How to get married in Ireland

Ireland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The scenery is simply otherworldly and visually stunning. The castles make you feel like royalty and show the history of this small island. Nature and cliffs are breathtaking and popular destinations for adventurous elopements. Irish culture, traditional music & dance, and shamrock are some of the distinctions that set Ireland apart from the rest of the globe. And of course, soaking up the pub atmosphere with a nice pint of Guinness is tempting for many celebrations. If you’re Irish or a foreigner who wants to know how to get married in Ireland, you have come to the right place. Here are some of the important things you need to know and understand.

Legal Requirements for getting married in Ireland

The Irish government allows anyone aged 18 or more to get married. However, you need to inform the Registrar that you want to marry at least three months in advance. You have to personally appear before the official Registrar and submit the notification. However, if you’re a non-resident living abroad, you can submit your marriage notification by post, but keep in mind that you still need to meet with the Registrar in person at least 5 calendar days before the wedding day. This appearance is necessary before you can be issued a Marriage Registration Form, which is called your green folder. To be best informed, you need to discuss these things with your wedding planner in Ireland.

Type of Ceremony

You have an option to get married via a religious, humanist, or civil ceremony. You can inform the Registrar if you have a specific wedding venue in mind that you’d like to use in a civil ceremony; or else, you can have your ceremony at the Registry Office. Should you choose a religious ceremony, you will have to communicate with a leader of the religious denomination for guidance. You should know this beforehand because deciding whether you like to have a civil or a religious ceremony is a key step in finding out how to get married in Ireland. 

If you have any questions about how to plan a wedding in Ireland, get in touch here…

Paperwork

Like in any country, there are essential documents you have to present to process your registration. See if your destination wedding planner in Ireland can answer all of your questions about how to get married in Ireland. He/She will thoroughly help you prepare these documents in advance. Some of the paperwork you need to submit to the Registrar include:

• Your passports/asylum card issued by the Department of Justice and Law Reform
• Proof of Address, i.e., utility bills
• Original and photocopies of your birth certificates ( Multilingual Standard Form )
• Civil letter of freedom to marry
• Divorce decree (if applicable)
• Deceased spouse’s death certificate (if applicable)

If your first language is not English, you need to make sure your birth certificate is multilingual, and you may be required to get an Apostille. Find more information here…

Fees for getting married in Ireland

If you’re wondering what sort of fees you have to pay as you figure out how to get married in Dublin, keep on reading. To process your registration, a non-refundable notification fee of €200 has to be paid. You also need to stump up an additional €20 for a full standard marriage certificate. Keep in mind that you may need to pay extra if your ceremony will take place outside of the Registrar’s Office. Many venues are approved to hold civil ceremonies but will charge an additional location fee.

Declaration

During the notification meeting, you will be asked to sign a declaration that you are free to marry. After that, you will be given a Marriage Registration Form, which serves as your licence to marry. Both you and your partner have to sign this paper, as well as your witnesses and solemnizing officer, on your wedding day. Be aware, some celebrants are just approved to hold symbolic ceremonies.

With these pieces of information, your goal of finding out how to get married in Ireland is going to be a breeze. Do consider as well to use Ireland for your symbolic ceremonies and vow renewals. This will give you the freedom to get married on many cliffs or hidden beaches.

If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me, I will be glad to guide you through the process as an experienced destination wedding planner in Ireland!

Here you can check out my services and elopement package ….