Wedding Day Regulations

Wedding Day Regulations

When can my wedding ceremony take place?

Civil Wedding Ceremony

If you wish to marry by civil ceremony, that is at a register office or other approved building for civil marriage, you should first contact the Superintendent Registrar of the district where you wish to marry. You may marry at any register office or approved premises of your choice in England and Wales. However, for a marriage in approved premises, you will need to make arrangements at the venue in question. In addition you will need to give a formal notice of your marriage to the Superintendent Registrar of the district(s) where you live.

Your marriage cannot go ahead unless the legal formalities have been completed.

Wedding Day Regulations Nothing of a frivolous nature is permitted before or during a marriage, which detracts from the dignity of the occasion. A Religious marriage ceremony or a religious blessing must not take place at the same celebration, when the civil marriage is completed. Food and drink will not be available for consumption in the marriage room before or during the marriage ceromony. Music may be provided, but must be secular. Any musical content must be approved for suitability by the Registrar's Office in advance. The use of a video camera is permitted, provided that the camera operator remains stationary and the camera has no light attachments.

Notices of marriage must be given in person to the superintendent registrar by you and your partner. No one else can do so on your behalf..

Within England and Wales, the wedding laws dictate that a ceremony must take place between the hours of 8am and 6pm, the only exceptions being for Jewish and Quaker ceremonies. witnessed by at least two competent people, who will be required to sign the marriage register

Both of you must have lived in a registration district in England or Wales for at least seven days immediately before giving notice at the register office. If you both live in the same district, you should both attend your local register office together to give your notices of marriage. If you live in different registration districts then each of you will need to give notice separately in your respective district. After giving notice you must wait a further sixteen days before the marriage can take place, (for example, if notice is given on 1 July the marriage may take place on or after 17 July).

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