Planning a
small destination wedding in Ireland is becoming an increasingly popular alternative for couples who want to celebrate with their closest family and friends without organizing a large traditional wedding.
For couples traveling from the
USA or Canada, a smaller guest list can also open up many more possibilities when choosing where to get married in Ireland.
Instead of being restricted to a large wedding venue, you could have an intimate ceremony overlooking the Atlantic, celebrate at an
Irish castle or ancient ruin, choose a country house, or even incorporate a traditional Irish pub into your wedding day.
How small is a small destination wedding?- Elopement – just the couple or a handful of guests
- Micro wedding – often around 10–20 guests
- Small destination wedding – often around 20–40 guests
The terminology isn't particularly important. What matters is that keeping the guest list smaller gives you much more flexibility to create a wedding around the experience you actually want.
Can Americans and Canadians legally marry in Ireland?Yes.
American and Canadian couples can legally get married in Ireland, provided they complete the required marriage registration process.
Couples can also choose to complete their legal marriage at home and have a
symbolic wedding ceremony in Ireland.
It's worth remembering that the
Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have different legal marriage systems, so the requirements will depend on where your ceremony takes place.
Where can you have a small wedding in Ireland?This is where Ireland really comes into its own.
Depending on your guest numbers and the type of ceremony you're planning, possibilities can include the
Cliffs of Moher and Ireland's Atlantic coastline, historic castles, ancient ruins and abbeys, country houses, intimate hotels and traditional Irish pubs.
Rather than choosing a specific venue immediately, I normally recommend that overseas couples first decide what they imagine when they picture their wedding in Ireland.
Cliff, castle, ancient ruin or country house?Once you know that — along with your approximate date and guest count — narrowing down suitable locations becomes much easier.
Do you need a wedding planner in Ireland?It's certainly possible to organize a destination wedding yourself, but there are practical details that can be difficult to judge when planning from thousands of miles away.
For example, is a beautiful ceremony location actually suitable for 25 guests? Is it accessible for older family members? How will everyone get there? What's the indoor backup if the weather changes? How long will it take to travel between your ceremony, photography locations and dinner?
Having an experienced
wedding planner in Ireland can help with locations, local vendors, transportation, timelines, weather backup options and the practical logistics of bringing your wedding together.
We've been planning weddings at
Eloping in Ireland since 2014 and have now helped organize
more than 1,500 weddings and elopements across Ireland and Northern Ireland, primarily for couples traveling from the USA and Canada.
How much does a small destination wedding in Ireland cost?There isn't one standard price.
A small cliff ceremony followed by dinner for 10 people will have very different costs from a 30- or 40-person castle wedding with accommodation and an evening celebration.
Your main costs can include the ceremony location, planning, officiant, photographer, videographer, hair and makeup, flowers, ceremony music, transportation, food, accommodation and entertainment.
For couples bringing guests,
food, accommodation and reception costs are usually where the size of the guest list makes the biggest difference.
We've put together a new detailed guide covering
small destination weddings in Ireland, costs, locations, wedding packages, legal requirements and planning from the USA or Canada:
https://elopinginireland.ie/small-destination-wedding-ireland/If you're currently planning a small wedding or intimate destination wedding in Ireland, feel free to ask any questions below. I'm always happy to share advice from our experience planning weddings here.
Love from Ireland,
Stephen & Roisin
Eloping in IrelandE-mail:
hello@elopinginireland.ieCall toll-free: 1-800-481-4055 (USA & Canada only)
Text toll-free: 1-833-210-7193 (USA & Canada only)