Getting Married Ireland

Getting Married in Ireland: the Basics

• You can't just up and elope with a moment's notice! To get married in Ireland, officials want you to let them know your plans at least three months ahead of time. Look up the contact information for the district where you want to be married. Notify them.
• If you're dreaming of an outdoor wedding, you can still do it, but you'll need to take some extra steps. Weddings are only allowed in churches and registry offices. However, you could get around that by getting the legal portion done in a registry office and having a celebration/blessing ceremony and reception wherever you like.
• Watch your paperwork. They're very picky about it in Ireland. One slip-up could cost you the timing of your wedding.
• In some cases, there are residency requirements. That just means you have to be in the area you'll be getting married for at least seven consecutive days before the occasion. Here's a good reason to sneak in a honeymoon before the honeymoon! The catch is, after establishing your residency, you still cannot get married for twenty-one days.

Planning from Afar

If you're planning on getting married in Ireland and you don't live there, your best bet will be to find a wedding planner who can do all the footwork for you. The Waterlily Weddings website claims to be ready to help you plan anything from the most intimate wedding to a grand affair in an Irish castle. Depending on your needs, they have different packages available: White Waterlily, the most basic consultation package; Pink Waterlily, which gets you the help of a coordinator on your big day; and Yellow Waterlily, the biggest, all-inclusive package.

Castles

If you're not dreaming of an outdoor reception or ceremony, you may be considering a castle. Ireland has plenty to choose from. You may even be surprised by how little you can get away with spending on the venue. Check out Flyaway Weddings for a few pictures. You'll find castles like:

• Lismore Castle, which looks like a setting from a fairy tale and overlooks a river and the mountains.
• Waterford Castle, which is full of antiques and offers a sophisticated feel for your reception.
• Castle Leslie, which caters to the outdoorsy folks. You'll find fishing, horseback riding, and more.

Churches

Flyaway Weddings is helpful again when it comes to getting married in your church of choice. They provide a list of some of the denominations available and how to locate them. You also get the rundown of who can get married where and what you'll need in special cases (if one or both parties are divorced, for example, you'll need proof). The good news is to get married in a church you don't have to be a resident.

Hotels and Alternatives

Hotels are obvious places to have a reception, but some people prefer something a little different, especially if they go somewhere like Ireland to say their I do's.

• Cahernane House Hotel will make you feel cozy and right at home, accommodating you and up to 80 guests.
• Gougane Barra Hotel is a perfect, nearly secret little spot close to a beautiful church, so not only is it homey, but it's convenient too.

Looking for something outside the hotel route? Not a problem. There are plenty of other venues to choose from, like:

• La Peniche, a barge accommodating 20 to 40 guests and taking you down Dublin's Grand Canal.
• Coolclogher House, an exquisite home for those who don't want to get married in a hotel. You can even have your immediate family stay in the home with you for a few days.

The General Register Office

There's no way around speaking with the General Register Office if a wedding in Ireland is what you're determined to have. Visit this page for fees and contact information for the individual offices. You'll need to contact the office in the county you wish to be married.

Before You Go

Just remember to plan ahead and follow all the guidelines when it comes to paperwork and residency (if required for your wedding site of choice) when you’re interested in getting married in Ireland. Hiring a wedding planner wouldn't hurt, and things may all end up being less expensive than you may have feared—even though you're planning from a distance.