Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway is a private 100-acre woodland wedding venue in Leitrim, Ireland. The estate hosts one wedding at a time, with a rustic Events Barn, outdoor and indoor ceremony options, the Cedaroo, and lodge accommodation for a full wedding weekend.
You walk into another ballroom.
It looks like the last one. The same carpet. The same function-room lighting. Somewhere down the corridor, another wedding is being cleared away for the next.
You sit through a meeting about timelines, numbers and packages. And somewhere in the middle of it, you realise the conversation has stopped being about your day at all.
More and more couples are reaching the same quiet conclusion. They don’t want a wedding that feels copied from someone else’s. They want a place they can actually picture themselves in.
That is why alternative wedding venues in Ireland are on the rise. And it is why so many couples are finding their way to a woodland estate in Leitrim.
As one Drumhierny couple, Karolina and Majei, put it:
“We weren’t just looking for a venue. We were looking for a feeling.”
What makes Drumhierny an alternative wedding venue in Ireland?
Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway is a private woodland estate, not a hotel.
One hundred acres of native Irish woodland. One wedding at a time. No other guests, no other events, no corridor traffic between your celebration and someone else’s.
From the moment your guests arrive through the gates, the estate is yours. Trees instead of lobbies. Woodland paths instead of function-room corridors.
The day doesn’t happen in one room. It unfolds across the estate: arrival, ceremony, drinks outside among the trees, photographs in the woodland, dinner and dancing in the Barn, and a slow morning after.
Kayleigh and Lee described it simply:
“We felt like we could have the best of both worlds here, being inside and outside at different times during the day.”
That movement matters. The day keeps a natural rhythm, and guests feel a small sense of discovery at each turn.
A barn wedding venue in Ireland with warmth, not novelty
The Events Barn is where most couples decide.
It has the timber, the texture and the atmosphere of a rustic barn wedding venue, finished to a standard that carries a full evening comfortably: dinner, speeches, music, dancing with space for up to 200 guests seated.
But it isn’t the finish couples talk about. It’s the feeling of stepping inside.
“When we stepped into the barn, we really knew it was for us. We loved the use of the wood, and the smell when we walked in was amazing.”
— Kayleigh and Lee
Candlelight on timber. The scent of wood as the doors open. A room that feels warm before a single person has arrived.
Can you have an outdoor wedding ceremony in Ireland? Yes, with a plan B built in
Ireland’s weather asks a fair question of every outdoor ceremony. Drumhierny answers it.
Couples can plan the outdoor ceremony they’ve imagined — vows under the trees, birdsong instead of background music — while knowing the estate holds sheltered and indoor options like the Cedaroo, the Barn and the outdoor canopy.
You don’t have to choose between the ceremony you want and the one that’s practical. You plan for the first, and the second is quietly there if the sky changes its mind.
A destination wedding feel, without leaving Ireland
A Drumhierny wedding is rarely one day.
Guests arrive, settle into the woodland lodges, walk the estate, gather for the night before. The next morning, no one is checking out of a hotel at 11am. They’re waking up in the forest, drifting towards coffee, still inside the weekend.
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“Waking up with my husband in the middle of the forest, surrounded by nature, was such a special feeling.”
— Karolina and Majei
With up to 100 guests sleeping on site across sixteen lodges, the estate creates the feeling of going away together for couples in Ireland, and for Irish couples abroad coming home to marry without anyone boarding a plane twice.
100 acres to make your own
The weddings people remember have personality. They feel like the couple, not the venue.
Drumhierny gives you the canvas, the Barn, the Cedaroo, the woodland, the lodges, the open spaces and the freedom to shape the day around the atmosphere you want. Relaxed or elegant. Intimate or lively. Entirely yours.
There’s room for the morning after, too. Many couples book the Wellbeing Sanctuary for the day before or after the sauna, hot tubs and cold plunge among the trees, before or after the biggest day of the year.
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What guests remember
Couples tell us the same thing months later: their guests are still talking about it.
“Every guest was raving about the venue, asking us where we found this gem.”
— Kayleigh and Lee
“So many people told us it was one of the best weddings they had ever attended.”
— Karolina and Majei
Guests don’t remember the timeline. They remember how it felt the woodland, the barn, the morning after, and the fact that it didn’t feel like every other wedding they’d been to.
Is Drumhierny the right wedding venue for you?
Drumhierny is for couples who want something different.
Couples searching for an alternative wedding venue in Ireland. A private estate. A rustic barn. A woodland ceremony. A wedding weekend rather than a wedding day.
Couples who want their guests to arrive and ask, “How did you find this place?”
And when asked what they’d tell another couple considering it, Kayleigh and Lee didn’t hesitate:
“Book it. You will not regret it.”
Frequently asked questions
What makes Drumhierny an alternative wedding venue in Ireland?
Drumhierny is a private 100-acre woodland estate in Leitrim that hosts one wedding at a time. It offers a rustic Events Barn, outdoor and indoor ceremony options, the Cedaroo, and lodge accommodation a more personal and flexible experience than a standard hotel wedding.
How many guests can Drumhierny host for a wedding?
Drumhierny hosts up to 200 guests for a seated dinner reception in the Events Barn or the Cedaro. Up to 100 guests can stay overnight on the estate across sixteen exclusive-use woodland lodges.
Where is Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway?
Drumhierny is in Leitrim Village, Co. Leitrim, Ireland, close to Carrick-on-Shannon — just over two hours from Dublin and around 50 km from Ireland West Airport (Knock).
How much does a wedding at Drumhierny cost?
Wedding pricing depends on the season, guest numbers and how many lodges are included in your weekend. Enquire through the wedding form or email [email protected] for a tailored proposal and the current brochure.
Can we have an outdoor wedding ceremony at Drumhierny?
Yes. Drumhierny offers outdoor ceremony options in the woodland, alongside indoor and sheltered alternatives including the Cedaroo, the Events Barn and an outdoor canopy, so weather never decides your day for you.
Is Drumhierny suitable for a destination wedding in Ireland?
Yes. With up to 100 guests staying on site, woodland surroundings and space for a full wedding weekend, Drumhierny offers a destination wedding feel within Ireland — and works well for couples travelling from abroad to marry at home.
Does Drumhierny offer a barn wedding venue?
Yes. The Events Barn hosts wedding dining, speeches, music and evening celebrations for up to 200 seated guests, with the warmth of a rustic barn and a modern, comfortable finish.
Do we have the venue to ourselves?
Yes. Drumhierny hosts one wedding at a time, with exclusive use of the estate for you and your guests.
How do we get the Drumhierny wedding brochure?
Fill out the enquiry form on the weddings page or email [email protected] the events team will send the brochure and follow up to discuss exclusive-hire packages, the lodges and the Wellbeing Sanctuary.
Plan your woodland wedding
If a hotel ballroom has never felt like you, the estate is worth seeing in person. Couples usually know within minutes of walking it.
Stay at Drumhierny
Birds of a Feather
Five spacious single-level lodges nestled deep among the trees, each named after the birds you’ll hear before you see.
Wildflower Lodges
Two contemporary three-bedroom lodges inspired by the estate’s wildflowers, made for gathering together.
ReTREEt Lodges
Three secluded four-bedroom lodges tucked deeper into the woodland, where every stay feels private and unhurried.
