Galgorm Resort & Spa, Northern Ireland’s premier hotel which is near to Ballymena, invites couples to experience their new wedding planning programme, with the launch of their new wedding gift box to would-be Galgorm Brides and Grooms.

Galgorm Resort & Spa beautifully encapsulate the journey that each couple will embark upon as they begin to make choices and plan their bespoke big day.

This very special story box totals 7 chapters, each being added as the couple reach different stages whilst building the elements of their day. Chapter One for example is entitled ‘A Venue Like No Other’. It gives a sense of welcoming the bride and groom-to-be into the Galgorm wedding family.

So let the adventure begin!

‘We truly believe in the magic of a wedding and the bond it represents. We reflect this by making sure the setting, the level of service and the support you receive are second to none. We will embrace your individuality and endeavour to ensure your unique take on how your celebration should look and feel is evident in all that we do for you. We are highly experienced in hosting weddings and yet you will feel as though your celebrations are as unique as our love for one another’.

Chapter One continues by introducing the couple to their personal planner and gives an overview of all that the beautiful, award winning Galgorm Resort & Spa has to offer. From the florists and photographers they work with, to the choice of ceremony room available and the sumptuous wedding breakfast dishes which can be whipped up! Not forgetting the pampering that the most indulgent spa, can deliver.

Chapter Two continues to build the excitement of all that the day can become! ‘Use your imagination, create your vision, allow us to bring it to life.’

Galgorm Resort & Spa launch a uniquely new concept, in that all their brides and grooms-to-be automatically become part of an exclusive club. They have access to specialist bridal showcases (Jenny Packham and her 2017 collection being the first!) supplier exhibitions and pampering nights are just some of the social events which the luxury property creates for its couples. Should the bride and groom wish to converse and swap stories and share tips with fellow Galgorm couples, they can!

Chapter Three is most certainly the tastiest stage! ‘For the refined Palate’ it’s entitled. Devised for the foodie in mind, the chapter demonstrates its expertise when it confirms ‘the arrival reception will have a large role to play in setting the scene and creating the required vibe’.

It leads the reader through tasty, reception suggestions to serve, such as: Traditional Afternoon Tea, a Homemade Canape selection, The Galgorm Candy Cart. The contemporary drinks reception items under the header ‘Mouth Watering Temptations’ list choices such as:  ‘The Blushing Bride’ – vodka, St Germain, white cranberry juice and fresh lime, served in a martini glass and garnished with a hibiscus flower. Perhaps the preference would be the ‘Mint to Be’ – a classic mix of Bacardi superior rum, sugar syrup, fresh lime juice and fresh mint, muddled together and served over ice. Another modern idea would be, to add some pizzazz to fizz at a Prosecco Bar. Simply add tantalising flavours such as: Lavender, Lychee, Forest Fruit, Raspberry and Blueberry.

Taster sessions could take time as the couple will enjoy making the choice between starters such as: Confit duck leg, Asian salad, sweet chilli with sesame dressing or Ardglass smoked haddock & leek bake, Gruyere cheese with fine herb crumbs or even a Trio of melon skewer, pineapple carpaccio with strawberry gel.

Main dishes could be anything from Northern Irish roast chicken breast, bacon, shallot and parsley stuffing, roast potato served with red wine gravy to Prime Irish beef “Forestiere” diced potatoes, pearl onions, bacon lardons, mushrooms with port gravy. There’s a large vegetarian offering with a wild mushroom risotto, parmesan, truffle oil and chives as one choice as well as a Garden salad, buckwheat, broccoli, beetroot, avocado and walnut oil as another.

Delicious desserts comprise: Madagascan vanilla cheesecake, strawberry jelly and chocolate pencil or Dark chocolate torte, Kirsch Amarena cherry with Chantilly cream and also Passionfruit panna cotta, mango jelly with crispy meringue.

It’s here in Chapter Three that wedding packages are also suggested. ‘The Bells & Whistles’ inclusive of x 100 guests is from £14,950 and includes a transfer within one of the resort’s Rolls Royce Phantom’s, all day and evening private room hire of the wedding reception suite, an all-inclusive photographic album by an award winning photographer, flowers, welcome drinks, centrepieces, 5-course banquet, wine, evening entertainment and more!

Other beautifully created plans are: ‘Love, Laughter & Happily Ever After’ inclusive of x 100 guests from £13,350, ‘Snow in Love’ inclusive of x 80 guests from £10,450 also ‘Mirth & Merriment’ inclusive of x 40 guests from £7,800 – small and intimate with joy and laughter, there really is a wedding for everyone at Galgorm Resort & Spa!

As each couple journey’s through their seven chapters, they’ll ‘Embrace The Grandeur’ Chapter Four, leading them to opt for either The Renaissance Suite (holds a maximum of x 150 guests) – prepare to be amazed as guests are offered a dramatic sense of arrival and welcomed into a creatively designed private outdoor terrace, complete with open fire through to an elegantly furnished lounge with 1920’s champagne bar. Into the main suite itself, guests will marvel at the panoramic view of the cascading waters of the River Maine which are seen behind the glazed wall of the top table. A true show stopper!

Or perhaps The Phantom House (holds a maximum x 120 guests) is the preferred choice of ceremony venue as it nestles against the backdrop of the ancient rolling woodland and gentle flow of the river. Galgorm suggest that it is particularly romantic during winter months, lit with hundreds of church candles. The Ghost House which also holds up to x 120 guests as well as The Great Hall itself, holding up to x 300 guests are other superb ceremony venues that stand within the stunning Galgorm estate.

Chapter Five introduces the reader to the idea of a rehearsal dinner within the 3AA Rosette River Room Restaurant or any one of the three restaurants on site. Indulge within the unique Gin Library & Conservatory (offering over 300 differing brands of gin, the most in Ireland!) task the mixologist to create your own signature Gin cocktail perhaps? Match this will canapes and enjoy to the background of the hotel’s resident musicians.

Other treats to consider are a Bridal Breakfast at the spa, indulge in a pampering treatment whilst enjoying breakfast and bubbles with your best buddies, whilst the other half enjoys 9 courses of golf at the resort with family and friends.

‘The People We Trust’ introduces Chapter Six and again it demonstrates Galgorm Resort & Spa as the expert when it comes to organising a wedding. Navigate the hotel’s brand new wedding website and contact via social media, the suppliers that have proved their talent and professionalism time and time again.

Finally we have it, Chapter Seven ‘Journal of our Journey’. This booklet offers a time line of making your choices happen! With 12-24 months to go until the big day, with 11 months to go etc. It acts as a step by step guide, allowing the user to tick jobs done as they go!

With the launch of the Your Wedding, Your Story gift box, Galgorm have harnessed the ease and joy that organising a wedding should bring.

Hosting your wedding at Galgorm Resort & Spa affords couples the peace of mind that with guests all located in the same place you can savour quality time with your loved ones, particularly those who have travelled great distances.

With 122 rooms including suites, deluxe, superior and standard, as well as self-catering cottages and log cabins, there is accommodation to suit each and every type of guest.

From blissful beginning to your story continues……

Galgorm Resort & Spa, 136 Fenaghy Road, Ballymena, Co.Antrim, BT42 1EA, Northern Ireland

www.galgorm.com @galgormresort @galgormweddings #galgorminspiration #yourweddingyourstory

Northern Ireland is home to many literary giants, but perhaps none more legendary than the Nobel Laureate, Seamus Heaney. This spring, step into the Seamus Heaney experience and explore his beloved home place, Bellaghy, on a Say Hello To More adventure in Northern Ireland.

Seamus Heaney HomePlace is an arts and literary centre dedicated to the life and work of the late poet. The centre spans two floors and visitors can enjoy recordings, photographs and personal stories, as well as listen to Heaney read his own words. A recreation of his Dublin study will transport you back to 1995, when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Rachel Quigg, Tourism NI Destination PR Officer said: “Seamus Heaney Homeplace in the heart of Mid-Ulster is a wonderful place to see the poet’s incredible literature come to life and is perfect for all ages with a ‘Create & Learn’ area for children. Belfast and Derry are just a short drive away so you can combine your HomePlace visit with a stay in the city and continue your cultural journey”.

Through his poetry, discover some of the faces and places that inspired this world famous Northern Ireland figure. Previously unseen artefacts, transcripts and books kindly donated by the Heaney family are on display, ensuring a truly unique and illuminating experience for all.

The centre also offers a programme of events, which includes a series of exhibitions, workshops, tours and performances. The Helicon is their intimate 190-seater performance space, designed with a nod to the Greek theatre which Seamus Heaney so loved, and where you can enjoy theatre, music, song, poetry, readings and talks inspired by his life and literature on the traverse stage.

The Hedge School of Glanmore Exhibition

A unique exhibition running until 31 March will bring together the two centres of Seamus Heaney’s imaginative writing – Bellaghy in Derry~Londonderry and Glanmore in Co. Wicklow.

Entitled ‘The Hedge School of Glanmore’, the exhibition will feature manuscripts and typescripts of poems written in the Co. Wicklow cottage which Heaney and his family first moved to in 1972.  A specially curated collection of rare Heaney exhibits will reveal his writing process from first draft to final printing and will include first editions and signed limited editions as well as broadside poems, contemporary reviews and artefacts from the Seamus Heaney Literary Papers in the National Library of Ireland.

Stay in Heaney Country

For an immersive Seamus Heaney experience, plan a break at the four-star Laurel Villa Guest House in Magherafelt, just a short drive away from HomePlace. This homely, family-run property has created its own unique Seamus Heaney Exhibition showcasing rare collections of his first editions and broadsides. For book and poetry lovers, this is more than just a guest house.

Tours of Heaney Country

Learn and explore more of Heaney’s native homeland in Derry~Londonderry with a bespoke five-star Tour of Heaney Country led by Blue Badge tour guide, Eugene Kielt. Tailored for individuals or groups, Eugene will personally escort you to key points where you will discover the inspirational people and places behind some of Heaney’s most famous works. Visit his birthplace at Mossbawn, the villages of Castledawson and Toome, and the renowned Turf Man sculpture – a life size representation of Digging. 

Northern Ireland has a world-renowned reputation in poetry and prose. From the works of Seamus Heaney, C. S. Lewis and Samuel Beckett – for such a small country, our influence is mighty– find out more including special spring accommodation offers at www.discovernorthernireland.com .