feels like the structure is floating in Lough Ourna, the Boathouse encases the couple and their friends and family in glass, with views of the Lough and surrounding forests transporting the wedding party into a cocoon of serenity.
From a photography perspective, there are so many beautiful backdrops that it is almost effortless to get unique photographs of the ceremony, family, and friends.
4: The Pier
Extending into Lough Ourna, the pier at Ashley Park House is a wedding photographer’s dream. I’ve mentioned before that I like to use the photographs of the couple as a way to give them some time to be with each other. To catch their breath and enjoy a little secluded time together.
With the Lough lapping gently on all sides, a great expanse of water into the distance, and reeds sighing in the breeze, the pier is one of my favourite spots to take couples to get away from the hustle of the wedding. The pier is where the wedding photographs of the couple unfold in romantic calm, with nature soothing away wedding day jitters and giving me the opportunity to capture the romance of the couple.
5: The Island
There aren’t many places that hold quite as much history as Ashley Park House with ancient ruins part and parcel of this magical wedding venue.
In the middle of Lough Ourna is a small island with the ruins of an old stone tower that can be reached by rowboat. If you’re up for a little adventure on your wedding day then the island at Ashley Park House makes for truly unique wedding photographs with the journey, ruins, and calm rocking of the lough an amazing setting for wedding photographs.
I particularly like the island at Ashley Park House as a wedding photograph option because it is so unique and ancient ruins have a way of settling the nerves and providing an amazing backdrop for special moments.
Regardless of whether it’s the boathouse, lough, gardens – of which there are many- or the history that draws you to Ashley Park House for your wedding, as a wedding photographer, it has to be one of my favourite places to visit.
Sample photos please visit my Wedding Gallery:
Would you like to book a photographer for your wedding day? Call us now at 087 780 7297 or contact us now by email – contact.
