It was the subject of a fiery debate last week. One of Ireland’s top wedding planners, Tara Fay, said no children at weddings “should be the rule”. Despite having three children herself, the events guru who planned Rosanna Davison’s big day, told The Herald that she would not be able to relax knowing that she had to look out for them. “I’m very traditional and a bit of a prude, I don’t believe that children should be around alcohol at all,” she said.
And it seems the controversial topic has divided many mums around the country. A survey by MummyPages.ie reveals over half agreed that children should not be at weddings. Well, we have found the solution for you!
Last month we gave all you busy bees some great tips on child-friendly ideas for your wedding. Following this, we searched high and low to find a wedding venue that ticks all the boxes. And the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel is the ideal choice for your family affair. Whether you are an engaged couple with little VIPs of your own or hoping to meet the needs of your guests who are parents, the staff are all hands on deck to help you relax and enjoy your stay.
Kids Club
We all know the struggle of finding a hotel with a kids club and that’s before the stress of trying to keep them sitting still during the wedding banquet. The fun-filled Stars Club at the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel will keep your mini wedding guests entertained for hours. It runs daily during July and August with both morning and evening sessions and is fully supervised. Relax in the knowledge that your children will be having the time of their lives with extensive entertainment such as a bouncy castle, Wii games, arts and crafts, films and much more.
Wedding and Events Planner at the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel, Kate Straume, says “We are family friendly hotel and we want to make sure that children have fun and parents rest while having their mind at ease that their little stars are well looked after and entertained.”
The Stars Club is complimentary for all wedding guests staying in the hotel. It doesn’t get much better than that. Bliss. As for weddings during July and August, guests can avail of public kids club at the hotel’s compliment. For all other months, the fantastic River Suite within the ballroom is set up as a kids club. This room is conveniently located so parents can see their children at all times. This usually runs from 6:00-10:00pm.
Babysitting Services
“We book garda vetted and fully qualified babysitters for the kids club and after. We often have a couple with a little baby attending a wedding, so we are happy to have a babysitter in the room minding children for as many hours as couple request.”
This fantastic child-friendly service costs only €20 per hour.
Family Activities
If all that wasn’t enough, there are some fabulous activities nearby. Perfect for a family day out after all the celebrations.
- Go for a relaxing picnic in the park. Baskets can be made to order from the hotel at a price of €30 for a family of two adults and two children.
- Complimentary bread is available on request if you want to take a stroll to Kilkenny Castle Park to feed the ducks with the wee ones.
- Go With The Flow River Adventures – A very short walk from the hotel, you can find exciting river adventures in Canadian canoes on the River Nore. Contact 087 252 9700 to book or for more information.
- Country Leisure and Activity Centre – Only 2km from the heart of Kilkenny City. Fun for all the family – try your hand at archery and clay pigeon shooting. Phone Mary on 056 776 1791 to book.
Image Credits: She Knows; Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel.
