Ireland will probably see its first civil partnership ceremony take place in April and many more same-sex couples are expected to get hitched over the next year. The introduction of civil partnership is a significant leap forward for gay rights in Ireland (see panel) but it also represents a boost for the struggling wedding industry by opening up a new market at a time when couples are being much more canny with their cash.

Businesses are already trying to stake their claim with hotels like The Clarence in Dublin and Bloomfield House in Mullingar highlighting their availability for civil partnership ceremonies and receptions.

A Dublin jewellers – C Clarke's – has launched a specialised wedding-ring service for gay and lesbian couples (Samesexrings.ie) with prices starting at €200.

When the UK first introduced civil partnership in 2004, couples were spending up to 40% more than their heterosexual counterparts on their celebrations. But gay or straight, getting hitched is an expensive business.

The ceremony

The couple must wait for at least three months after notification (fee: €150) to hold their ceremony. As with civil marriages, the venue for a civil partnership ceremony need not be a drab registrar's office. An alternative venue must be agreed between the registrar and the couple and it must be inside a public building – a marquee in the back garden is not acceptable. If a civil ceremony has never taken place in the venue before, the couple may need to apply to have it approved, with the registrar making an inspection.

It is likely the hotel where you are holding your reception will have already been approved for civil ceremonies and will have a room set aside for this purpose, which should be free of charge. If you are dead set on the romance that a church wedding provides, you should consider having your reception in a castle or hiring out a specialist ceremony-only venue like Johnstown Castle (johnstowncastleweddings.com) which is available for around €1,000. There are additional fees for civil ceremonies held outside registry offices (approximately €125) to cover time and expenses.

The reception

The spend on the party after the ceremony is up to the couple involved. At the peak of the Celtic Tiger economy, the average cost of a wedding was around €27,000. Competition between hotels has seen costs drop considerably. It is now possible to have a three-course meal with wine included for as little as €21 a head. It is now possible to drive a hard bargain, said wedding planner Judy Mullins (Idoweddings­ireland.com).

"Hotels are not selling rooms anymore and they are dependent on their wedding business. People are getting much better value for their money and the hotels are much more open to suggestion from customers rather than the take-it-or-leave-it attitude they would have had before," she said.

The key to getting good value for money is concentrating on the things that matter most, said wedding co-ordinater Kate Degan (Co-me.net), who has organised a number of same-sex blessings in Ireland.

"Couples should focus on what they really want for their day. For some people, that means booking a good photographer, for others it might be having floral arrangements everywhere. Focus on what's important to you and spend the extra bucks there," she said.

Savings

Couples are holding back on costly extras, said wedding co-ordinator Rosemarie Meleady (Thewedding­planner.ie).

"People are still saving for their wedding but they are paring back on some things. People were spending €3,000 on a band but now some are just having a DJ. Photographers are offering disc- only packages where people pay them around €900 to take the pictures and then they make up the album themselves. Little things like the party favours on everyone's table are gone," she said.

Flowers are another massive expense – if the hotel won't include them in the cost, consider sourcing them from a wholesaler and arranging them yourself.

The average bride will spend between €1,500 and €3,000 on her dress. For two men entering into a civil partnership, hired suits should suffice at about €100 each.

Where both brides are wearing the full regalia, however, the cost could end up being astronomical – in such cases, secondhand dress shops like Oxfambridal (Oxfam­ireland.org) should be considered. The dresses are almost always shop samples that have never been down the aisle and prices average between €200 and €400.

What Civil Partnership means

Same-sex partners to gain same tax rights as married couples

Although it does not go as far as some advocates would like, the civil partnership bill does put same-sex couples on a more equitable footing. Prior to now, same-sex partners were considered individuals regardless of the length of their relationship, with the result that they were treated very unfairly when it came to tax and social welfare. Civil partners will now enjoy many of the rights of a married couple.

"A number of tax changes and changes to the social-welfare code will also be required so that civil partners will be treated in the same way as married spouses. For example, married couples can transfer property to each other on a tax-neutral basis – without incurring capital acquisitions, capital gains tax or stamp duty – and that will be relevant to civil partners," said financial consultant Barry Kennelly.

Similarly, civil partners will be able to inherit from their spouse without being liable for inheritance tax and the surviving civil partner will be entitled to a pension on the same basis as a widow or widower. On the downside, they will be subject to means-testing for welfare purposes.