A married couple must satisfy a number of criteria to commence a valid marriage in Ireland:-

1. They must be at liberty to marry each other.

2. They must freely consent to the marriage.

3. They must observe the formalities required by Irish law.

Anyone marrying by religious or civil ceremony must give three months' written notification of intention to marry to the registrar (or else obtain a court exemption order before the marriage.)

Both parties must also be over 18 years of age on the day of their marriage (or have obtained a court exemption order in relation to the same)

Marriages may be solemnised in the office of the Registrar of Civil Marriages by registrar's licence or by registrar's certificate. The main difference between the two is the length of residence required in the registrar's district before the marriage.

Couples intending to be married in the registrar's office by licence or certificate must personally serve notice on the Registrar of Marriages of the district in which they live and in whose district the marriage will be solemnised. Where the couple live in different registration districts, they must serve notice on the registrar of each district.

The couple should arrange an appointment to serve notice by phoning the registrar a couple of weeks after submitting the three-month notification of intention to marry.

When serving notice, both parties must produce a birth certificate, passport or driving licence as proof of age and identity, as well as any other documentary evidence requested by the registrar as proof of residency.

Where one of the parties has previously been married and divorced in Ireland, a certified copy of the divorce decree must be produced, pronouncing the divorce as final.

Where a party was divorced outside the state, a certified copy of the divorce decree nisi and absolute must be produced, as well as birth certificates for both parties to the divorce. Questionnaires must also be completed in advance in respect of both parties to the divorce.

Where either or both parties to the proposed marriage has received a decree of nullity, a certified copy of the decree must be produced when they serve notice, along with a statement from the Supreme Court that no appeals have been lodged against the decree.

If either or both parties is widowed, they must, at the time of serving notice, produce a certified copy of the death certificate of their late spouse, as well as their first marriage certificate.