A Guide to Wedding Ceremonies in Ireland

For most of us a wedding day tends to follow the same pattern – a trip to the church for a few prayers before heading off to the hotel to toast the happy couple! Nowadays however, you are just as likely to see the couple exchange their vows in the same hotel you will be dancing the night away in later that evening.

2020 saw non-religious ceremonies overtake religious ceremonies in popularity in Ireland for the first time. While the last two years have been anything but normal, the convenience of an all-in-one location saw civil and secular ceremonies gaining in popularity year on year long before COVID19 came around.

But just what is involved in a non-religious ceremony? What are the legal requirements and how do they differ from a church wedding?

In Ireland there are 3 different ways to legally get married, a civil ceremony, a secular ceremony, or the more traditional religious ceremony. Read on for our full break down of each!

C I V I L C E R E M O N I E S

Civil ceremonies are a legally binding ceremony that can take place in a registry office or in an approved room or venue, meaning they are often performed in the same hotel or restaurant in which the wedding reception will be held. Unlike religious ceremonies or other secular ceremonies, they cannot be held on Saturday’s or Sunday’s.

The growing popularity of civil ceremonies mean you should notify your civil registration office of your intent to marry as early as possible to secure your preferred date, with a minimum of 3 months’ notice being recommended. If you are looking for a popular wedding date it is recommended you give much earlier notice than this.

Ceremony Rules:

You must register with the civil registrar in the county in which you intend to marry, though there is no requirement to live in the district in which you intend to marry.
The ceremony can only take place during office opening hours, Monday to Friday.
The ceremony can only be performed by a marriage registrar from the approved the list of registered solemnisers. Registrars will usually only perform a ceremony in the county in which they are based.
The ceremony must take place in a registry office or an approved room or venue. An additional fee will be charged for any ceremony taking place outside of a registry office. Many hotel, restaurant and other venues are now registered for civil ceremonies, or can be registered if they meet certain criteria. Always check that your preferred venue is registered ahead of time in case an inspection needs to take place.
The ceremony cannot contain any words or lyrics that are considered in any way religious. Other readings and music can be included, which can be discussed in advanced with your chosen solemniser.
The wedding couple are required to accept each other as husband/wife/spouse in accordance with Irish Law

Find out more from citizeninformation.ie

S E C U L A R C E R E M O N I E S

One of the most popular, legally recognised, secular ceremonies in Ireland are humanist ceremonies. It is one of the most flexible options for a wedding ceremony and can include various options for music, poetry, readings and traditions, usually guided by your chosen solemniser. Unlike civil ceremonies, humanist weddings can take place at any time and during any day of the week.

Ceremony Rules:

The ceremony must be conducted by a registered humanist solemniser from the Humanist Association of Ireland (HAI)
As with civil ceremonies, you must notify the civil registrar of marriage a minimum of 3 months prior to the wedding. Given the popularity of these weddings however, it is recommended you do this at least a year in advance.
While humanism embraces a tolerance for all beliefs, they do not believe in a god or the supernatural, so your ceremony will not contain references to religion.

Find out more by visiting humanism.ie

R E L I G I O U S C E R E M O N I E S

Whether catholic, protestant or any other religion, the rules for a church wedding can vary greatly from parish to parish, so while the below guidelines are a good starting point, we highly recommend contacting your parish priest as early as possible to ensure your wedding can go ahead as planned.

Ceremony Rules:

You must complete a marriage preparation course ahead of your wedding ceremony.
As with all legal ceremonies in Ireland, you must notify the civil registrar of marriage a minimum of 3 months prior to your wedding.
You must present a birth certificate, certificate of confirmation and a letter of freedom from each parish you have lived in since you were 18. There are some exceptions to this requirement, which vary from diocese to diocese so it is important to contact your parish priest to confirm.
Your choice of readings and music must be in accordance with church rules, which will vary from parish to parish.

Find out more by visiting accord.ie

For all the above ceremonies you must notify the civil registrar for marriage of your intent to marry at least 3 months in advance of your ceremony and obtain a Marriage Registration Form. There is a fee of €200 for this and you will need to bring your passport, proof of address, your PPSN and your original birth cert. You will also need to have your ceremony details – date, type, name and DOB of witnesses and the name of solemniser. For a full list of what you will need to bring to your notification appointment visit hse.ie here.

While the technicalities of organising a wedding ceremony can seem overwhelming, they all follow some basic rules and can each be personalised to suit the unique style of the bride and groom.