It’s where dream wedding days begin.

A West Cork hotel has unveiled a dreamy new set-up for their brides and grooms… and it’s guaranteed to have engaged couples clamouring for dates from 2026 on.

As Fernhill House Hotel and Gardens in Clonakilty approaches its 200th anniversary, the O’Neill family have added sixteen beautiful new rooms, a spacious bridal suite and a brand new bridal styling lounge to the Georgian mansion, which is surrounded by lush gardens and rolling fields.

The ultimate in wedding morning glam

Fernhill’s new Bridal Styling Lounge – the largest of its kind in Ireland – offers a spacious and private setting for wedding morning preparations, with a private ‘Reveal Room’ for moments of calm before the celebrations begin.

The luxe room boasts a Champagne bar, a vast table for a wedding morning breakfast and oversized glam stations with top-notch lighting, enormous mirrors and make-up tables, designed with advice from some of the best wedding make-up artists in the country.

There’s even a secret entrance from the guest rooms so you don’t need to stress about keeping the wedding looks under wraps until the ceremony.

Couples can tie the knot in wedding garden or The Fernery, a light-filled space nestled among the gardens, with floor-to-ceiling glass that allow nature in throughout the year.

Complementing The Fernery are 16 five-star bedrooms, the work of local interior designer Sara Haggerty of Clonakilty, who carefully combined the elegance of Fernhill’s Georgian origins with a boutique, nature-inspired aesthetic. Each room is named after a native Irish plant, and furnished with bespoke headboards, Sanderson fabrics, and high-quality oak features.

The new bridal suite at Fernhill House and Gardens.

“As we approach 200 years, this expansion marks the start of our next chapter,” said Michael O’Neill, fourth-generation proprietor of Fernhill.

“After being named one of the top five hotels in Ireland on Tripadvisor, winning Best Wedding Venue at the Gold Medal Awards, and joining Ireland’s Blue Book in 2022, we felt the time was right to build on that momentum.

“We’ve spent the last two years planning with input from the whole team. We focused on the flow of the wedding day, the feel of the rooms, and how the spaces connect to the gardens. Everything was designed with care, using local craftspeople and suppliers wherever we could. The goal was to give couples more space, more time, and a place that feels personal, welcoming, and considered.”

Planning your West Cork wedding? Find out more about Fernhill House Hotel here.