Question about booking registrars for civil ceremony

Babafette

My partner and I are planning to get married next year and have chosen a venue in a different area to where we currently live.

I am a little confused as to what steps we need to take with regard to registrars. Do we go and see the local registrar first to give notice then go and see the registrar for the area in which we intend to marry or do we have to do it the other way around? :huh: I also have no valid passport or driving licence and am worried this will cause a problem.

Sorry if these seem like daft questions. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks.

Mojisola

https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/what-you-need-to-do

Babafette

Thanks for the link Mojisola. I did look at this and other sites, and although it seems we have to give notice first it still doesn't state it very clearly. I was just hoping someone could confirm for definite.

browneyedbazzi

If you want a definite answer contact either of the registry offices involved and ask them what you need to do. They'll be the ones who can say for sure and they're generally very helpful folk.

When I got married we contacted the registry office in the area where we were getting married first (to check they were happy with the venue and available for the date we wanted etc). Once that was done we booked an appointment at the local registry office to do the notice. This was a few years ago and we lived in England and got married in Wales - so things may have changed since then or be different if you live and will be married in the England.

arbrighton

You have to have your date and venue to able to give notice so you need to book for the actual marriage first then make arrangements to give notice, which has to be less than 12 months but more than 2 weeks before the wedding, for the office in the authority you live in for a week prior to the date. They then process paperwork to send to the authority where you are getting married.
If you change your date/ venue, you have to give notice again.

We've booked our registrar for ceremony but haven't yet given notice as OH has no leave left til after xmas which is still plenty of time for a June 2015 marriage

wendz86

We spoke to the area we were getting married in first and booked the time and date. Then nearer the time we gave notice at our local registry office.

Babafette

Thanks very much to everybody who replied.

74jax

Check out the weddings board too for loads of help and advice http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=142

gayleygoo

If you are not having a religious ceremony, check with the venue that this is okay. Friends of mine booked a venue and were then told they couldn't have a civil ceremony because then they'd have to offer it to "couples of all orientations" and the politicians and other prominent figures who booked their functions there wouldn't be happy about that. Since they couldn't legally prevent gay couples having their ceremony there, they restricted it only to religious ceremonies. Horrible, but it was too late for them to back out then...

arbrighton

gayleygoo wrote: »

If you are not having a religious ceremony, check with the venue that this is okay. Friends of mine booked a venue and were then told they couldn't have a civil ceremony because then they'd have to offer it to "couples of all orientations" and the politicians and other prominent figures who booked their functions there wouldn't be happy about that. Since they couldn't legally prevent gay couples having their ceremony there, they restricted it only to religious ceremonies. Horrible, but it was too late for them to back out then...

you have to choose an 'approved venue' for the civil ceremony anyway so this doesn't really apply.

Noctu

gayleygoo wrote: »

If you are not having a religious ceremony, check with the venue that this is okay. Friends of mine booked a venue and were then told they couldn't have a civil ceremony because then they'd have to offer it to "couples of all orientations" and the politicians and other prominent figures who booked their functions there wouldn't be happy about that. Since they couldn't legally prevent gay couples having their ceremony there, they restricted it only to religious ceremonies. Horrible, but it was too late for them to back out then...

Surely this is different now with the recent change in law to allow same sex couples to get married?

Also I was under the impression that you cannot have a legal (as in, an actual legal marriage) religious ceremony in a civil ceremony venue e.g. a hotel. When we had our civil ceremony we were told we could not have any religious readings, vows, songs, etc.