FAQs

Ceremony Options:

There are different legal ways of getting married in Ireland; you may choose a religious church ceremony, a secular ceremony or a civil ceremony. To be legally binding they must be registered with the HSE.

Can West Cork Celebrancy Service legally marry us or witness our marriage?

Under the current laws and regulations of the "Marriage Provisions of The Civil Registration Act, 2004" in Ireland, Independent Wedding Celebrants are not granted the authority to legally solemnize a marriage in Ireland. Ultimately, this means that if you choose West Cork Celebrancy for your wedding day, your marriage will be conducted in two stages. 
Stage 1: The legalities of registering your marriage (i.e. the paperwork) with the HSE & Registrar.
Stage 2: The Celebratory Ceremony!

The legalities (The Infamous Green Folder!) stage will be undertaken separately with the HSE. This is the legal element of your marriage and is legally binding. And then a bespoke celebratory ceremony separately.  As all legal elements are separate we are then free to craft your wedding ceremony with no restrictions, & celebrate your ceremony your way!

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How do I go about it?
There are three easy steps that we are very happy to help you with.

1. Notification: Notify the HSE of your intention to marry. Notice must be issued at least 3 months before your intended date of marriage (or earlier if at all possible as some HSE offices have limited appointment availability- especially since Covid). You can find all the information required on the HSE website by clicking here.

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2. Signing the Registry: The Green Folder! Attend the registry office to sign your marriage certificate and register your marriage. You can choose to complete the legal paperwork either before or after your actual wedding day.

3. Celebrate: Enjoy your bespoke wedding ceremony with us, crafting your ceremony, your way- without any legal restrictions! 

How long do the ceremonies last?

We would normally craft a  bespoke ceremony to be 25-30 minutes in duration. This can change depending on your own personal vision of how you both want your wedding to be.

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How is booking confirmed and how is the balance paid?

Your ceremony date is confirmed when we receive a non-refundable booking deposit of 200 Euro. The remaining balance is paid at least four weeks in advance of the scheduled ceremony.

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