If you are both resident in England or Wales, it’s quite simple to register the marriage– although you do need to meet some basic requirements, for example:
- You have to both be over 16 and not too closely related (under 18s need parental consent)
- You have to ‘give notice’ of your marriage to the Superintendent Registrar at your local Register Office (even if you are getting married in a different part of the country). If you and your partner live in separate districts, then you each have to give notice at your respective local Registry Office. You’ll need to take some paperwork with you, namely, evidence of your name, address, date of birth and nationality – usually a utilities/Council Tax bill and your passport will suffice. Also – don’t forget, if you have been married before – take your Decree Absolute with you!
- The Superintendent Registrar will then issue the authority for you to marry in the District of your choice
- There is a statutory fee for giving notice – at the time of writing it is £35 per person
- 28 clear days must pass between giving notice and the legal marriage.
- There is a fee for the legal marriage at the Registry Office – this varies per Council, but is usually in the region of £50-£60 for the basic ceremony/legal declaration which is all that you need as you will be having your personal ceremony, with me, your Celebrant, at the location of your choice, with no restriction on time or content.
There are two parts to the legal bit – the Declatory and the Contracting Words. The basic ceremony need only take 10-15 minutes and you don’t need to exchange rings – you can save that bit for your celebratory ceremony with me. There will be a short statement about marriage, and then you will be required to repeat a declaration.
The Declatory Words are: “I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I [name] may not be joined in matrimony to [name].
The Contracting Words are: “I call upon these persons here present, to witness that I [name] do take thee [name] to be my lawful wedded wife / wife – husband / husband.
We do recommend that you contact your local Registry Office to confirm the information and requirements – especially if one or both of you is not resident in England or Wales.