GETTING MARRIED IN THE UK

All the legal bits you need to know

By CAROLINE

How to get married in the UK - the legal bits you need to know

Engaged to be married? Get ready to plan your wedding with confidence! This step-by-step guide will take you through three essential things you need to know before starting the detailed planning process:

1. Types of weddings

2. Styles of venues

3. How to book a Registrar to attend your legal wedding ceremony, and how to give notice to marry

As a seasoned wedding industry professional with 30 years experience designing, planning, and hosting hundreds of weddings, I created this guide to help couples understand their options and legal requirements.

HOW TO GET MARRIED

If you prefer listening or watching, Caroline explains everything to you on our YouTube channel.
(16 minute video)
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The different types of WEDDINGS - your planning guide

1. LEGAL WEDDINGS

Legal weddings must be officiated by a government-appointed Registrar, or a clergyperson authorised to register marriages.
They are conducted either in a Registry Office, an approved premises, or a religious building.
Each wedding requires two witnesses and a registrar/clergyperson alongside the couple. All parties must sign the wedding schedule (formerly known as the Wedding Register in England and Wales).

Marriage v Civil Partnership?
You can choose either a marriage or a civil partnership. Both will give you next of kin status in law and protect you should your partner pass away.

A Marriage contains a statement of intent, and spoken vows said to each other in the presence of witnesses. Both are part of a ceremony, which can include the optional exchanging of rings. Readings, poems, and music can also be added.
A Civil Partnership is a signed contract that does not require any spoken words but does still require witnessing. You cannot divorce on the grounds of adultery in a Civil Partnership.

2. NON-LEGAL WEDDINGS

These are celebrant-led ceremonies, sometimes referred to as Humanist-style weddings. They are held in any location, such as your home or a non-licensed or licensed venue. Smaller elopement-style weddings can be held somewhere wild and wonderful, such as up a mountain! Non-legal weddings cannot be carried out in a religious establishment. There is more freedom in the choice of words and promises and the ceremony can include more personal background information about the couple. Other pagan-style rituals, such as hand-fasting, can also be included.
Celebrant-led weddings are NOT legal weddings. You still need to marry in either a registry office or licensed venue at a different time to be legally married.

3. The different styles of Venues

LICENSED VENUES include Register Offices and local authority-licensed venues, also known as approved premises. These are generally hotels, private venues, or stately homes. Once you decide on a location, request a list of licensed venues by contacting the County Council of that region.

RELIGIOUS VENUES include the Churches of England or Wales.
To marry in a religious venue, you may need to be a practicing parishioner and reside in the parish of your chosen church.
This may involve being a resident for some time before the wedding and attending Sunday service for a few weeks before the wedding day. This is when your Marriage Banns will be read out in church. These rules can make marrying in a church outside your locality challenging, but not impossible.

Each parish or diocese can have different requirements, so it is always best to ask the church in question.

OUTDOOR or INDOOR
Some licensed venues have outdoor ceremony spaces for weddings, weather permitting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, laws regarding licensed outdoor spaces relaxed. Couples can now marry in an outdoor space adjoining a licensed room, provided it is part of the venue license.

BENEFITS OF A LICENSED VENUE
For church weddings, couples often host a reception in a nearby hotel or other venue. With Civil Weddings in a licensed venue, you can have both your ceremony and reception in the same place.

4. BOOKING THE REGISTRAR to attend your Civil Ceremony

For a Civil ceremony in a licensed venue, you must book the registrar to attend your wedding – your venue cannot do this for you. Fees apply and are paid directly to the local council relative to the venue. Fees vary from county to county and depending on which day of the week you marry. Sundays are the most expensive. Your venue will tell you which registry office to contact. Registrars are booked to attend the venue on the correct day at the agreed time. A clergyperson would arrange these details for a church wedding service.

5. GIVING YOUR NOTICE TO MARRY

All civil ceremonies in England and Wales require you to GIVE NOTICE TO MARRY in the registry office where you live.

You both give notice in person a minimum of 29 days before your intended date of marriage.
The notice expires after 12 months.
If you live in different counties, you give notice independently in your county. This can be done on different days. The appropriate fees are paid directly to the local authority by the couple.
You must be resident in that county for a minimum of 7 days before giving notice to marry.

Here is a handy postcode checker to find your nearest offices:

6. LIVING ABROAD

British citizens living abroad are required to be in England for seven days before giving notice.
If you are not a British Citizen, you must hold the appropriate visas to marry in the UK.

EVIDENCE that may be required includes:
* Proof that you are free to marry.
* If you are divorced, a Decree Absolute.
* If widowed or a widower, your spouse’s death certificate.
* Proof of your address, such as a utility bill
* Identity card or Passport
* If you have changed your name, then proof, such as a Deed Poll
* If you are not a British National, you will need the correct visa

Please check the Government website for up-to-date details.

7. ON YOUR WEDDING DAY

On your wedding day, you are interviewed separately by the Registrars.
For a destination wedding (your venue is not local to where you live), the Registrars will receive relevant permissions and paperwork from your local authority.
The Registrars check the details on the wedding schedule ahead of the ceremony and go through the ceremony particulars. This takes 10 – 15 minutes per person.

8. MUSIC and READINGS

The registrars must approve readings and ceremony music before the wedding day.
For Civil Weddings, you are not permitted to use any references to the church. This includes content of a religious nature, such as hymns, bible readings, and blessings. You can have poetry, readings, and music, provided it is non-religious.

COMMENT - LIKE & SHARE

I hope you have found this blog useful. If you have any questions, please comment below or share the blog with someone who may find it helpful. Many thanks to our recommended photographers for sharing their photographs.