3 month wait, compulsory?

sandt

ok so we've have been engaged for almost 4 years & going out for 12, we were originally planning to get married abroad but it has all fallen through so we are now going to have a small family wedding at home and we want to have it as soon as possible.

But i believe you have to wait min. 3 months after regestering before you can get married either in church or civil in the Republic of Ireland.

From: http://www.groireland.ie/getting_married.htm (Notifications can be taken only by prior appointment with the Registrar. While only three months’ notice is required by law, couples are advised to contact the Registrar well over three months before their intended date of marriage to ensure they can get a timely appointment.)

However in Northern Ireland from here: http://www.groni.gov.uk/index/marriages.htm#mar7 (The minimum period is fourteen days before the date of the proposed marriage, but if you leave things as late as this you could be faced with the need to postpone your marriage.)
it seems that 14 days is enough notice for civil ceromonies and i think its still 3 months for a church wedding in the north.

i have seen differing opinions on this from different websites so im just wondering if anyone knows for definite if both of these are correct so we can get things moving, ideally we want to get married in september if we can!!

also, i suppose we would be considered as 'non-practicing catholics' but may return to the faith in the future, but would being married in a civil ceremony and not in a church mean that any future children of ours could not be baptised in a church?

thanks......

seamus

sandt wrote: »

But i believe you have to wait min. 3 months after regestering before you can get married either in church or civil in the Republic of Ireland.

Correct, it's a civil requirement for a legal marriage in Ireland.

You can go before a judge to get a licence at shorter notice, but I don't know how open the judges are to doing this.

However in Northern Ireland from here: http://www.groni.gov.uk/index/marriages.htm#mar7 (The minimum period is fourteen days before the date of the proposed marriage, but if you leave things as late as this you could be faced with the need to postpone your marriage.)
it seems that 14 days is enough notice for civil ceromonies

Basically they recommend that you notify them 8 weeks in advance. The legal minimum is 14 days, but they are under no obligation to process your application in that time, so if there is a delay in processing your application, you may not be able to get married 14 days after giving notice.
You would be best to contact the NI Registrar's office by phone to clarify it.

also, i suppose we would be considered as 'non-practicing catholics' but may return to the faith in the future, but would being married in a civil ceremony and not in a church mean that any future children of ours could not be baptised in a church?

Probably not, though each individual priest may have different requirements. They may ask you to go through a church blessing ceremony before they'll baptise your children.

elguapo

Having missed the 3 month deadline myself in the very recent past, you can get an exemption provided you do the following:

You meed three documents:

1. Once you've contacted the marriage registrar, they'll issue you with an appointment letter, confirming you're in contact with them.
2. You then need to write a letter explaining why you need this exemption
3. You also need a letter from whomever is solemnising your marriage (priest or civil celebrant) stating that you are getting married on a given date, and are doing the papers for it.

You hand these three documents in to your local circuit court office, and they'll give you a date to go to court and have your application heard by a judge.

This will involve you being brought into the judges chambers before the offical court session, him asking you a few basic questions (why you need the exemption, how long have you been together). Ours took about 60 seconds total, and we were given the exemption.

Best of luck to you!

tatli_lokma

seamus wrote: »

Probably not, though each individual priest may have different requirements. They may ask you to go through a church blessing ceremony before they'll baptise your children.

the catholic church do not recognise 'blessings' of a civil marriage. In their eyes you are not married, so you would need to have a religious marriage in order to receive the sacriment.

However, I doubt that the catholic church would turn away new recruits in your children! As far as they are concerned, if you married civilly, then you are not married in the eyes of the church. given the number of parents who are not married and have no problem having their children baptised, communed and confirmed, I seriously doubt this would be an issue.