Wedding Music in Adare | Ceremony & Reception Music
Adare is having quite a moment. With the Ryder Cup coming to Adare Manor in September 2027, there is a renewed buzz around this already beloved village — though couples have been choosing Adare as a wedding destination long before golf and a new bypass came into the picture.
Growing up in Limerick, Adare was always just down the road — and yet it never loses its ability to feel special. It is one of those places that simply has charm. The thatched cottages, the river, the abbey ruins, the manor — it all fits together in a way that feels both grand and intimate, destination and cosy, all at once.
It is also one of the most practical wedding destinations in Ireland. Everything — the church, the hotels, photos in the park, the 'day two' pubs — sits within walking distance or a minute's drive of everything else. For couples and guests alike, Adare just works.
Holy Trinity Abbey Church
I've played here more times than I can count, and it never gets old. There is always a warm welcome. Holy Trinity Abbey is one of the most popular Catholic churches for weddings in all of Ireland, and its charm is unmistakable the moment you arrive. The medieval stonework, high ceilings, and sense of living history create an atmosphere that no modern building can replicate.
From a musician's perspective, the acoustic is beautiful. The old stone walls carry sound with a warmth and depth that suits both intimate and larger ceremonies, and live music resonates throughout the church in a way that feels entirely natural.
One thing worth noting is that musicians are typically positioned to the side of the altar rather than in a gallery or up front. Not every guest will have a direct sightline to the performer — but this is not unusual in Irish churches, where musicians are often tucked away upstairs, and it never diminishes the sound or the atmosphere. The music fills the building just as it should.
Standing outside after the ceremony, you can see a side gate of Adare Manor from the church steps, and the Dunraven Arms is right next door. It is hard to think of another village in Ireland where a church, a five-star manor, and a beloved hotel are all within a few minutes' walk of one another.
The Dunraven Arms
The Dunraven Arms has a charm that comes from being at the heart of a village for generations. It sits right beside Holy Trinity Abbey, making it one of the most natural church-and-hotel pairings in the country. Couples can walk to the church and back, with guests enjoying a drink at the hotel beforehand and returning for the reception straight after — a relaxed flow that suits the village perfectly.
For couples who prefer to celebrate entirely on site, the Dunraven has a civil ceremony room. There is also an upright piano in the bar — a warm and characterful option for drinks reception music.
My brother got married at the Dunraven Arms — a day at which I was both bridesmaid and musician, and even performed an original song for them. It holds a special place beyond just being a venue I return to professionally. Here's a snap from their ceremony back in 2014.
Adare Manor
Adare Manor has a grandeur all of its own — a charm that is regal yet welcoming. One of Ireland's most celebrated five-star hotels, it has become a destination in its own right, and the more recent addition of a dedicated wedding wing has only added to its appeal.
I have performed ceremonies and drinks receptions here, and both feel equally special. For civil ceremonies, there is a stunning room with hand-painted gold ceilings where light spills in beautifully. The marble floors create an exceptional acoustic — both harp and piano resonate nicely. For drinks receptions, there is a grand piano on site, and between the instrument, the setting, and the light, it is one of the most memorable performance spaces I work in.
Fitzgerald's Woodlands House Hotel
"The Woodlands" has a charm that is entirely its own — warm, family-run, and full of character. It is one of the most popular wedding venues in Limerick and in the country, and having visited many times for work and with family, I can understand exactly why couples and guests feel so at home there. The animals on site, the Treehouse for a relaxed day two — there is a sense that the Woodlands has thought about the whole experience, not just the wedding day itself.
The civil ceremony room is bright and spacious, set within the ballroom, and offers one of the longer hotel ceremony aisles you will find anywhere. If you love a sense of occasion and a proper entrance, this is a venue that delivers it.
The flow from ceremony to drinks reception is seamless — guests move straight through a set of doors and are already there, and as a musician I can follow almost immediately, so the atmosphere continues without interruption from the moment the ceremony ends.
For drinks receptions, the Woodlands has an electric grand piano on site, and I will often perform on that, my own keyboard, or my harp.
Choosing Music for an Adare Wedding
One of the things I love about Adare is that the setting absorbs every style of wedding beautifully. Within a kilometre or two, you will find local couples who have dreamed of getting married in the village church, and destination couples who have travelled from across the world for something regal and unforgettable. You will find couples who want Irish traditional music, couples who want modern music or classical music, and couples who want something in between.
Because Adare has charm in every direction — grand, cosy, historic, contemporary — the music can go wherever the couple wants to take it. There is no single sound that belongs here. Whatever you want your wedding to feel like, Adare will hold it.
Whether you are planning a ceremony at Holy Trinity Abbey, a civil ceremony or reception at Adare Manor, the Dunraven Arms, or Fitzgerald's Woodlands, I would be happy to chat through your music and help create a day that feels personal and perfectly suited to this very special place.