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Civil weddings on the rise in Ireland
The Wedding Planner on Today FM’s The Last Word
Civil weddings are quickly becoming popular in Ireland and may overtake religious ceremonies by the year 2012, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The proportion of civil ceremonies has increased from just 6% in 1996 to over 23% in 2006, according to the CSO. During the same period, the proportion of religious ceremonies has also decreased.
“The new legislation introduced in 2007, allowing couples to marry in venues such as hotels and castles, has played an important part in this change, and this trend will probably continue in the coming years,” says Rosemarie Meleady, The Wedding Planner.
Venues wishing to host civil ceremonies must get licensed by the Health Service Executive.
The CSO research has also shown the average age of the groom in a civil wedding was 36, compared with the overall average of 32. While the average age for the bride was 34, almost three years older than the overall average of 31.
*Listen to Rosemarie Meleady, speaking about this topic on Today FM The Last Word, with Matt Cooper. http://www.todayfm.com/Shows/Weekdays/Matt-Cooper/listen.aspx (Wednesday 1st July at 4,30pm)
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