Planning your Marriage

Once you have decided to get married, the first question is the date. Please make sure that the Church is free on your chosen date before confirming with the Hotel. Make your booking in good time with one of the priests. The minimum notice required by the Church is three months, but it is advisable to give more than that. Some couples book their date up to two years ahead!

Notify the Registrar

The Civil Law requires that you give at least three months notice of marriage. Don't wait until the last minute to do this. Both bride and groom should visit the Office of the Civil Registrar at Adelaide Court, Adelaide St., Cork (between Grattan St. and North Main St.) (Tel. 021/4275126) where you will fill in and sign a form. Copies of this form will be given to you both and a copy will be sent to the Parish where the wedding is to take place.

Note: if you fail to give the required three months notice, a Court Exemption will be necessary for the marriage to go ahead on the date you have set.

Pre-Marriage Course

Since you are entering a marriage which you want to last for life, a time of reflection and preparation is time well spent. This is why you are recommended to take part in a pre-marriage course. Please book a place on such courses at least six months in advance of the wedding date. Courses are available in the following centres:

• The Family Centre, 34 Paul St., Cork (Tel. 021/4275678).
• Engaged Encounter (Tel. 021/4357571).
• N.A.O.M.I., Washington St., Cork (Tel. 021/4272213)

Church Papers

Both bride and groom need to get the following papers:

• Baptismal Certificate from the Church where you were baptised, issued within 6 months of the wedding date.
• If your Baptismal Certificate does not contain a record of your Confirmation, then a Confirmation Certificate from the Church where you were confirmed will be necessary.
• Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Form: make an appointment with the priest of your parish to fill out this form.
• Letter(s) of Freedom: if you have lived in a parish other than your present one for a period of six months or more since reaching the age of 18, a letter of freedom from that parish will be needed.
• Certificate of attendance at a pre-marriage course.

Celebrant

If you have a relative or friend who is a priest and who you would like to have officiating at your wedding, he will be most welcome. Please inform your local priest of this at your first meeting. Otherwise, one of the priests of the parish will officiate.

Papal Blessing

Some couples like to have a Papal Blessing on the occasion of their marriage. This is not obligatory. If you wish to get one, you will need a letter or special form signed by your priest, which you take to the Roman House (North Main St.) or to Veritas (Carey's Lane) where you choose the type of Parchment you want. This can take up to 10 weeks to organise.

Church Fees

It is customary to give a fee to cover Church expenses. This can be discussed with the priest. It is also customary to give an offering to the Sacristan and to the priest who officiates at the marriage ceremony.

Flowers

Flowers are used for their beauty and the promise of abundant life. They should be tasteful and not obscure the Altar or the Ambo. Attachments to Church seats should not damage the seats in any way. Contact your florist and the local Sacristan.

Music

Music and song add joy to your wedding. There is an approved list of music and hymns for marriage ceremonies. Talk to your priest about this.

Videos & Photography

These record your special day. The taking of photographs and video recording must be unobtrusive and not distracting to you, your guests or the priest.

Signing the Register

The register to be signed is the Civil Register and is not part of the Church ceremony. It is recommended that it be signed at the table in front of Altar or in the Sacristy after the Church ceremony has ended.

Marriages Overseas

Some couples like to go abroad for their wedding ceremonies. If that is the case, please contact your local priest in good time, as there will be some extra paperwork to be completed.

It will ultimately depend on where the wedding is to take place, but most European countries require that a foreigner provide a civil letter of freedom from his country of origin. The letter of freedom is issued by the state and is a formal declaration that the given individual is free to marry in the specifed foreign country.

Specifically for Irish people wishing to marry abroad, you must contact the Department Of Foreign Affairs, Dublin to obtain the appropriate application form. It may also be necessary to have this form apostilled for authentication purposes; the dept provides this service. Dept policy is to issue letters of freedom no sooner than 3-months before the wedding date.

A long-form civil birth certificate is also a common requirement for foreign civil registries and is usually required to be apostilled. The national civil registrar, Lombard Street, Dublin is the only place in Ireland that can issue apostilled birth certificates.

Mixed Marriages

If your proposed partner is not Catholic, permission for a mixed marriage will be needed from the Bishop. Contact your local priest in good time. He will guide you on this.

The Marriage Ceremony

We recommend that you buy a copy of 'The Celebration of Marriage' at Veritas or the Roman House. It costs 2 Euro approx. It contains the full ceremony, except for the readings, which you can discuss with the priest who will officiate at the ceremony.

See also Cork & Ross Dioceses marriage information and www.gettingmarried.ie