BEFORE HEARING THE WEDDING BELLS RING OR EVEN BEFORE LOOKING AROUND FOR ELEGANT WEDDING DRESS, there's a bunch of LEGAL REQUIREMENTS to be looked after in order to that "I DO" anywhere in UK.
I'd like to share what we did (IN ORDER) before we were ready to say our wedding vows. Ours is a civil wedding so I don't know about how to do it if marrying in a church.
1. WE BOOKED AN APPOINTMENT TO GIVE NOTICE TO MARRY. I have attached a link of the DESIGNATED REGISTER OFFICES IN ENGLAND AND WALES. Look for the Registry Office closest to you and book your appointment to give notice to marry there. Upon booking the appointment, be prepared to have your debit/credit card with you (and make sure it's in your name else, they won't book it) as they will need to take 70 quid as payment (that's 35 quid for each). Upon booking, they will give you the closest date available but you can choose a date and time later than that if available. The staff, would tell you what documents you need to bring...The complete list of Designated Register Offices can be found in this link.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum.../dg_176374.pdf
2. LOOK AROUND FOR WEDDING VENUE. Some Registry Offices are licensed to hold a wedding ceremony and they have various rooms to cater the number of guests attending your wedding. Make enquiries about availability your preferred wedding date.
3. Once you have made a decision about the venue, secure a booking then call the Registry Office to make a PROVISIONAL BOOKING. This would make sure that nobody will be booking the same date and venue. The cost to be paid depends on the day of the week the wedding falls. MONDAY-THURSDAY is cheapest; FRIDAY - slightly expensive; SATURDAY - more expensive than Friday; and SUNDAY AND BANK HOLIDAY - the most expensive. I don't know if the cost differs but we paid 430 quid for the Registrar to conduct the wedding, one copy of Marriage Certificate, and booking fee (it was more coz the wedding falls on a Sunday). WE MADE THE PROVISIONAL BOOKING VIA PHONE -- PAID BY PHONE. They will be posting the receipt and a provisional booking confirmation letter.
4. ON THE APPOINTMENT TO GIVE NOTICE TO MARRY. On the date that you are supposed to give notice to marry, arrive 10/15 minutes before the appointment time. Documents needed:
a. Proof of Identity -- yours and your fiance's current passport
b. Proof of Address -- this causes the dilemma (hahaha!) any of the ff:
- recent bank statements
- any bills (council tax,phone, electricity, etc.)
- as i don't have any of these, the staff told Dave to
make a short note saying I have been living in this
address since blah......
During the appointment, you will be interviewed individually -- just simple questions about you and your partner -- just to make sure it's not a fake marriage.
5. AFTER GIVING NOTICE. The Registry Office where you have made the provisional booking will send you a marriage brochure then you will be asked to fill in a form for the actual details of the wedding.
--- 16 days after giving notice to marry, you will receive a "certificate-like" thing from the designated office saying you are free to marry and is valid for a year in England, and three mos. in Wales.
*****NOW DECIDE whether you will have artificial or real flowers for the wedding bouquet*****
***And NEVER AGREE that your husband-to-be will have a STAG PARTY, THEY'VE HAD ENOUGH***
Originally Posted by Lancashirelad
