If you wish to marry in England
and Wales you may do so either by civil or religious ceremony.
A civil ceremony can take place at a register office or other premises approved
by the local authority for marriages (e.g. hotel, stately home etc.)
A religious ceremony can take place at a Church or Chapel of the Church of
England or Church of Wales or any other place of worship which has been formally
registered by the Registrar General for marriages.
Forbidden Marriages
You must not be related to each other in a way that is forbidden by Law
Minimum Age
The minimum legal age for getting married is 16 years old. In England and Wales
the written consent of the parents or Guardians is required for persons who have
not reached 18 years old and have not been previously married. If either of the
persons is below 18 a birth certificate must be produced. It is preferred that
all persons produce such evidence.
Sex
It is a legal requirement in the United Kingdom that one partner must have been
born a male and the other a female.
Consent
Both partners must be acting by their own consent.
Sound Mind
Both partners to be married must be of sufficiently sound mind to understand the
nature of the marriage contract.
Second and subsequent marriages
There is no limit to the number of marriages you can enter into providing you
are free to do so. That is you are widowed or have been divorced and granted a
decree absolute. Evidence will be required to be produced i.e. original death
certificate or divorce absolute certificate with the original court seal.
(photocopies are not acceptable)
Location
A marriage in England and Wales must take place in one of the following:
A District Register Office
A church or chapel of The Church of England or Church of Wales
An approved building - approved by the local authority under procedures dictated
by the marriage Act 1994
A Naval, Military or Air Force chapel
Procedure
Civil 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 an 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.
Church of England or Church of Wales
If you wish to be married in the Church of England or Church of Wales - and
generally you will be able to so so only if you or your partner live in the
parish - you should first speak to the Vicar. If he is able to marry you he will
arrange for the Banns to be called on three Sundays before the day of the
ceremony or for a common licence to be issued. The marriage will also be
registered by the Vicar and there is generally no need to involve the local
Superintendent Registrar.
Other places of religious worship
If you wish to marry by religious ceremony other than the Church of England or
Church of Wales you should first arrange to see the Minister or other person in
charge of marriages at the building. However, the Church or religious building
in question must be in the registration district where you or your partner live.
It will also be necessary to give formal notice of your marriage to the
Superintendent Registrar of the district(s) where you live. A registrar may also
need to be booked.
The legal formalities
Unless you are marrying in the Church of England or Church of Wales by Banns or
Common Licence You and / or your partner must attend personally at the register
office for the district(s) where you live and give notice of your marriage to
the Superintendent Registrar.
Notice of marriage can be given in one of two ways:
Superintendent Registrar's certificate without licence
This is the most common form of notice and a form giving the couples names and
addresses, ages and location of the ceremony will have to be completed together
with a declaration that there is no legal objection to the marriage.
Residency requirements
If both partners reside in the same registration district.
Each partner must have lived in that district for at least seven days prior to
giving notice to the Superintendent Registrar of that district. Either party may
give notice.
If the couple reside in different districts to each other, then each person must
give notice in his/her district or either party must give notice in both
districts.
However notice cannot be given until both persons have lived in their respective
districts for at least seven days.
After the Superintendent Registrar has established that he can take notice of
marriage, it is entered into a marriage notice book and a statutory form is
displayed on a public notice board for 21 clear days. (This is the equivalent
period that banns are published in the Church of England). The reason for this
is to allow anyone who has any objection to the marriage to register his
objection.
A certificate of marriage is then issued (Not a Marriage Certificate which is
issued after the wedding) and held at register office until the day of marriage.
If notice of marriage is given in two districts, then one should be collected by
the couple as it will have to be produced before the ceremony can go ahead.
The marriage has to take place after 21 days and within one year of Notice of
marriage having been given. If the marriage is postponed beyond the one year
fresh notice will have to be given. (e.g. if notice is given on 1 July the
marriage may take place on or after the 23 July)
Superintendent Registrar's certificate and licence 'Special Licence'
Licence or 'Special Licence'
This requires that one of you has lived in the registration district for at
least 15 days prior to giving notice at the register office. Your partner need
only be resident of or be physically in England and Wales on the day notice is
given. This is a more expensive option but it then allows a marriage to take
place after only one clear day of giving notice ( excluding a Sunday, Christmas
Day or Good Friday). Be ready to provide certain documents to show the
Superintendent Registrar these may include a passport or some other form of
identification. If either of you are divorced you will need to show a decree
absolute of your divorce. (e.g. you can give notice on a Monday and be married
on the Wednesday)
How far in advance to book
A notice of marriage is valid for one year. You may therefore not give notice of
marriage to the Superintendent Registrar more than a year before the date of the
Wedding. The sooner you arrange to book the marriage the more likely it is that
you will get the date and time of your choice. The Superintendent Registrar will
be able to give you more precise information in this respect.
Documents needed
When you visit the Superintendent Registrar or Vicar to make the formal
arrangements you will need to produce certain documents, for example if you have
been married before a decree absolute of divorce bearing the court's original
stamp, or if your previous spouse has died a certificate of death.
It would also be useful if your birth certificate or passport (or some identity
document) could be produced. Photocopies are unlikely to be accepted. Other
documents may also be needed depending on the circumstances, for example, the
consent of parents to a marriage where one of the partners is under the age of
18 years old.
If you are not able to provide any of the above documents the Superintendent
Registrar will explain what other documents may be acceptable.
Please Note
A marriage cannot go ahead unless the legal formalities have been completed.
Notice of marriage must be given in person to the Superintendent Registrar by
one or both of the partners. No one else can do so on their behalf.
Where an advance booking for marriage has been made it is essential that a
formal notice is given to the Superintendent Registrar once it is within three
months of the marriage.
