Recently the team at Weddingdates.ie were curious to learn more about how the highly talented wedding team make Fota Island Resort tick and so delved behind the scenes at our 5 Star Wedding Hotel in Cork. Samantha Chirico, a student from New York and currently intern at the tranquil golf resort in Cork was kind enough to give us a behind-the-scenes of her life so far at Fota hotel in Cork.
Samantha is a student of LIM with a Fashion Merchandising major who joined the Fota Island wedding team a few months ago and works alongside our dedicated Wedding Coordinator, Susan Lavalle. She began by outlining how a typical day usually begins at the hotel located near Midleton in East Cork:
“Working at Fota Island Resort has been quite the experience to say the least and extremely interesting! I have never worked in the hospitality industry before, so all of this is brand new to me. I get to my office at 9am and the first thing I do is check my emails and then read up on daily wedding alerts along with bridal blogs to keep myself updated and knowledgeable on the latest trends, tips, themes and ideas.”
Ironically enough Samantha explained that a typical day for her is never a typical day at all with some much planning and preparation required to ensure that each of the Cork weddings go off without a hitch.
“The best part of my internship is that each day is different from the last. If there are booked weddings on the weekends, it is my duty to make sure menus, floor plans, table plans and table names are completed and printed correctly. And our Wedding Coordinator has given me the opportunity to take part in the production aspect of the weddings here by interacting with couples. On the marketing side, I manage the websites that our venues are advertised on. I am also in charge of posting on our social media accounts to connect followers about wedding related inspirations. There is always room for creativity in my daily routine; this is what makes coming to work so enjoyable.”
Samantha went on to describe what her favourite experience so far has been at the resort and mentioned that her proudest moment came while representing five star resort in Ireland at a Wedding Conference and Gala.
“I had never been to a conference that was based solely on weddings and being given the chance to experience it first hand was very beneficial to me. Weddings are my passion, I didn’t mind sitting for 8 hours to exclusively listen about weddings; I was in heaven! And the gala, now that was a treat! It was a black tie affair; I wore a beautiful black evening dress, ate a 4 course meal and was able to network with a lot of fascinating people within the wedding industry.”
There are so many stunning features and options available to couples at Fota Island Resort, that Samantha just loves the opportunity to showcase these to prospective bride and groom. Whether couples, who are seeking wedding receptions in hotels near Cork, decide to opt for the elegant surroundings of the Smith Barry Suite or, perhaps, for smaller weddings in a more intimate atmosphere created in the Clubhouse adjacent to our championship Cork golf club. Samantha explained:
“What is so special about having your wedding at Fota Island Resort is that you have two entirely different options of where your wedding reception could take place. We have two great wedding venues for couples to choose from. The Smith Barry Suite has striking chandeliers with a grand fireplace and two private bars. For a more intimate venue, the Clubhouse radiates characteristics of a rustic country feel, having its own unique charm and style. I personally like to have options, and I think there is a fantastic choice available for couples.”
Samantha Chirico is a Weddings and Events Marketing Intern at Fota Island Resort, Cork. She possesses an extreme love for the bridal industry with experience in weddings having worked with Kleinfeld Bridal, Manhattan.
