Quick cheap way to get married?

axer

Hi,

Myself and my German girlfriend have been together for over 6 years now. We got engaged in Oct and are planning to get married in the summer 2012 in germany.

The german legal side of getting married is a pain the a$$ to do so we were planning on doing the legal side in Ireland.

Then we looked at tax credits etc and found we would be 2,500 - 4,000 euro better off per year by getting married sooner rather than later (which would pay a large chunk of the cost of the wedding after 1.5 years). Then doing a ceremony still in Germany in 2012.

I know there is a 3 month wait for a license but after that wait what is the cheapest and quickest way to legally get married. i.e. just sign the paper with the bare minimum of costs. We will need to do this either way whether we decide to wait until just before/after the ceremony in 2012 or doing it in 3 months time.

Thanks for any help/advice.

hazeler

Call your local registry office, ask the when they have free and then ask can ye have it! Make sure you've all paper work they want done and ready to go... €150 and you are married!

* prob a way to simplistic version of what you'll actually have to go through but I reckon calling them is your best bet!

axer

hazeler wrote: »

Call your local registry office, ask the when they have free and then ask can ye have it! Make sure you've all paper work they want done and ready to go... €150 and you are married!

* prob a way to simplistic version of what you'll actually have to go through but I reckon calling them is your best bet!

Does there have to be a ceremony of sorts in the registry office or can you just go in with your license, bring two witnesses, make the necessary declarations and sign the piece of paper?

Toots

No there doesn't have to be a 'ceremony' but AFAIK there are still 'vows'. You wouldn't have to bring anyone other than your 2 witnesses.

I'm not sure is there any extra bits you need to do seeing as your fiancee isn't Irish. Really the best bet is to ring your local registry office and see what they say. Here is a list of the registry offices and their contact details. Good luck!

BC

You also have to go in twice.
You have to go initially for the notification meeting (to pay the money, complete the paperwork etc). The actual ceremony is separate (a minimum of 3 months later).

Retail Hell

Registry office opposite NAMA building, then pics up instephens green and go for a qick drink of champers in the shelbourne, then anice relaxed dinner with your bride and guests somewhere.

exactly what me & the mrs did, enjoy

WaltKowalski

Minimum wait is 3 months. Minimum cost for a registry office wedding is €300 (registration + ceremony).

newmug

What about just getting married in the Church, forget the registry part?

WaltKowalski

It's not legal if you don't register it!

Toots

newmug wrote: »

What about just getting married in the Church, forget the registry part?

It would also be a hell of a lot more expensive. Most churches insist on a pre marriage course, which is the guts of €200. Plus there's donations to the church, priest, sacristan to be considered. Also some churches charge a fee, so you'd have that on top of all the other costs. You'd also have to sit down with a priest to complete a pre-nuptial enquiry form. On top of all that, as WaltKowalski said, you still have to register at the registry office prior to the church wedding so that you'd be legally married.

newmug

Toots* wrote: »

It would also be a hell of a lot more expensive. Most churches insist on a pre marriage course, which is the guts of €200. Plus there's donations to the church, priest, sacristan to be considered. Also some churches charge a fee, so you'd have that on top of all the other costs. You'd also have to sit down with a priest to complete a pre-nuptial enquiry form. On top of all that, as WaltKowalski said, you still have to register at the registry office prior to the church wedding so that you'd be legally married.

Yea. Well, this is the bit i wouldnt be too worried about. Like, surely it isnt illegal to just get married in the eyes of God? And stay as a single, unmarried person in the eyes of the state?

Toots

newmug wrote: »

Yea. Well, this is the bit i wouldnt be too worried about. Like, surely it isnt illegal to just get married in the eyes of God? And stay as a single, unmarried person in the eyes of the state?

The church won't marry you without the legal side being done also. It's also difficult to have a legal marriage and then do the church bit later. There needs to be a good reason for it (ie like in the OP's case, legal side in Germany is very complicated) and even then it's difficult to get a priest to do it for you.

axer

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Newmug, i'm an atheist so wouldn't be getting married via a church anyway.

Looks like I will contact the registry office, get the license sorted and ask them how soon afterwards they can facilitate a marraige in their office