How to Get Legally Married in Ireland

How to Get Legally Married in Ireland - Step by Step

Step 1 - Give Three Months' Notice
To legally marry in Ireland, you must give at least three months’ notice of your intention to marry to a Registrar at a Civil Registration Service. This applies to civil, religious and secular marriages.
You’ll need to book a marriage notification appointment, and both of you must attend. Your three-month notice period begins on the date of this appointment, so it’s a good idea to book well in advance, particularly during busy times of the year.
Some Civil Registration Services allow you to book your appointment online. If online booking isn’t available in your area, you can contact your local Civil Registration Service directly.
Tip: Book your appointment early as some offices have long waiting lists especially in wedding season.

 
Step 2 - Prepare For Your Marriage Notification Appointment
Before your appointment, make sure you have the documents and information required by the Civil Registration Service.
This normally includes valid photo identification, birth certificates, proof of address and your PPS numbers. You’ll also be asked for details about your wedding, including the date and location of your ceremony, the name of your solemniser, and the names and dates of birth of your two witnesses.
Additional documentation may be required depending on your circumstances, for example if either of you has previously been married or in a civil partnership, or if one of you is a foreign national.
At the appointment, you’ll both sign a declaration confirming that you know of no legal reason why the marriage cannot take place.
Tip: Check the current document requirements with the Civil Registration Service before your appointment, particularly if either of you was born outside Ireland or has previously been married.

Step 3 - Choose Your Registered Solemniser
For your marriage to be legally solemnised in Ireland, your ceremony must be conducted by a person who is listed on the official Register of Solemnisers.
Registered Solemnisers include HSE registrars and people nominated by recognised religious or secular bodies.
I am a Registered Solemniser, which means I can legally solemnise your marriage while also creating a ceremony that reflects you as a couple.

Check the official Register of Solemnisers

Step 4 – Receive Your Marriage Registration Form (MRF)
If everything is in order at your marriage notification appointment, the Registrar will issue your Marriage Registration Form, usually referred to as the MRF.
This is the important legal document that you’ll bring with you on your wedding day. Your details, your witnesses and your solemniser will be recorded on it.
When you receive your MRF, check the information carefully. If anything changes before your wedding, contact the Civil Registration Service for advice rather than making changes to the form yourself.
Keep the MRF somewhere safe and make sure it comes with you on the day of your wedding.

 
Step 5 – Your Wedding Ceremony
On your wedding day, there are certain legal requirements that must form part of the ceremony. I’ll guide you through these, including the legal declarations you are both required to make.
You’ll also need two witnesses who are aged 18 or over.
The legal requirements are only one part of your ceremony. Around them, we can create something personal to you, including your own vows, readings, music or symbolic elements if you would like to include them.

Step 6 – Sign the Marriage Registration Form
During your ceremony, the Marriage Registration Form is signed by both of you, your two witnesses and me as your solemniser.
I’ll check the form with you on the day and make sure the relevant sections are completed correctly.

Step 7 – Return the MRF and Register Your Marriage
After a religious or secular marriage ceremony, the completed MRF must be returned to a Civil Registration Service within one month of the date of your marriage.
It can be returned to any Civil Registration Service. Once your marriage has been registered, you can then order your official marriage certificate.
Registering the marriage itself is free, although there is a charge if you wish to purchase a marriage certificate.

Please note: This guide provides general information about getting legally married in Ireland. Requirements can vary depending on your individual circumstances, so always check the latest information with the HSE Civil Registration Service.