Getting Married?
CONGRATULATIONS!
If you, as a couple, are considering St. Patrick’s Church, Celbridge or St. Brigid’s Church, Straffan, as a place to celebrate your wedding we hope the information on this page will be of help.
Practical Information
- Check the availability of the Church of choice for your preferred date and time.
- The booking of the Church for the wedding is deemed to be provisional until the freedom of the couple to marry in the Church is established.
Booking requirements
Please note: The Church is not booked until the booking form is returned and fee is paid. Even then, the booking is subject to the necessary paper work being satisfactorily completed.
Fee for the Church.
The fees payable in respect of your wedding are as follows:
A fee of €500 in total payable in full at the time of booking the wedding. This cost covers the hire of the Church, heating, electricity, insurance, maintenance of the Church and payment to the Priest and Sacristan on your special day!
Please contact the parish office on 01-6288827 to check date availability and to request your booking form.
Apart from presiding at the ceremony the priest works with the couple to prepare appropriate wedding papers, helps with the order of service for the wedding and organizes the rehearsal if required.
Civil Requirements
Under a directive from the Civil Registrar’s Office (Sept 2007), couples must present themselves to the Civil Registrar at least 3 months before the date of the marriage, for further information contact;
The Registrar, Births, Deaths & Marriages, Civil Registration Office, Unit 5, Monread Office, Monread Rd., Naas, Co. Kildare, Contact 045 887660.
Along with personal data, the couple must give the name of the solemniser (priest) of the marriage to the Registrar. If all requirements are fulfilled you will receive a Marriage Registration Form (MRF). Without this Form the couple cannot get married nor may the Solemniser proceed with the Marriage Ceremony.
Religious Requirements
There are various options open to you regarding how and where you can exchange your wedding vows (e.g. a Civil Wedding at home or abroad, or a Religious Wedding). Should you choose to explore the option of having your wedding in St Patrick’s, Celbridge or St Brigid’s, Straffan, we will be delighted to journey with you. Our commitment is to help you in all aspects relating to the religious dimension of your wedding.
Church Documents required:
- A Baptism Certificate – Long form including parents names (not a state birth cert and not an old baptism cert). It is evidence of your baptism. It must be dated within six months of the wedding. You can get this from the Church where you were baptised.
- A Confirmation Certificate available from the Church where you were confirmed.
- The Letter of Freedom: If applicable, is from the Parishes you have lived in since the age of 16. If you have lived in numerous places, a sworn affidavit from a Solicitor may be more convenient.
- Your Pre-Marriage Course and the Certificate from ACCORD.
Your Church Wedding Papers:
These are completed by your current Parish Priest. This is a form which asks a number of questions to make sure that you understand the step that you are about to take. It is important to get in touch with the Priest to complete this form in good time.
Plan the Liturgy
It is important to us that your wedding liturgy reflect the depths of love we cherish as a Christian family, and that you wish to publicly proclaim on your wedding day. We are happy to help you choose the readings, prayers and music that reflect this love in your journey. The readings and the music should be appropriate to the context of a religious celebration. We also recommend that you consult with Accord.ie or litmus.ie in planning your ceremony.
Dispensation
If your prospective spouse is not a Roman Catholic, you will need to get a ‘Dispensation’ (also, if you are getting married in a non-Catholic Church you will need a dispensation). In consultation with you, your priest will get these from your Bishop.
Book your Pre-Marriage course
Courses are run throughout the year but are generally limited to ten couples so early booking is advisable. ‘Accord’ (The Catholic Dublin Diocesan Agency for Marriage) run courses in a number of centres throughout the diocese. www.accord.ie
Useful internet sites:
A worthwhile book to guide you as you plan your marriage is “A Wedding of our own” by Padraig McCarthy.
It is available from Veritas Book stores in Blanchardstown or Abbey Street, Dublin.
if you require any assistance, or have any queries at all, please contact the Parish Office on 01 6288827 or by email at celbridgeparishoffice@gmail.com