If you’re thinking of planning an elopement in Ireland, you’ve come to the right place!
Not only is Ireland one of the greatest places to elope due to its endless beautiful scenery, there’s something for every type of couple who want’s to embark on their new chapter together here. Whether you’re adventure seekers, foodies, movie geeks, or just looking for a laid back day, Ireland is perfect for you.
So, you have decided you cannot pass up the breathtaking scenery of Ireland for your elopement. That's great! Now what?
Where do you start when planning an elopement in Ireland? The first thing to figure out is if you are planning to have a legally binding ceremony at home or in Ireland. Most couples choose to do all the legal paperwork back home, then come to Ireland for a symbolic ceremony. This makes the process a lot smoother, as there is quite a lot of paperwork and prior-planning involved to get legally married in Ireland.
Before we move onto the fun stuff, lets talk about the legal stuff!
If you are planning to have a legally-binding, religious or civil elopement ceremony in The Republic of Ireland, your elopement must be done by a registered solemniser or Humanist Association of Ireland accredited celebrant, and must take place on a location with a postal address, at an identifiable landmark, and be accessible to the public (not private property). You must also have two persons present who are at least 18 as witnesses. Your photographer(s) or videographer(s) can act as witnesses if you are eloping without guests. You must give notice of your Marriage at least 3 months before your ceremony and apply for a marriage Visa.
For Northern Ireland, your elopement must be done by an officiant for religious weddings, or a registrar or humanist celebrant for secular weddings. You must also have 2 witnesses who are at least 18. You must give notice of your marriage within the 12 months of your ceremony, and the minimum is 28 days before and apply for a UK marriage visa. I will leave relevant links below this blog post for you to check out any legal information!
For both Ireland and Northern Ireland, the types of legally binding ceremonies are:
Religious i.e Catholic or Protestant / Civil / Secular & Humanist.
Ask yourself, "what does my dream elopement actually look like?"
Are you aimlessly exploring the mountains, then settling on a spot to elope? Are you by the sea, listening to the waves crash against the rocks while you exchange your vows? Are you heading to the local pub with your closest family and friends after playing some outdoor games, or maybe you planned a romantic, candle-lit sunset dinner on the beach for just the two of you, then end the night goofing off and dancing to your own play-list. The possibilities are endless. The time is yours to make it whatever you want, and to create a day that is full of your personality, and authentic to you as a couple.
If you could create the best date day ever, what would you do? Now is the time to think outside of the box and consider all of the unique things that Ireland has to offer! While exploring the stunning scenery by foot seems like an obvious decision, you could also plan a once in a lifetime helicopter tour, or see the famous coastline from a private boat!
If you are considering Ireland to elope, there's no doubt its because it is one of the most beautiful countries on earth. There are literally 100's of gorgeous places to consider when planning your elopement here.
- Dunluce Castle
- Dunseverick Castle
- Ballintoy Harbour
- Kinbane Castle
- Dingle Peninsula
- Cliffs of Moher
- Mourne Mountains
- Wicklow National Park
- Killarney National Park
- Howth Head
- Dublin City
- Conor Pass
Dunluce Castle
Kinbane Castle
Killarney National Park
Dunseverick Castle
The Giants Causeway
Ballintoy Harbour
The Dark Hedges
Cliffs of Moher
The next step is to start reaching out to vendors.
If you aren't using an elopement planner, I recommend reaching out to officiants and photographers to start off. Some photographers offer a lot of guidance when it comes to other vendors, locations, and help putting together a timeline. If you need help with these things, feel free to inquire about my services!
Consider the time of the year & time of the day:
While you can have your elopement ceremony at any time of the year, there are some factors you might want to consider before choosing a date! Weather, tourist traffic and holidays are three of the main things to think about.
While the weather is unpredictable, it may be wise to avoid planning your elopement around the wettest months which are December, January and February although rainfall is common throughout the year. The driest months tend to be June and July.
You will find the best times to visit Ireland with the fewest crowds is Spring and Autumn. Summer is peak travel season here, so if you are hoping to avoid the masses of tourists, I recommend planning your elopement outside of the summer months. However, if having your elopement in Summer is something you want, just plan your ceremony for later in the day when tour busses stop running and tourist centres close for the day.
Lastly, consider the holidays. You might want to avoid having your elopement around St.Patricks day unless you are up for large, rowdy, drunken crowds (but maybe this is your thing!) Bank holidays, such as Easter, are times of the year when locals flood to famous landmarks and tourist attractions with the kids etc. Just something to think about!
Of course, you can have your elopement at any time of the year. It is your day! These are just some tips, but there are no rules!
For more info on the best months to elope in Ireland - check out this blog:
With any outdoor event, you have to be flexible with your expectations of your day! It is possible that some things might not go exactly to plan as you aren't booking a venue. Always have some sort of back-up plan or at least be open to one! You never know what you might run into on the day, such as weather or closures. If it rains a little, then so be it! I've shot plenty of sessions in the rain and they are epic! In the unlikely event that a location is closed, lets just go to plan B! Whatever happens, embrace it, and enjoy every second of your day!
Once you get to Ireland, your means of travel is super important! Especially if you are planning to travel around and visit a bunch of landmarks around Ireland & Northern Ireland. You may want to exchange some cash into GBP before you visit too, as Northern Ireland is part of the UK. You will need euro coins to pay the tolls between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and for some main highways in Ireland. Most offer card contactless card payments, but to be safe I recommend always having some spare change in your car which can also come in handy for public parking lots that some landmarks might charge for!
Renting a car is highly recommended. Public transport isn't great especially for long distance travelling and would take up far too much valuable time. Depending on where your elopement is, you may have to drive a few hours to your location from Dublin Airport. However if you are eloping on the West of Ireland, Shannon Airport is another possible option depending on where you are departing from.
If you are looking for a more authentic stay, maybe look into some Airbnb's here! I have stayed in quite a few around Ireland (especially near the Cliffs of Moher) that would be perfect for groups, or couples alike. Most offer a really personal and homey experience which I personally love. I have met so many amazing hosts who have enhanced my stay and given me advice on what to see, what to do and where to eat etc! Always look out for super-hosts or hosts with a good amount of reviews.
Another important note: Travel Insurance! INVEST IN GOOD TRAVEL INSURANCE! You do not want to worry about medical costs on the most important trip of your life. Get yourself covered!
The beautiful thing about elopements, is that they give you so much freedom to include anything you want on your day. There are 0 rules here! Scrap the traditional wedding timeline. Heck, have your day fully back to front if that is what you truly want!
The meaning of elopements have changed so much from the 'run-away-wedding' idea. This is still your wedding day. You can have it as simple as you like, or as extravagant and adventurous as you like. Don't think that just because you're eloping you have to forego elements that you would otherwise love. Have that incredible floral wedding arch you always dreamed of, the first dance, or even the reception!
You can also incorporate activities, tours (maybe even a boat tour to Skellig Michael), whale watching, swim with dolphins, hiking the Mourne Mountains & watching the sunset, or even take a night-time kayaking session and experience the incredible bio-luminescent lake (Tangled comes to mind!)
It is your decision to splurge on whatever areas that mean most to you if that's going to make it your dream day. The one thing I encourage you to do, is get it all captured. No matter how small or large. I for one would LOVE to see photos of your crazy adventure-filled elopement day!
I hope that this post has given you the resources, ideas and most importantly, the nudge you needed to make one of the best decisions of your life, elope! Now, go have fun planning it! Let your imagination run wild. I cannot wait to hear about your absolute dream day and I hope that I can experience it with you!
Do not let anything, or anyone come between what is most important. You, celebrating your love story with your person in the most incredible, adventurous and intimate way possible!
