Women with shoulder length brown hair and a black and cream spotty dress, smiling and holding a folder.

About Me

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.

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.  

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.

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!

Who is Orla McCarthy?

Why choose me?

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  • "Within 60 seconds we knew she was perfect for us."

    My husband and I were quite particular when it came to choosing our celebrant. 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. We had talked through the key elements, but Orla added to this tremendously by offering her own lovely touches. Orla is an absolute professional who made our day so special.

    Eimear & Mike, Sheen Falls

  • "Orla created a personal and meaningful ceremony."

    We met Orla at Wedfest and knew by chatting to her then that she was perfect for us as our wedding celebrant. 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.

    Sarah & Kevin, Fernhill House

  • "Orla ensured it will be a day we'll never forget."

    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. 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.

    Darren & Dave, The Address

  • "She was professional and easy-going."

    We couldn’t have asked for a better marriage celebrant. After initially meeting Orla, I knew she was the right match for our ceremony. She was professional, easy-going and made the ceremony planning a breeze. Orla helped us to create a simple ceremony that was right for us, through her attention to detail and thoughtful suggestions. On the day, Orla was calm, organised, and delivered our ceremony beautifully.

    Katie & Alan – Kilshane House

  • "She did a fantastic job - very relaxed, friendly & a bit of humour."

    Orla was recommended to us by our friend. She did a fantastic job of the ceremony – very relaxed, friendly and a bit of humour, which all made for a great start to our wedding day. She was very detailed and careful with her planning ahead of time, which was clear to see on the day with how well the ceremony flowed. We would very happily recommend Orla to anyone looking for a celebrant!

    Sean & Vera, Castlemartyr Resort

  • "She took great care in preparing our ceremony."

    We are so thankful to have had Orla as our wedding celebrant. She took such care into preparing for our ceremony and guided us through the whole process with ease, bringing the perfect mix of professionalism and warmth. Our ceremony was heartfelt, personal, and so many of our guests commented how it felt truly “us”. We couldn’t have asked for a better celebrant.

    Eirne & Paul, Dromquinna Manor

  • "Orla was one of the best decisions we made."

    Choosing Orla as our celebrant was one of the best decisions we made. She gave us so many wonderful ideas and advice, ensuring it reflected our personalities and the type of celebration we wanted. On the day itself, she was incredible. The love story Orla crafted for us was heartfelt, personal, and perfectly balanced with just the right touch of humour. We can’t recommend Orla enough.

    Danielle & James, Actons

  • "From the second we met you, you put us at ease."

    Orla what can we say, your such an amazing person. From the second we met you , you put us at ease. You gave us the most beautiful ceremony and nothing was too much ! We cannot thank you enough. We couldn’t recommend you more.

    Aoife & Laura, Talbot Hotel Midleton

  • "She is incredibly professional and organised."

    We would highly recommend Orla if you are looking for a unique and personal wedding ceremony! She has great attention to detail and is incredibly professional and organised. She listened to our ideas and helped us shape our ceremony into exactly what we had envisioned! Her kindness and warm energy was evident from our first meeting through to the wedding ceremony, where she made everyone feel at ease.

    Clare & Éamonn, Kinnity Castle

  • "She responded with creativity, flexibility & open mindedness."

    Orla made the entire planning process feel effortless and responded to all of our ideas (some of which were a little atypical) with creativity, flexibility and a great spirit of open-mindedness, not to mention good humour. She is a talented listener and reader of people and struck the right tone on the day, capturing the story of who we are as people and as a couple.

    Marianne & Dan – No. 25 Fitzwilliam Place

  • "We would 100% recommend using Orla as your celebrant."

    We would 100% recommend using Orla as your celebrant. She is a lovely person and was great from start to finish. Leading up to and on the big day, she was very responsive and good to help us in every detail.

    Karen & Brian, The Brehon

  • "She created a calm atmosphere, so we could relax and enjoy our ceremony."

    We couldn’t have asked for a better celebrant for our wedding. She understood our style & worked to create a beautifully simple ceremony that was perfect for us. Her easy-going and positive nature made her a joy to work with, along with her incredible attention to detail. Orla delivered a gorgeous ceremony and created a calm and light atmosphere, so we both really could relax and enjoy our ceremony.

    Michelle & Colm, Mount Juliet

  • "The ceremony that Orla did for us was perfect."

    The ceremony that Orla did for us was perfect. She added in some great personal touches for us and we couldn’t be happier with how it went. Definitely recommend!

    Danny & Aish, Ashley Park House

  • "You were so down to earth and so friendly."

    We cannot thank you enough Orla. From the very first zoom call we knew we wanted you for our big day. You were so down to earth and so friendly. You made the ceremony so perfect for us and our kids, you were amazing. We can’t imagine anyone better for the job.

    Michelle & Stephen, The Maritime Hotel

  • "It was the most beautiful ceremony & inclusive of all our beautiful children."

    What can I say about the amazing Orla, what a beautiful lady inside and out. She always maintained contact from the start right up until our big day! She went above and beyond to make our day so special and personal. It was the most beautiful ceremony and so inclusive of all our beautiful children. My husband and I could not recommend her highly enough. We hope to meet her again in the future.

    Derek & Justine, Garryvoe Hotel

  • "Orla is both professional and incredibly kind."

    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.

    Barbara & Antoine, No. 1 Pery Square

  • "Our ceremony was so relaxed, fun and personable."

    We would highly recommend Orla. Our ceremony was so relaxed, fun and personable which is exactly what we wanted. Orla had all of us at such ease, meeting us a month before our wedding to get to know us and our story. I cannot thank Orla enough and will be recommending her service to all friends and family.

    Laura & Stephen, Sneem Hotel

  • "She made us feel so at ease, a true professional & a real pleasure to deal with."

    Orla was amazing and took everything in her stride. She has a lovely presence and totally understood what we were looking for on our big day and conducted everything so effortlessly. She made us feel so at ease, a true professional and a real pleasure to deal with. Thank you Orla for making our day so special!

    Clare & Peter, Inchydoney Island Lodge

  • "She thoughtfully crafted a ceremony that reflected who we are."

    We can’t emphasise enough how lovely Orla was to have as our celebrant. Orla took the time to understand what mattered most to us. We didn’t want a long & overly busy ceremony, and as we are both a bit shy, she thoughtfully crafted a ceremony that reflected who we are while adding some beautiful, meaningful touches. We couldn’t recommend her highly enough.

    Saoirse & Thomas, Faithlegg Hotel