Getting Married in Ireland

Many people dream of a wedding in Ireland but are unsure about whether it is possible.

The answer is usually yes, but with certain provisos.

This article gives brief answers to common questions about marrying in Ireland and includes useful links to set you on the way to making your dream a reality.

Legal & Residency Requirements

First of all anyone who wishes to marry in Ireland must give at least three months notice of intent to marry. This notification is made to the Registrar of Marriages in the district where you intend to marry.

Other requirements vary according to whether you will marry in a church or a registry office or to have a civil wedding in another location.

Requirements for a Civil Wedding in Ireland

You must present yourself in person to the local Registrar of Marriages in the district where you plan to marry before you will be allowed to book a date for your wedding or begin to fulfil the residency requirements .

To have a legal civil marriage in Ireland the following residency requirements apply:

You must reside in the area in which you wish to marry for at least 8 consecutive days
Following the 8 days residency there is a period of 21 days during which you cannot marry
You can get married on any date between 21 days and one calendar year after the last day of the period of residency.

Many people comply with the residency requirement by taking a holiday in Ireland at some point in the months before they marry, which also gives them an opportunity to firm up plans for their wedding.

Where can a Civil Wedding be Held?

Until November 5th 2007 it was only possible to have a civil wedding in a registry office. These are not exactly beautiful places to marry - most are in standard office buildings and lack, well, pretty much everything!

Since November 5th 2007 you can now get married in other locations, with the agreement of the registrar. Not anywhere though - weddings must take place in a building to which the public has access (ie not in a private house), must be celebrated indoors and the registrar must be willing to classify the location as an approved one. Essentially this means hotels and public buildings, many of which have moved to secure approved status in the wake of the change in the law.

Registry offices and their staff operate from 9-5, Monday to Friday only, so it is not possible to have a civil wedding at the weekend. They are also very strict on time when the wedding is taking place at their office - if the bride observes tradition by arriving late you are likely to miss your time slot, which means the whole process must start again.

Church Weddings in Ireland

If you wish to marry in a Roman Catholic or Church of Ireland (Anglican) church or some other churches, and are in a position to do so, the residency requirements above do not apply. The actual requirements vary between different religions.

The guidelines below are just a brief overview of the situation in each church. This is a complex area and you would do well to take expert advice on it.

Roman Catholic Church

If both parties are Catholic and are marrying for the first time or have been widowed, getting married in a Catholic Church is relatively straightforward. You will need "letters of freedom" from every parish in which you have previously lived or a legal affidavit declaring your freedom to marry. Paperwork is completed in your home parish, not in the parish where you will marry.

Church of Ireland

At least one party to the marriage must be Anglican or Episcopalian. If you meet this requirement you need to contact the vicar in the parish in which you plan to marry, who will advise you on other requirements.

Presbyterian/Methodist Churches

Marriage in either of these churches is at the discretion of the local minister, religious affiliation is not always required, though you will have to meet with and satisfy the minister of your sincerity and of your freedom to marry.

Jewish

Both parties to the marriage must be Jewish and permission to marry is at the discretion of the Chief Rabbi. You will be required to meet in person with the Rabbi at the Synagogue at which you wish to marry before permission is granted and to bring with you letters of introduction from your own Rabbi.

Society of Friends (Quakers)

Both parties must be members of the Society of Friends, be free to marry and of age. You will be required to meet in person with the elders in the area in which you wish to marry.

If you are a member of any religion other that those listed above, you cannot legally marry in a church in Ireland. If you do marry in another faith you will need to have a civil (registry office) wedding also in order for the marriage to be registered by the state.

What if one of us has been married before?

If either of you has been married previously, you will have to produce a Divorce Decree Absolute or a Death Certificate, as appropriate, in order to marry in a either a registry office or in those churches that permit remarriage of divorced persons.

In the case of Catholic weddings, marriage of divorced persons who previously married in the Catholic church is not possible, even if the civil marriage has been dissolved. The Roman Catholic church does not recognise divorce, you can only remarry if a previous marriage was annulled by the Church AND you have had a civil divorce.

The Jewish religion does recognise divorce and permission to marry will therefore, as in any other case, be at the discretion of the Chief Rabbi. Quakers too recognise divorce.

Many couples who because of their personal circumstances are not allowed to marry in a church choose to have a civil marriage, either in Ireland or in their own country, and then have a Church Blessing in Ireland.

Can we marry on a cliff/in a castle/by a dolman?

The short answer is no. While the law in Ireland changed on November 5th 2007 to allow a legal marriage in Ireland to be performed other than in a registry office or a church, the places where such wedding can take place are subject to some restrictions. One of these is that weddings cannot be held outdoors.

However many people choose to have a legal ceremony in a registry office and then have a blessing in a location of their choosing. This is perfectly possible.

It is of course possible to have alternative type weddings, for example humanist or pagan weddings, in any location you choose, subject to the necessary permissions from the owner of your chosen location. They will have no legal standing however.

More Information

The following links may be of assistance to those considering a wedding in Ireland.

Legal Requirements for a Wedding in Ireland A detailed look at the legalities and other requirement for overseas couples getting married in Ireland.

Registrar of Marriages You can contact the Office of the General Registrar in Ireland here. They will be able to advice you on the forms you require to set things in motion.

You can also call local registrars offices directly. If calling from outside Ireland, prefix each number with the country code for Ireland (00353) and then drop the initial '0' from the numbers given below.

County		Telephone number
Carlow	0509 9131664
Cavan	049 4331530
Clare	064 6821041
Cork	021 270508/276558
Donegal	074 918711
Dublin	01 8725555 Ext.4806
Galway	091 562340
Kerry	066 7121998
Kildare	045 897348
Kilkenny	056 7751702
Laois	0502 21340
Leitrim	061 414655
Longford	043 46410
Louth	042 34066
Mayo	094 9021522
Meath	046 9431209
Monaghan	047 82388
Offaly	0506 21205
Roscommon	090 6626132
Sligo	071 9142228
Tipperary	052 21195
Waterford	051 874144
Westmeath	044 48315
Wexford	053 22329
Wicklow	0404 67361