Getting married without the ceremony at the Registry Office?

kitschkitty

From my local registry offices brochure- here's the minimum you have to say before you can sign the register and be off on your way - the 16 day period mentioned above is the only other thing you have to observe.

"The ceremony is a simple one during which you will
each make two statements. In the first you will each
declare that you are free to marry the other person,
this is called a declaratory statement. In the second you
will each say that you take the other person as your
husband/wife, this is called a contracting statement.
There is a choice of three statements for each of these
and you will need to decide which two you would like
to use. They are:
Declaratory words
1. “I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful
impediment why I .......... may not be joined in
matrimony to ..........”
2. “I declare that I know of no legal reason why I
.......... may not be joined in marriage to ..........”
3. By replying “ I am “ to the question “ Are you
.......... free lawfully to marry ..........?”
Contracting words
1. “I call upon these persons here present to witness
that I .......... do take thee .......... to be my lawful
wedded wife/husband”
2. “ I .......... take you .......... to be my
wedded wife/husband“
3. “ I ..........take thee .......... to be my
wedded wife/husband“

So as little as 14 words each (assuming you have no middle names).

Hillbilly1

All above advice correct.

However have you considered a humanist ceremony? It is legal, but currently only performed in Scotland in the UK. It is the celebrant (registrar type person) that is licensed not the room so you can get married anywhere - outside, beach etc

If we had more time we would have done this - the opportunities are endless!

heartbreak_star

The wedding I attended last week had the most basic legal ceremony - but the couple wrote their own "promise" to each other and their mums did a reading

HBS x

ellay864

heartbreak_star wrote: »

The wedding I attended last week had the most basic legal ceremony - but the couple wrote their own "promise" to each other and their mums did a reading

HBS x

I think it's lovely when it's personalsed. We only had the minimum legal bit, hubby and I wrote our own vows, I chose a reading for my son to read, and a friend wrote the other reading which was all personal to us (not many readings incorporate football, chocolate and performing at the Albert Hall - was certainly unique!). Everybody said they loved the fact that it was personal but also fun. I've kept the vows and readings as they mean so much

JMC39

Hi,

Sorry, I've been away. Thanks for all the replies, it has cleared a lot up. Hopefully this thread is also useful for other people planning something similar.

wanchai_2

Pinzy wrote: »

Some friends had a humanist wedding at some local grounds, then nipped up to Gretna for the legal 'ceremony'.

We're having ours at a licenced venue, and with registrars you do have to make sure there's no religion involved whatsoever, down to no lighting of candles during the ceremony and no Robbie Williams' "Angels" playing!

You will have to do the basic vows as the legal requirement, but if you pick the minimum wording you could still be in and out in little longer than half hour!

These are considered religious??? :rotfl: :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

rosie-lee

Pinzy wrote: »

Some friends had a humanist wedding at some local grounds, then nipped up to Gretna for the legal 'ceremony'.

We're having ours at a licenced venue, and with registrars you do have to make sure there's no religion involved whatsoever, down to no lighting of candles during the ceremony and no Robbie Williams' "Angels" playing!

You will have to do the basic vows as the legal requirement, but if you pick the minimum wording you could still be in and out in little longer than half hour!

You are quite right, but if you would like to have candles in the ceremony room, these can be lit prior to the start of the ceremony.

I think candles look lovely in some locations licensed for civil ceremonies

Mrs_Arcanum

JMC39 wrote: »

Hi,

My partner and I are planning on getting married, however being atheists we were planning on having our own unofficial vowels/ceremony at our own property and then just going to sign the official documentation the next day.

Having looked online, it would appear that we have to go through the process of having a formal ceremony in the registry office even if we don't want to? Is there anyway we can just turn up with witnesses and sign the relevant documentation?

Thanks

The registry office part is just the legal requirement. Perfectly fine for atheists.

continualdiamond

Hillbilly1 wrote: »

All above advice correct.

However have you considered a humanist ceremony? It is legal, but currently only performed in Scotland in the UK. It is the celebrant (registrar type person) that is licensed not the room so you can get married anywhere - outside, beach etc

If we had more time we would have done this - the opportunities are endless!

This is what it is like in Perth, Australia (where I am from). My sister got married outside in the garden of the place she had her reception at back in 2007.

Friends of my parents had a surprise wedding where they invited a small amout of people out for lunch, the lunch turned out to be the reception and the wedding ceremony was on the beach.