There is no approval process for a wedding venue generally.
First things first – the Marriage Act of Ireland allows for 3 types of Celebrants to Solemnise a Marriage:
- Civil
- Secular
- Religious
Religious or Secular Marriages – No
For marriages conducted by Celebrants who are registered as either Religious or Secular Solemnisers, such our own Celebrants & Ministers, it is not necessary for a wedding venue to have a “HSE approval”.
A wedding venue in Ireland must comply with the requirements of the Marriage Act, and it is the responsibility of the chosen Marriage Solemniser (Minister or Celebrant) to determine if each wedding venue meets these requirements, so that the wedding ceremony will be a valid marriage.
Civil Marriage Ceremonies – Yes, But …
For a Civil Ceremony, or Registry Office marriage conducted by a Civil Registrar at your choice of wedding venue, there are some rules regarding marriage venue approval for the ceremony.
Because the Civil Registrars are employed by an employer, the wedding venue must also comply with the workplace health and safety policies set by their employer, in this case the government deparment who employs them, namely the HSE.
Therefore every wedding conducted at a wedding venue by a Civil Registrar, must be inspected by the Registrar prior to the wedding day, firstly to ensure that the venue satisfies the requirements of the Marriage Act, and also that the venue satisfies the requirements for workplace safety and public amenity set by the Registrar’s employer, the HSE.
This inspection and approval process is carried out for each and every marriage ceremony, and approval is the the ceremony only, and does not give an official “HSE approval” status to a wedding venue.
I hope this explanation is helpful to you!
If you have any questions about getting married in Ireland please don’t hesitate to contact us.
