Advice needed for Cork civil wedding dilemma!

hestia

Folks

Would be grateful if you could share any advice or suggestions regarding our witness dilemma.

My partner and I are getting married in a civil ceremony in Cork city in September. It's just the two of us travelling down from Donegal. We had hoped registry office staff would agree to double up as witnesses but this option is no longer available due to staff shortages. This is the case for all registry offices we approached. We don't have friends living in the city (or nearby) at the moment, and are highly reluctant to involve family and friends. For various reasons, we'd just like to go it ourselves alone. We've our heart set on Cork as it holds some good memories for us.

I've contacted the local volunteer centre requesting advice - we would've been happy to make a financial contribution to a local charity or community group in exchange for two people willing to volunteer as witnesses. Unfortunately, we haven't heard back from them, probably because they reckon (rightly) we're barmy but with the date closing in..we're getting more anxious.

The ceremony is scheduled for 3:30pm on Tuesday 20th September at the Registrar's Office, Grattan St., Cork. It will last approximately 15 minutes.

Any suggestions or offers of help would be much appreciated. No idea too ridiculous (just don't mention Joe Duffy).

Many thanks

Milly33

Mm seems a little odd that ye cant someone to volunteer...Surley some friends would like to see ye get married..

Now i might regret saying this but if you were badly stuck I actually dont work on Tuesday and have nething on that day if ye were very stuck I also have a girl here who said if you made a donation to the animal care society in cork she would do it or find someone who could help...

This is saying once ye are two humans, if it is like man and horse or chicken them id be saying no..

hestia

Cheers Milly. That's decent of you. Wouldn't mind taking you up that very kind offer.

Our friends would only be too delighted to see us get hitched but they're in the opposite end of the country and we just fancy going it alone really.

I'll forward our veterinary records by private message.

GerardKeating

hestia wrote: »

Folks

Would be grateful if you could share any advice or suggestions regarding our witness dilemma.

My partner and I are getting married in a civil ceremony in Cork city in September. It's just the two of us travelling down from Donegal. We had hoped registry office staff would agree to double up as witnesses but this option is no longer available due to staff shortages. This is the case for all registry offices we approached. We don't have friends living in the city (or nearby) at the moment, and are highly reluctant to involve family and friends. For various reasons, we'd just like to go it ourselves alone. We've our heart set on Cork as it holds some good memories for us.

I've contacted the local volunteer centre requesting advice - we would've been happy to make a financial contribution to a local charity or community group in exchange for two people willing to volunteer as witnesses. Unfortunately, we haven't heard back from them, probably because they reckon (rightly) we're barmy but with the date closing in..we're getting more anxious.

The ceremony is scheduled for 3:30pm on Tuesday 20th September at the Registrar's Office, Grattan St., Cork. It will last approximately 15 minutes.

Any suggestions or offers of help would be much appreciated. No idea too ridiculous (just don't mention Joe Duffy).

Many thanks

We have a slightly simular issue a while Back, Our register said that they could not double up as witnesses since they did not know us, that the witnesses should actually be known the the bride/groom.

hestia

Hope you managed to get it sorted OK.

There isn't a standard policy on this as it happens. We contacted a large number of registrars across the country and responses spanned the spectrum from snotty and incredulous to sympathetic and genuine attempts to help. When I inquired if the request was common, or if couples travelling from abroad had encountered similar difficulties, some examples were cited and these were resolved by staff volunteering from the hotels where the couple were staying.

Couples aren't asked to detail the capacity in which they know their witnesses when they give notice to marry, and assurances are given that witnesses can be changed up to the last minute on the day. Thank christ for some chink of modern thinking...

Milly33

haha the vet records..It sounds like in fairness they arent very helpfull to either of ye.. Now I would understand if it was a thing that ye were a very young couple perhaps ( which would be another question to ask) and they wanted your family involved but if not then I do not see why they cannot provide ye with some bit of guidence...

I shall ask around for you also to see i have a few friends that have had a civil wedding..

hestia

Cheers milly, am grand for guidance here. We meet the legal required age of 18 (and then some). You can vote and get pissed without a family chaperone at that age, so you can get hitched unaccompanied too. You can't stop progress, even in Ireland.

We'll work on getting the two required witnesses.

keithclancy

Is there nobody going to your Ceremony you could ask ?

Failing that why not get married in Donegal and have the celebration in Cork, the Ceremony is only 10-15 minutes anyway (Had ours last month in Cork)

Although we paid for a callout and had it the Hotel.

Seriously though, looking for some randomer to Witness for you could go very wrong if they weren't bothered to turn up

hestia

Keith

I know you don't mean to, and you're only being kind, but you do remind me of the many incredulous registrars I contacted. Why don't you do this? Why don't you do that? Why don't you do *insert whatever i think you should do here*?

The difference between re-typing and re-stating our express desire for our chosen location and the absence of guests is simply...gritted teeth.

KazM

I hear you Hestia! Many years ago I let the 'if you would only ..." army change what I planned for my civil wedding - gave up gritting the teeth [dentists are too expensive lol]

Would be happy to stand as witness for you - so you both get want to want.

KazM

Glad to see "all systems are Green for Go!" - see you in 4 weeks

AFC_1903

The dole office is 3 minutes walk away, could be the strangest nixxer offer of the day!

KazM

Mission accomplished!

hestia

A very big and heartfelt shout-out to Kaz and Michael for doing us the honour in warmth, spirit and good humour. All done and dusted in the company of a lovely pair. Our faith in humanity racheted up a gear, we won't forget you.

Thanks also to those others who kindly offered but couldn't make it on the day. Consideration of the request was good enough.

M&M