Many couples are opting for a less traditional church wedding and are choosing instead to have a civil ceremony. If you want to get married on a Saturday or Sunday, but not in a church, the choices for a secular marriage becomes narrower. Registrars (HSE civil servants) can legally marry Irish couples in secular/non- religious ceremonies in Ireland, but they can only take place Monday to Friday. The Humanist Association of Ireland lists 18 celebrants in the Dublin area. Many of them are fully booked for 2017. The only secular celebrants of a civil ceremony of marriage that are not restricted to the time of day, the day of the week or time of the year are humanist celebrants.
In order to have a civil ceremony in Ireland you must give notice to the HSE Registrar’s Office (minimum 3 months’ notice). The marriage must take place in a public space- not a private home and celebrants must be accredited and registered on the HAI Register of Solemnisers The civil ceremony can take place in outdoors but space must be open to the public.
The venue you want to marry in must be HSE approved venue, Thomas Prior Hall is fully registered as a venue for civil ceremonies, blessings or non-denominational ceremonies and Solemniser Ceremony.
