Weddings
Congratulations on your decision to get married! We hope that the information here will be helpful to you in the plans for your Wedding.
In order to complete the necessary paperwork for both Church and State, at least three months notice is required by both.
For the State:
The State requires that you give at least three months later.
Contact the Registrar’s Office to set up an interview.
At the end of that interview, you will be furnished with a Marriage Registration Form – MRF. This is the Form which is signed at the end of the Ceremony i.e “The Signing of the Register”. For that reason, this Form should be kept safe.
For the Church
The couple wishing to arrange a wedding should contact the Parish Office:
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To check the availability of the Church they wish to book – Ss Peter and Paul’s or Balscadden
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To complete a booking form (this may be downloaded see hereunder) and give the address at which the parties live.
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To pay the booking fee of €250
Within six months of the date of their marriage the couple should organise the following documents in order to have their Pre-nuptial papers completed by a priest in the parish in which they live:
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A Baptismal Certificate for each party
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A Confirmation Certificate for each party where the date of the Confirmation is NOT on the Baptism Cert.
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The MRF which they will receive from the Marriage Registrar
All of these documents must be dated within six months of the Wedding Day.
Couples who live in the Parish and wish to be married outside the parish must arrange for their own priest to celebrate their Wedding Ceremony. Unfortunately, it is not possible for the priests in the parish to travel to weddings outside the parish due other parochial demands.
Where both parties live outside the Parish of Balbriggan, they are required to supply their own priest.
Couples are advised to arrange to complete a Pre-Marriage course. Early booking is advisable. A Certificate is presented on completion of this course. This Cert is then given to the priest who is looking after their Pre-nuptial Papers.
Couples often ask about the Ceremony itself. Firstly, decide whether you would like to celebrate the marriage within Mass, or not.
You may find it helpful to look at www.gettingmarried.ie where you will find a wide range of Scripture readings, Prayers of the Faithful and hints on preparing for your Wedding Day. They also have the facility for you to create your own booklet.
We hope that you enjoy the planning for this very important day in your lives. If we can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact us.
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