Getting married in Ireland is very romantic, but do not expect to hop a plane to Dublin on Wednesday and be married the next weekend. If you live outside of Ireland, you must write a letter to the Registrar of the district in which you wish to get married. Per the 1995 Family Law Act, couples must notify the Registrar at least three months prior to the planned wedding date. Both bride and groom must sign the letter. The letter must include their full names and addresses, must attest to their being at least 18 years old, and must include information regarding the venue where the wedding ceremony is to take place.
Once the Registrar has received your letter and notified you that your plans have been accepted, you will still have to deal with the issue of residency. Irish law states that a marrying couple must reside in Ireland for at least 30 days prior to their wedding. Former vacations to Ireland can apply towards the residency requirement, even if those trips were made years before the decision to wed.
Despite the law, the Registrar from the district in which you would like to be married can override this requirement. If either the bride or the groom has been a resident of the district for at least 15 days, and the other party has been a resident for at least 7 days, the residency requirement can be met. To be certain of the current requirements for residency, ask the Registrar to explain the current residency requirements when writing your letter of intent.
You will need to have the following documents available to show to the Registrar in Ireland:
- Current passports.
- Original or certified copies of both bride's and groom's birth certificates.
- Photo ID's or driver's licenses.
- Proof of residency (a return airline ticket will suffice).
- If applicable, provide certified copies of divorce decrees, annulment papers, or death certificates (if widowed).
Once you have written your letter, had your plans accepted, purchased your tickets, located your accommodations, arrived in Ireland, met with the Registrar to show your documents, met your residency requirements, and purchased your marriage license you are ready to get married - almost.
The actual destination-wedding planning can now take place. It is advised that you hire a wedding coordinator in Ireland to create the perfect ceremony and reception for you. You can do this well in advance of your arrival, making decisions by phone or email for months prior to your wedding day.
Irish Civil or church ceremonies are governed by specific rules. To understand what you need to do regarding the wedding ceremony and local clergy, ask your wedding coordinator to be your liaison in this area.
For your Ireland destination wedding, location is everything! Elegant castles, private estates, classic hotels, thatched-roof cottages, and stone-built country churches are all available to you. Before setting your wedding plans in motion, have your budget, your wedding theme, and your ideal wedding ceremony and reception clearly in mind. This will help you discuss your desires with your wedding coordinator and will give you both a much needed focus for finding the perfect location.
Traditional Irish weddings are a weeklong event involving meetings with the wedding coordinator, luncheons with family and friends, and one celebration after another until the bride and groom head off on their honeymoon. You can add a bit of fun to your wedding by throwing a "ceili", a traditional Irish wedding reception. This is an informal dinner gathering for friends and neighbors who stop by and wish the newlyweds well.
Music, dancing, and good food and drink are the enticement for the whole neighborhood to join in the celebration. To kick off the ceili, local teenagers in tall, pointed straw hats ("strawboys" or "wrenboys") show up at the party. Their arrival is thought to bring the newlyweds good luck. If lots of paperwork and a long wait won't dampen your spirits, a destination wedding in Ireland may be your Gaelic fairytale come true.
