The Ceremony.
If you want the joining together of two people in marriage to be legal, especially in Ireland, you must have either a civil ceremony in a registry office or a religious ceremony, that is recognised by civil law as a civil contract.
Did you know that in Ireland the only Religious denominations whose marriage ceremonies are recognised by civil law as legally binding are Roman Catholic, Church Of Ireland, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Society of Friends and Jewish communities. So what if you are a member of a faith whose marriage ceremonies are not legally recognised, that is not a problem as you may still have a religious ceremony in your own church but interestingly you must also have a civil ceremony. Only then will you be considered legally married in Ireland. I can hear you asking does that mean two different wedding outfits - perhaps if that is what you wish.
While I lived in Poland I was invited to a few weddings over there and it was obligatory for the happy couple to have a civil ceremony in a registry office and a religious ceremony in a catholic church if you were catholic. Some couples conducted both on the one day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, while other couples opted for these to take place on two different days. Yet all of the brides wore a different attire to both. They would wear a fashionable outfit to the registry office while reserving the wearing of their wedding dress for the church wedding.
The Civil Ceremony
Whereas we do have new locations to have our civil Ceremony, we would still need the venue agreed and approved by the Registrar and this needs to be complete in advance of the Registration. Marriages by civil ceremony may take place at the Office of a Registrar of Civil Marriages or at the newly agreed venues throughout Ireland. It is from the Registrar, that the Couples who are undergoing a civil ceremony, will be issued with a Marriage Registration Form, which does not necessarily have to be the same registrar who is performing the ceremony. There will be additional fees for civil marriages at venues other than the Registry offices. The Registrar will advise you of what fees are due when you are giving your notification. At one stage to be married in Ireland there were residency issues but as of the 5th November 2007, there are no longer any residency requirements for civil marriages. There is one strict stipulation and that is that the ceremony must be performed in the presence of two witnesses who should be both over 18 years of age, and I do believe that this rule would apply no matter what country you choose to have your civil ceremony.
Can we get married wherever we like?
Yes of course you can, but this needs to be vetted by the Registrar. So if you wish to have a civil ceremony at a venue other than a Registry office, you must contact the Registration Office in the area where the venue is located and apply to have the venue approved for the solemnisation of your civil marriages. This may involve the Registrar making an inspection of the venue. In order that the venue can be inspected in good time for your intended marriage, it is recommended that you make these arrangements well in advance of your notification appointment with the Registrar. The option to marry at a location other than a registry office is currently only available Mondays to Fridays. Being able to get married in a location of your choice is very new but a fantastic idea as this enables your civil ceremony to have your personal touch, which also empowers you to come up with your own wedding vows and love poems or whatever wording you choose. So enjoy your wedding ceremony and make it your own.
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