Ballymagarvey Village Wedding Photographer
Ballymagarvey Village in Balrath, near Navan in Co. Meath, is one of my favourite places to photograph a wedding. It has an 18th-century manor house with a castle turret, a courtyard of old stone cottages, lanes full of hydrangeas and a Banqueting Hall that changes completely with every couple’s flowers.
I’m Niall Scully, a natural, fine art wedding photographer based in Wicklow, and I’m proud to be recommended by Ballymagarvey Village. If you’re looking for a Ballymagarvey wedding photographer who already knows the light, the best corners and how the day flows there, you’re in the right place. Below you’ll see the venue itself, four real Ballymagarvey weddings from spring to autumn, and answers to the questions couples ask me most.
Recommended by Ballymagarvey Village
Being on a venue’s recommended list means a lot to me. It means their team has seen how I work on the day: calm, on time and never in the way of your guests or their staff. Lisa, Eoin, Christina and the rest of the staff are incredible, they make you feel so important, and run the place so so well.
Why Ballymagarvey Works So Well for Photos
The whole day can happen in one place. You can get ready on site, say your vows on site and dance the night away on site. Nobody loses an hour driving between a church, a hotel and a photo location, so that time goes into relaxed portraits and real moments with your family and friends.
There’s also variety everywhere you turn. In a few minutes’ walk we can go from the red carpet at the manor’s front door to the turret and the gravel drive, through the stone arch into the courtyard, and down the lanes of cottages and hydrangeas. Every wall is a backdrop, so portraits can stay short and you still get plenty of variety.
What If It Rains at Ballymagarvey?
This is Ireland, so it’s the question I get asked most. Ballymagarvey handles rain better than most venues. The cottages, archways and doorways are all close together, so we can step out for a few frames between showers and be back under cover in seconds. Look closely at Gemma and Ruaidhri’s portraits below and you’ll see wet stone underfoot. The soft light after a shower is some of the nicest light there is. Inside, the stone walls and pale beams of the Banqueting Hall make a beautiful backdrop too.
Ballymagarvey Through the Seasons
Ballymagarvey looks completely different from one season to the next. Here are four couples I photographed there, from early spring through to autumn.
Shauna & Raph: Spring at the Manor
The trees were still bare and the gardens were just waking up when Shauna and Raph got married, and it suited their classic style perfectly. They had a silver vintage car on the drive, a strapless gown with a long train and Raph in a velvet tux. A gust of wind sent the veil flying at exactly the right moment.
Gemma & Ruaidhri: Hydrangeas and Candlelight
Gemma and Ruaidhri married when the white hydrangeas were at their best. We used the stone arch, the courtyard lanes and the old tree in front of the manor for their portraits. Before the guests came in, I also photographed their tables in the Banqueting Hall, all lace, candles and greenery against the old stone wall.
Rebecca & Stuart: Summer Colour
Rebecca and Stuart said their vows at Ballymagarvey with their family all around them. Rebecca’s bouquet was bursting with blue, orange and pink, and it looked brilliant against the ivy walls and white hydrangeas. Stuart kept things relaxed all day, which always shows in the photos. See Stuart & Rebecca’s full Ballymagarvey wedding.
Sinead & AJ: Autumn Gold
By autumn, the creeper on the manor house turns orange and red, and the drive is scattered with fallen leaves. Sinead and AJ’s autumn bouquet couldn’t have matched the season better. We wandered from the old garden wall to the fountain and the turret, and they laughed the whole way round.
More Real Ballymagarvey Weddings
Want to see a whole day at Ballymagarvey from start to finish? Have a look at Stuart & Rebecca’s wedding and Danielle & Edan’s wedding, or browse all my real weddings by venue and county.
Ballymagarvey Wedding Photography FAQ
Where is Ballymagarvey Village?
Ballymagarvey Village is in Balrath, near Navan in Co. Meath, less than an hour’s drive from Dublin. You’ll find full venue details on the Ballymagarvey Village website.
Have you photographed weddings at Ballymagarvey before?
Yes, many times. Every photo on this page was taken there, and Ballymagarvey Village recommends me to their couples. I know where the light falls at different times of the day and where to go when the weather turns.
Can the whole wedding day be photographed on site?
Yes. Ballymagarvey has preparation rooms for getting ready, the manor house and grounds for your ceremony and portraits, and the Banqueting Hall for dinner and dancing. I can photograph your whole day without leaving the venue.
Do you travel from Wicklow to Meath?
Yes. I photograph weddings in Meath regularly, as well as Wicklow, Dublin, Wexford and Cavan.
How do I check if you’re free for my date?
Send me your date and venue through the contact page and I’ll get back to you to let you know if I’m available.
Getting Married at Ballymagarvey Village?
I’d love to hear about your plans. Tell me your date and a little about the day you have in mind, and I’ll let you know if I’m free.