Registrar question

greyhound31

Me and my fiance are getting married in Cornwall on the 28th May 2011. We have just booked the venue for a civil service and have just phoned the registrar. unfortunately, the time we wanted (2pm) is already booked and so we have had to settle for 3.30pm.

My question is, do we have to use this registrar or can you have anyone co-orinate a marriage thats allowed to marry people?

joolesw1972

I'm not quite sure what you mean?
I think if you want the legal bit, it has to be performed by a registrar on registered premisis, however if you just want a 'ceremony' anyone could do it and you could do the legal bit in the registry office before or after.
I'm not sure how it works with humanists? Someone else might be able to help.

sarah_elton

You have to use the Registrar from the district in which the venue is located. So no, I don't think there's another option unless you want a humanist ceremony as the previous poster mentioned. I'm not sure if these have legal standing - whether you'd have to go to the Registrar's office separately for that part.

Our wedding is at 3:30pm as that was the time available. I don't think it's a bad thing - went to a wedding on Sunday at 2pm and the time dragged a little between the ceremony and wedding breakfast, and the breakfast and the evening reception.

Also, I thought 3:30 would mean I have a lovely relaxed morning but my hairdresser still feels the need to come and start on us at 10am. Imagine what time he'd start if the ceremony was 90 mins earlier!

mshelsbels

The only thing I would suggest is to let your registrar know you'd still like the 2pm slot, should it become available? (I'm assuming that you're the only party booked in at your chosen venue?)
Registrars usually go out in teams - e.g, I used to conduct ceremonies in the Register office until 12 noon, then go to ouside licensed premises in the afternoon. If there was a lot of demand for weddings at that particular time of year (say saturdays in the summer / Easter / Christmas etc), then the super would send out 2 teams of registrars. The more demand there is the more chance of another 'team' going out. (This may have changed or may vary from County to County though!)
However, people do postpone / cancel their weddings, so its certainly worth speaking with your registrar.

As for an alternate ceremony....you could have a humanist ceremony, performed by a celebrant. You'd still have to obtain a marriage certificate(i.e in a register office/approved venue), but then a celebrant can perform the ceremony in a place which has meaning to you both (a beach, in the countryside, at home etc etc)

Here's a link re humanist celebrations http://www.humanism.org.uk/ceremonies/humanist-weddings

Hope this helps!

Hels