8th January 2024
Let’s talk Civil wedding ceremonies! Whilst we talk a lot about South Asian wedding ceremonies and traditions, we can’t overlook the legalities and requirements of legally registering your marriage in the UK. For this, we spoke to the experts at Guides For Brides for all their advice & FAQs.
RELATED: 36 Stunning Civil Wedding Dresses That Don’t Break The Bank
RELATED: 27 Civil Wedding Guest Dresses You Need This Wedding Season
The civil wedding ceremony is a pivotal and exciting moment in your wedding planning journey. It is the ceremony that ensures your marriage or civil partnership is legally recognised under law, so it’s important to get it right. There are practical considerations that you need to be aware of, to help you in your planning journey.
‘Giving notice’ is a key part of making your marriage or civil partnership official in the eyes of the law. It is a meeting that takes place at your local registry office and within it you’ll sign legal documents to state that you and your partner intend to marry or form a civil partnership.
This is a necessary step in the civil marriage process as it is designed to protect vulnerable people from being coerced into marriage and to prevent any fake or illegal marriages from taking place. You and your partner will be interviewed together and separately by the registrar during the appointment and you will need to bring the documentation with you to confirm your identity.
These interviews aim to ensure that both parties willingly and legally consent to entering a marriage or civil partnership. The discussions and questions during the meeting are generally straightforward. Once complete, your notice is posted and the majority of couples can get married 28 days after this.
In the UK, you must give notice at least 29 days before your wedding (up to 70 days depending on your immigration status). However, this important job can be done up to a year in advance.
We recommend you start thinking about it within the final 12 months leading up to your wedding day and get your appointment booked in around 3-6 months before the big day, this gives you plenty of time to ensure everything is processed smoothly.
Have more questions? Guides for Brides have written a very comprehensive guide answering all your questions about giving notice and pointing to key sources of information to help you through the process.
Yes, you and your partner will meet with the registrars individually before the civil ceremony takes place. During this meeting, you’ll review your ceremony details, ensure all legal requirements are met, and discuss any special requests. This meeting can take around 15 minutes, so make sure you allow this time in your schedule.
A civil ceremony usually lasts around 20-40 minutes; this can vary based on personal preferences, readings, and other elements you choose to include. It is a secular wedding ceremony officiated by a registrar and is legally binding. Guest numbers are usually dictated by the venue’s license, but at minimum, you’ll require two witnesses to be present for the legally binding part of the ceremony.
If you are getting married in England or Wales, your civil ceremony can take place at either a registry office or at a civil ceremony licensed wedding venue.
You’ll sign the marriage schedule during your civil ceremony. This document is then used to register your marriage. Your marriage certificate is sent to you after this moment.
This is entirely down to you as a couple. Some couples just want to head to the town hall or register office and get the legal bit done without much fuss, maybe heading out for a date night with just the two of you afterwards.
Others want to create a whole other celebration to mark being newly married in the eyes of the law, having a small gathering of their direct family and closest friends afterwards to toast to the occasion just like Sophie Habboo and Jamie Laing before their destination wedding. Some couples also like to follow a few Western wedding traditions on this day too!
We recommend doing what suits you best, especially as the civil wedding day will usually be a much smaller event compared to your Asian wedding celebrations.
Yes, it is possible to have both a civil ceremony and a religious ceremony on the same day. This allows you to have a legally recognised marriage through the civil ceremony and then proceed to have a ceremony that holds religious or spiritual significance for you and your partner.
However, it is important to note that these must be two individual ceremonies happening at different times as the civil ceremony is a secular wedding and must not have any religious references, readings or songs involved.
Most couples opting to have two weddings in one day tend to have one ceremony earlier in the day and another later in the afternoon. This allows for time to change outfits and prep the ceremony room(s) for the events. Just make sure to check the legal requirements in your area, talk to the people officiating, plan the schedule well, and confirm all details with your chosen venue.
Most couples planning to do this will hire a wedding coordinator or a planner to support them on the day with the logistics of having two wedding ceremonies in one day. Also, talk to your photographers and videographers about how they’ll capture both ceremonies and all those special moments.
By thinking about these things, you can have a fun and special celebration of your marriage through both of your ceremonies.
REMINDER: be sure to speak to your wedding decorator & priest to remove any specific religious symbolism in between ceremonies.
The documents required for your Notice appointment will depend on your specific circumstances. All documents must be presented in their original form, and if applicable, any translations should also be provided.
The necessary documentation may include:
● Verification of name, date of birth, and nationality. E.g. a valid passport.
● A utility bill or driver’s license to confirm your address.
● For those who have been previously married, you must provide evidence of your current single status. E.g. a Decree of Absolute following a divorce.
● In case of a name change, documentation related to the change is required, such as a Deed Poll.
● Foreign nationals (including EU and EEA citizens) will need to bring additional documentation specific to their status.
You should be advised of the documents you will need to bring with you by the registration service prior to the meeting, however, we strongly advise that you double check with them directly if you are unsure as without the correct documentation, you will be turned away and need to rebook (and pay again for) your appointment.
During your marriage ceremony, you must say a legal declaration and contracting marriage vows. However, many districts will allow you to choose how you give these declarations and vows from a few options. These options can be traditional, modern or in some cases, simplified versions. Your registration district will be your best port of call for the specific options available to you and may even have them on their website. Oxfordshire County Council, for example, showcases the options couples have for giving their legal declarations and wedding vows.
Additionally, you can give personal promises to each other during the ceremony too. Again, many districts will allow you to choose from a selection of promises you can make to each other and most will also allow you to write your own. If you do choose to do this, the promises must avoid any religious references and you’ll need to write them in advance as they will need to be approved by the registrar.
After signing your marriage schedule at your ceremony, it will be kept by the registrar for electronic registration. Your marriage certificates ordered will be issues and sent to you within 15 working days of your ceremony.
It’s important to keep this safe for future records, especially if you plan to change your name after marriage.
For more information about giving notice and your wedding ceremony, visit the UK government website or speak to your local registry office.
Browse suppliers, use our free digital planning tools, and save money with our supplier discounts.
Already married? Email us and share your real wedding for us to feature.
Sign In with
Or sign up here