Are you registered to carry out the legal signing of our marriage?

Absolutely! I am a HSE Registered Solemniser and can legally solemnise your marriage 7 days of the week, at your chosen venue.

Are you a Humanist or a Spiritualist?

No I'm neither! I have no agenda with regard to your ceremony, it can be as spiritual, secular, agnostic or atheist as you choose, using whatever language, music and readings you would like. I also have no requirement to speak about any parent organisation during your ceremony. Entheos Ireland is founded on the core principals of equality, diversity, inclusion and choice, so no couple would ever be refused on the grounds of any diversity of gender, sexual orientation, colour, nationality, ability, culture, family status or any other reason- within the bounds of Irish law.

What Category of Solemniser are you?

Because I am authorised to carry out ceremonies for couples of all faiths and none, I am listed on the HSE Register of Solemnisers as a Religious Solemniser, as opposed to Secular. This sometimes causes confusion for couples who want a
secular/atheist/humanist ceremony. Please know that this classification has absolutely no bearing on the content of your ceremony, and simply affords me the freedom to include religious content if specifically requested by a couple.

Can you Solemnise our marriage on a Saturday or Sunday?

Yes! I can Legally Solemnise your marriage at any time, on any day of the week, in any venue of your choosing that is compliant with Section 52 of the Civil Registrations Act 2004. The main requirements being that the Solemnisation takes place at an identifiable address which is open to the general public. Ceremonies with no legal component can take place pretty much anywhere, (as long as we have permission from the owner!) beach, cliff top, the possibilities are endless.

Is there anything we MUST include in our ceremony?

The only thing you are obliged to include is that as part of the ceremony you and your intended spouse must make 2 declarations:

That you do not know of any impediment to the marriage

That you accept each other as spouse/husband/wife

I have no requirement to mention any particular words during your ceremony, nor do I need to mention any parent organisation- the words will all be as you wish, and I am happy to use whatever words and pronouns you and your spouse prefer.

How do we Register our Intent to Marry?

In Ireland, all couples must visit a HSE Registrar to register their Intent to Marry, NO LESS THAN THREE MONTHS prior to their intended wedding date. At this meeting, you will be asked for the names and details of both spouses, both witnesses (over 18 years), your chosen Solemniser, your venue and your intended date. You will then be given your Marriage Registration Form (MRF) usually in a green folder, which you will bring with you on your wedding day. I will request this in advance of the ceremony in order to check and confirm that all details are correct. During the ceremony it will be signed by myself, both spouses and both witnesses, and it is your responsibility to return it to the HSE Registrar’s office within 30 days of your ceremony. Further details are available from the HSE website.

How long will the ceremony last?

Most ceremonies last in the region of 25-35 minutes, depending on variables such as music choices, ceremony enhancements, photographs etc. I can tailor your ceremony to fit any time requirement. We will discuss this during the planning phase, and if the requirement is different on the day that’s absolutely fine too.

How do we obtain our Marriage Certificate?

You will retain the paperwork (in the green folder) on the day of your ceremony. (You might consider nominating a responsible adult to ensure it is put away safely, immediately after the ceremony!)

You must return the MFR (Marriage Registration Form) within one month to a Registrar, for the marriage to be registered. Under Section 50 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, if the completed MRF (Marriage Registration Form) is not returned to a Registrar within 56 days of the intended date of marriage recorded on the MRF, the Registrar can serve a notice on you requiring you to return the MRF within 14 days of receiving the notice. It is very important that you ensure the paperwork is returned as you cannot get your civil marriage certificate until the marriage is registered.