Where can I get married?
A simple ceremony can be conducted in the presence of 2
witnesses only in Register Office. Alternatively, you may wish to
marry in the Ceremony Rooms at the registration service office in
Weston-super-Mare with up to 40 guests in attendance or at one of
the premises approved for civil
marriages/partnerships.
If you wish to have a religious form of marriage, this can take
place in a church, a non-conformist church or other place
registered as a place for the solemnisation of marriages.
Where you choose to marry will affect the fees you must pay and
who will need to attend to register the marriage.
If you wish to get married in a non-conformist church the law
generally requires that one of the parties to the marriage must
live in the registration district where the building is located. If
this is not the case you should speak to the Superintendent
Registrar. Exceptions to this rule are only rarely made and certain
important conditions must be met. The willingness of a member of
the clergy to conduct the ceremony is not relevant.
Can I get married outside?
At present the law only allows ceremonies to take place in
registered buildings although some venues approved for civil
ceremonies may have a gazebo or similar structure where weddings
can be conducted in their garden. You can follow this link to a
list of
approved premises in North Somerset.
Do I have to have a
registrar?
It depends where you are getting married. All civil marriages
are conducted and registered by staff from our Registration
Service. If you are marrying in a non-conformist church they will
be able to tell you whether there is an Authorised Person who will
register the marriage at the church. If not, then a minister from
the church will conduct your ceremony but a registrar will attend
to register the marriage.
What time can we get married?
Marriage vows must be completed between 8am and 6pm and a civil
marriage can take place on any day of the week.
I have heard that the time restrictions
for marriages/Civil Partnerships are being removed. Does this
mean I could get married in the evening?
Plans to remove the existing restrictions on times
for Marriages / Civil Partnership Cermonies are in the early
stages. As and when parliament agrees to the change, it will become
a matter for Local Government to decide when they will attend
ceremonies. It is unlikely this change will happen in the
coming year or so (from April 2011).
Can we get married on a
Sunday?
Yes. The law does not prohibit marriage on a Sunday although
certain churches may not offer this for their own reasons. Civil
marriages can take place on any day of the week between the hours
of 8am and 6pm.
Do we have to have witnesses?
Yes. At least two people must witness your marriage and sign
your entry in the register. They do not necessarily have to be over
18 but should certainly be capable of understanding the meaning of
the ceremony. You could have additional witnesses - ideally a
maximum of four, if you wish.
Can we have music at our
wedding?
Yes. However, for civil marriages/partnerships, the music must
not be religious in nature.
Religious tunes, even if purely instrumental arrangements, are
not permitted. If an essentially non-religious tune has acquired a
religious connection subsequently, for example where the words of a
hymn or prayer have been set to it, the instrumental may be
acceptable. Also, songs which make a passing reference to a
god or deity but which are otherwise non-religious are also
acceptable.
You are welcome to supply a CD or tape of the music you would
like played at your ceremony to our staff. If you are marrying in
an approved premises, you should discuss arrangements for
playing music with the management there but the registrar will
need to know in advance what tunes you have chosen.
The use of any music is at the discretion of the Superintendent
Registrar who will not be bound by the decision of any other
registration authority to allow use of any particular
piece.
Do you supply music for the
ceremony?
If you do not supply music for a ceremony in the Register
Office we may choose something suitable from our own
collection. We do not supply music for use in approved
premises.
Are we allowed to have someone video our
ceremony?
Yes. The registrar likes to speak to the person who will be
filming beforehand to explain what they can and cannot do during
the ceremony. They try to ensure the camera operator is suitably
placed to capture the ceremony.
My fiancée is not British. Can we still
get married?
Notice of marriage for certain Non-EU nationals and persons
subject to imigration control must be given at specially designated
register offices. Further details are available from the
Register Office, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the
Home Office.
I want to get married abroad. What do I
have to do?
You may require a Certificate of No Impediment to be issued by
the registration service in this country. The process of
obtaining one of these is similar to that of giving notice for
marriage in this country. Depending on the circumstances, you may
have to have lived for longer than the usual 7 days in the district
before giving notice and may need to wait longer afterwards
for the certificate to be issued.
The certificate alone may not be all that is required for your
marriage to take place. The consulate of the country in which you
plan to marry will be able to advise you what documents you require
and the procedures you may need to follow.
Some travel agents may be able to provide advice but
responsibility for obtaining the correct documentation in time for
your wedding rests with you.
Where do I go to give notice?
To the Register Office of the district in which you live. You
will usually have to make an appointment in advance. North Somerset
residents can give notice at the Register Offices in
Weston-super-Mare or in Clevedon.
Can someone give notice on my
behalf?
No. Notice must be given by the parties to the marriage in
person at the register office of the district in which they live.
Notice should be given at least 16 days before the date of the
proposed marriage. It is helpful if both parties can give notice at
the same appointment if they are resident in the same district.
Is there a fee for giving
notice?
Yes. A fee of £33.50 is payable for each notice given.
How can I pay the fees?
Payment can be made in cash or by cheque with a valid guarantee
card or by credit/debit card.
When do I pay the fees?
The notice fee should be paid at the time the notice is given.
Fees for a Register Office ceremony can be paid on the day but we
recommend you pay the fee a few days in advance to save dealing
with the matter at your ceremony.
Fees for the attendance of registrars at an approved premises or
a non-conformist church should usually be paid two months in
advance.
Where payment is being made less than two months before the
wedding it should be made in cash or by credit/debit
card.
What documents do I need when I give
notice?
We will need to see your valid British Passport if you have one
or your birth certificate (ideally the one which includes your
parents’ details as well), and a document or letter from a
recognised company or public body which has been sent to you at
your home address. If you have changed you name, other than through
marriage, we will need to see any formal change of name deed
or deed poll. If either party has been married before, we will need
to see a court copy of the Decree Absolute if they are divorced, or
Death Certificate of their former spouse if they are widowed. Where
a divorce or the death of a former spouse occurred abroad, we may
require a translation of official documents. Contact the Register
Office for details.
All the relevant documents must be produced at the notice
appointment. Notice cannot be given without them.
English is not our first language - can we
say or vows or give notice in our first language?
Marriage ceremonies and notice interviews are conducted in
English. The Superintendent will lead the parties through the words
slowly but must also be satisfied that they and their witnesses
fully understand the meaning of the ceremony. For this reason it
may be necessary for you to bring along someone who is able to
translate the words as they are spoken. The interpreter will be
asked to sign a declaration at the notice that they have given
a faithful and accurate translation. If you need an interpreter to
help you give notice you will also need one to attend the ceremony.
One of the parties being married cannot act as the interpreter. The
interpreter must have an excellent command of English and the
relevant foreign language and will be asked to sign the marriage
register as a witness. We may be able to supply a copy of the
ceremony to the interpreter in advance. We do not supply
interpreters or witnesses in any circumstances.
I cannot find my divorce papers. Can I
still give notice?
No. All relevant documents must be produced when giving
notice.
Particular care should be taken to ensure that the document you
have is a court certified original and not a photocopy. The
document should have a red or blue certification stamp on it. The
document required is the Decree Absolute.
If you've lost the paperwork you can obtain a copy from the
divorce registry or the court where your divorce was granted. A fee
may be charged.
If your divorce was granted recently, your solicitor may have
the decree absolute.
If you are unable to trace a copy of your foreign divorce the
marriage may not proceed and you should seek advice from the
Superintendent Registar as to what evidence of your freedom to
marry might be acceptable.
You can get information about obtaining a copy of a divorce
decree granted by a British court
here.
