“What Documents Do I Need To Get Married in Ireland?” is one of the most asked questions when planning a wedding. If you do not know already, the most important form you need is your Marriage Licence, often referred to by couples as the green folder (see below)
Regardless of whether you are having a church, civil or humanist wedding you are required to make an appointment to give Notification of Intention to Marry to a Registrar at least 3 months’ prior to your wedding day.
The documents you will need for this appointment are:
- Photo ID for both of you
- Both birth certificates
- Both PPS numbers
- Proof of address – utility bill for each of you
- The names and date of births of your two witness who must be over 18 years old on the day of the ceremony
- Any divorce papers from previous marriages
- Death certification in the case of a widow/widower
- And also check with the Registrar when making the appointment if you need any other documentation.
This appointment is best made online at http://www.crsappointments.ie and you should book your appointment in advance of the minimum 3 months requirement as dates and times are limited. This will also give you plenty of time to organise taking time off work. Also, be aware that both of you need to be present for this appointment in order to receive your marriage licence.
Prior to your appointment you must have confirmation of the below:
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- Place and date of ceremony
- Name of your solemniser and confirmation that they are registered – you can check this online at https://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/RegisterOfSolemnisers.pdf
You will have to pay the €200 notification fee and if you are having a civil ceremony there may also be an additional charge which the Registrar will advise you of.
There is also a Capture of Data form available online which you can complete beforehand to speed up your appointment if you wish. It can be found on civilregistrationservice.ie
At this appointment you will be asked a number of questions to establish if you are free to marry. Once these questions have been answered and all documentation processed, the Registrar will issue you with a Marriage Registration Form (MRF).
You must bring the MRF to the ceremony on your wedding day to give to your solemniser as this will be signed by you, your other half, your two witnesses (usually your best man and chief bridesmaids) and the solemniser during the Signing of the Registrar.
The Signed MRF must be sent to the Registrar within one month of your wedding day for the marriage to be civilly registered. As this is a tight timeframe, it is best to get someone to send this to the Registrar on your behalf when you are away on honeymoon.
In My Wedding Planner I have a chapter on more information and checklist wedding legalities.
Happy Planning
Excellent info. Thank you so much. I was just wondering if you can organise the appointment if you havnt yet got a solemniser yet?
Hi Aoife, I would say yes you can book your appointment now before having a solemniser but you would need to have one confirmed by the date of your appointment. Many, thanks, May