When booking your wedding one of the parish secretaries in Cobh Parish Office

will refer you to a priest of the parish to fill out the Booking Form to confirm the Booking. 

A wedding cannot be taken as confirmed until you have met with or spoken to a priest of the parish.

A marriage cannot take place until all the marriage documents (Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Forms) are

complete and in order.

 Bookings are not accepted by third party.

Weddings do not take place on Sundays, Holy Days and during Holy Week.

Preferably, six months notice should be given to the Priest of the parish prior to the date of the wedding.

Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Forms, for both parties, to be completed in parish of residence.

• Baptismal Certificate (must be issued within six months of the date of marriage) and

Confirmation Certificate for both parties.

• Letter(s) of freedom where necessary.
• Certificate of an appropriate Pre-Marriage Course.   (ACCORD Pre-Marriage Courses – 025/31899)
• Meet with priest officiating at Sacrament in regard to planning liturgy, music, rehearsal etc.

State Requirements

Both parties must be over eighteen years of age.

A couple must meet a civil registrar at least three months before the wedding to give notification

of their intention to marry. (Registrar’s Office, Adelaide Court, Adelaide Street, Cork. 021 – 4275126.

www.groireland.ie)  The couple will need to know that the church is available prior to this meeting.

They will also need to know the name of the priest who will solemnise the marriage.

The couple will be required to bring the following documentation to the registrar’s office:

Photo identity (preferably a passport or driving licence)

• Name and dates of birth of witnesses
• Name of church where they wish to be married
• Date of marriage
• Name of priest who will officiate at the marriage; this presumes that the
  celebrant is a registered solemniser and that he has agreed to
  officiate at the marriage
• If either party has been previously married, they must provide the civil
  registrar with an original divorce decree or a death certificate if widowed.

When all the civil requirements have been completed satisfactorily the couple will receive from the registrar,  a Marriage Registration Form (MRF).  Without this form the couple cannot get married nor may the solemniser proceed with the marriage ceremony.

The couple must present the MRF to the solemniser before the wedding so that he can check that thedetails are correct before the marriage takes place.   This should be done as early as is convenient.

If changes are necessary – for instance, changing the name of the solemniser/witnesses – the couple  should contact the civil registrar to arrange for the re-issue of the MRF at the earliest possible stage before the ceremony.

After the marriage has been celebrated, it is the responsibility of the couple to return the MRF to any

Registrar’s Office. This form must be returned within one month of the marriage.

If you are living outside the Parish of Cobh

• Please seek permission from the priest of the parish of residence to marry outside the parish.
• If possible, have your own priest officiate at your ceremony.
• A fee of €300 for use and upkeep of the Church is usually made at the time of booking.
• The above documents should be sent by the bride’s Parish Priest to: The Secretary, Cobh Parish Office, 5 Cathedral Terrace, Cobh, Co. Cork.

• Completed application form (attached) to be returned before booking is confirmed.

Living Overseas

• Couples living overseas who intend to marry in Ireland should approach the priest of their parish

of residence abroad regarding Church requirements, as soon as possible.

• The State requirements should be followed as outlined above.  Contact Registrar’s Office to

ascertain requirements required by non-residents.

• Marriage Papers from abroad should be sent by the Parish Priest of the Bride to her Diocesan

Bishop or Local Ordinary who will forward them for his Nilil Obstat to the Bishop of Cloyne,

Cloyne Diocesan Centre, Cobh, Co. Cork.

• Bookings of the Church may be made by telephone but interested parties must confirm their booking

in writing.  Please complete, and return to us, the attached Application Form and church fee

of € 300 as outlined above.

• A certified translation of foreign language papers is required.

Marriage Documents must arrive six weeks in advance of the wedding date.