Celebrant
Orla McCarthy Celebrant
Cork, Waterford, Tipperary, Limerick, Kilkenny, Kerry
Hello! I’m Orla, your Cork based full-time professional Celebrant and Solemniser with Entheos. I am committed to creating heartfelt and inclusive ceremonies that celebrate life’s most meaningful moments, 7 days a week. I carry out legal weddings, funerals, vow renewals and naming ceremonies.
My goal is to make your ceremony stress-free, personal, and truly memorable. I’m organised, easy to chat to and I’m always here to guide you from planning, all the way to the ceremony itself, with thoughtful and meaningful suggestions. It’s such a privilege to be part of some of the biggest events to happen in people’s lives and I’d love to be there for yours.
Originally from Tipperary, I now call the countryside outside Cork city home, where I live with my husband and young son. My son, who is autistic, has taught me a whole new way of viewing the world, when I view it through his eyes.
Before becoming a Celebrant, I spent many years working with multinational companies in Ireland and abroad, specialising in employer branding and recruitment. Living abroad in diverse cultures has helped me develop a broader understanding of the world and a great appreciation for different perspectives. I bring that open mindset to all my ceremonies and provide what people really want, without any constraints.
When I decided to become a Celebrant, Entheos stood out as the right place for me. They are authentically inclusive and fit with my values and what I want to provide in the world of ceremony. People can include whatever they wish in their ceremony, whether they follow a particular faith path or not.
Choosing the right Celebrant is essential to making your ceremony truly special. Let’s chat to see if we’re a right fit for each other!
A few reviews from my 2025 couples:
(You can find more on my Google Business Page.)
Sarah & Kevin, Fernhill House, Jan 2025
We met Orla at Wedfest last year and knew by chatting to her then that she was perfect for us as our wedding celebrant. We had our wedding 3 weeks ago, Orla created a personal and meaningful ceremony, and everything went so smooth. Our guests could not say enough about Orla and the ceremony. We would highly recommend Orla to anyone.
Darren & Dave, The Address, Sept 2025
We feel very lucky to have met Orla and had her as our celebrant. From the initial meeting right through to the ceremony we felt we were in very safe hands. Orla is a very warm and lovely person as well as very organised. She guided us through the entire process, she supported us to have a very personal and individual ceremony. It was a very special moment in our lives and Orla’s support and openness ensured it will be a day we will never forget. Thank you Orla, you are an absolute star.
Barbara & Antoine, No1 Pery Square, April 2025
It was an absolute pleasure working with Orla. Though we weren’t entirely sure what we wanted, she patiently guided us through all the options, helping us to design the perfect wedding ceremony. Orla is both professional and incredibly kind, and has a calming presence that made the entire experience even more memorable. I highly recommend her to anyone for their special day.
Danielle & James, Actons Hotel, Sept 2025
We got married in Kinsale on the 6th of September 2025 travelling over from Scotland, and choosing Orla as our celebrant was one of the best decisions we made. From the very beginning she made the process so easy and personal. We had video calls to get to know each other, and on one of our trips to Ireland she even took the time to meet us for a coffee in person.
Orla gave us so many wonderful ideas and advice for shaping the ceremony, always making sure it reflected our personalities and the type of celebration we wanted. On the day itself, she was incredible. She helped calm my husband’s nerves beforehand – offering him water and gentle reassurance, which he says made all the difference.
The ceremony was absolutely beautiful. The love story Orla crafted for us was heartfelt, personal, and perfectly balanced with just the right touch of humour. We had so many compliments afterwards from our guests, many of whom had only ever attended Catholic weddings before. They all said how refreshing, moving, and personal it felt. Even those who joined via livestream told us it was one of the most memorable ceremonies they’d ever witnessed.
If you’re looking for someone who will truly capture your story, put you at ease, and deliver a ceremony that feels like you, we can’t recommend Orla enough.
E&M, Sheen Falls, Oct 2025
My husband and I were quite particular when it came to choosing our celebrant. We had conversations with other options prior to our initial conversation with Orla, but, within 60 seconds of talking to her we both knew she was perfect for us. Her genuine manner and sense of humour shone through immediately and that held true until the very end of ceremony (and beyond with lovely follow up messages and emails 😊). We had talked through the key elements of the running order but Orla added to this tremendously by offering her own lovely touches which really enhanced the entire thing. As an aside, having come from a religious upbringing to now trying to navigate a civil ceremony we were worried about how this would impact some members of our family. This worry was circumnavigated as we were allowed have religious references and the ceremony felt very relaxed and true to self. In summary, Orla is an absolute professional who made our day so special. Thank you again Orla,