Q re: marriage fees

baby and crumble

Hi all,

I can't seem to find the answer to this on any website and I'd rather not spend ages on the phone to the HSE so here goes.

I know the fee for a civil ceremony in a registry office (however grim) is €200. Now, on the HSE website and Citizens Info there's a line that says "there will be an extra fee for a civil ceremony held in a location other than a registry office". What is that? Is that an extra fee you pay at the same time as the €200 or is it just warning you that you'll pay the hotel or something? It's really confusing.

PhoenixParker

It's an extra fee you pay for the registrar to come to your own venue. How much it is will depend on the venue you've chosen, specifically how far it is from the registry office I believe. There seems to be a big variation in rates around the country from comments I've seen here though they may be standardised according to some secret formula.

The registry office can tell you how much it'll be for where you wish to have the wedding.

baby and crumble

Oh, ok, so say then if you don't actually want to use the registrar but get a humanist solemniser (for example) to do the wedding it'll be their fee, not an extra third thing to pay for no real reason?

PhoenixParker

A humanist is a secular solemniser performing a secular ceremony therefore the HSE additional fee for an offsite civil ceremony doesn't apply.

You pay the E200 + the humanist's fee.

bee06

Yep, you're right. The extra fee they are referring to is basically travel expenses for the registrar but if you aren't using the registrar it doesn't apply.

baby and crumble

Awesome, thanks guys!