Hotels, castles and country houses are queuing up to cash in on changes to marriage laws which will allow them to become official venues for civil marriages from today.
Under the old system, civil marriages could only take place in registry offices. However, now couples may apply to get married at a venue of their choice.
Las Vegas-style weddings officiated by "Elvis" or conducted in helicopters are unlikely to be acceptable, however. The new regulations state venues must meet a number of requirements.
These include ensuring: the setting is a dignified environment; the building is a fixed structure; public witnesses are facilitated; and food or drink are not served during the ceremony.
The new venues must be inspected and approved by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in advance, and a registrar must be available to solemnise the marriage.
Officials in some parts of the country say they are experiencing a surge in demand from couples and hoteliers seeking to get venues approved for weddings. Hundreds - if not thousands - of weddings could be held in these new locations given the growing popularity of civil weddings. Last year, civil ceremonies accounted for some 5,000 of the 20,000 weddings in Ireland.
Couples wishing to have a civil marriage outside of a registry office must contact the owners of the venue, who must then get approval from their local registrar attached to the HSE.
There will not be a central register of approved venues, as there is in the UK. Instead, venues will be approved on a case-by-case basis. The changes are contained in the Civil Registration Act, 2004, which replaces the current marriage legislation.
While the legislation was enacted more than three years ago, it has been delayed due to factors such as decentralisation of the General Register Office and consultations with religious bodies. There had been some unease among religious groups that the changes could undermine church authority.
In particular, the Catholic Church was concerned about a requirement that couples must have a new marriage registration form approved by the General Register Office - the State body responsible for records relating to births, deaths and marriages - prior to getting married.
A list of more than 5,000 officially recognised solemnisers, nominated by civil and religious authorities, is being drawn up.
The Civil Registration Act changes also require:
• The notification of intention to marry - three months - to be given in person to a registrar;
• All couples to sign declarations of no impediment and obtain a marriage registration form from a registrar before the ceremony.
