Wedding Ceremonies

Guest Blog – Marry Me Ireland

Its not always an easy decision, you may want an alternative style ceremony, but what does that really mean? You might not want a church wedding, but does that mean you don’t get the grand entrance and to walk down the aisle? You might have always dreamed of a Church wedding but one of you was married before … So what are your options?

There are some factors that are the same for all types of weddings. So whether you’re choosing a Church (religious) ceremony, or a civil (secular) ceremony, all couples must notify the State, at least three months before they intend to get married and there is a notification fee of €200.  When attending your notification appointment, you must have passports, birth certificates, PPS numbers and details of the ceremony, such as the date and location, the type of ceremony and, the details of your celebrant and the names and dates of birth of your witnesses.  For Catholic / Church ceremonies you also need a baptismal certificate and a confirmation certificate. So let’s say. you have decided upon it being either religious or non religious, what then are your options?

Church ceremonies

If it is to be in a Church, and neither of you have been married before, you will need to find a Priest, a Church available on your intended date and to attend a pre-marriage course. This will need to be at least 6 months ahead before the wedding to discuss arrangements.  If you are not getting married in the parish you grew up in, you will also need a Letter of Freedom from your parish priest. 

Civil ceremonies

You may not want to be married in a Church, and like the 7000 people annually in Ireland, you might choose the civil option.  Your option then is the Registrars Office, which conducts ceremonies Mon to Fri 9-5pm for the legal part. Or you can choose to have a civil ceremony outside a registry office, your venue must be approved in advance by the HSE. 

Alternatives..

You might want a solemniser from a charity, like a Humanist or Spiritualist to conduct your ceremony, who can also do the legal part for you. Or you might want to consider a celebrant. A celebrant is a trained professional, who writes and conducts the ceremonial part of your wedding.  You will still need to sign the legal Register with the HSE but with a celebrant you are not constrained by Monday to Friday. If you want to walk down the aisle in front of family and friends at a venue/location of your choice (from hotel to marquee, from home to outdoors), have whatever music you would like, and have the ceremony however you would like it, from traditional to non conventional and everything in between, then a celebrant is for you. A celebrant gives couples the freedom to choose where they want to have their ceremony without restrictions on their venue. They offer non-religious, semi-religious, mixed faith, spiritual and holistic ceremonies. 

Marry Me Ireland is Ireland’s only professionally accredited celebrant organisation.  Our team offers a bespoke ceremony writing service, complementary consultations with the couple in person or by skype.

Are you interested in booking a celebrant? Send your enquiry today: