Marriage and civil partnership registration

Your marriage cannot go ahead until legal formalities have been completed

For civil ceremonies and religious ceremonies in non-Church of England or Church in Wales premises, 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. Nationally-set fees apply in all circumstances.

Go to giving notice of marriage or civil partnership for information and documents required.

Once the notice of marriage has been given, it will be displayed on the public notice board for 28 days, after which, if all documentation has been received and cleared, an authority for your marriage to proceed will be issued.

It should also be noted that, even if your ceremony is small, you will need to provide at least two other people who are willing to witness the marriage and sign the marriage register.

Where an advance (provisional) booking for a marriage has been made, it is essential that a formal notice is given to the superintendent registrar once you are legally able to do so and within the time arranged with the superintendent registrar.

Registration officers have a statutory duty to report any marriage they suspect has been arranged for the sole purpose of evading the statutory immigration controls.