Cheapest way to get married

Usted

My partner and I have been together 26 years. He is a teacher and is applying for a post in the Middle East. We need to be married for the visa. Also, if one of us dies it would make things much easier for the other person if we were married.
All we are after is a marriage certificate. We don’t want a ceremony or any of the trappings whatsoever. Our lovely parents and siblings are supportive of this. But the cheapest way we can find to get that vital piece of paper is around £200. It seems we would have to use a registry office and rent a room. Does anyone know if there is a cheaper way of just getting a marriage certificate?
Many thanks.

TonyMMM

(Sssuming England/Wales) You have to give legal notice (currently £35 each) there is no getting around that.

All registration districts should offer a basic ceremony option - usually in the registrars office, with no frills and room for just the legally required two witnesses (usually allows no other guests). My local registration service offers that option at only one office, and on one day of the week, for the statutory fee of £46.

A certificate is optional, but now costs £11 per copy.

So the cheapest you could do it for (with the cert.) is £127.

seven-day-weekend

TonyMMM wrote: »

You have to give legal notice (currently £35 each) there is no getting around that.

All registration districts should offer a basic ceremony option - usually in the registrars office, with no frills and room for just the legally required two witnesses (usually allows no other guests). My local registration service offers that option at only one office, and on one day of the week, for the statutory fee of £46.

A certificate is optional, but now costs £11 per copy.

So the cheapest you could do it for (with the cert.) is £127.

Mine does a similar service (service in registrar's office on a Wednesday only) for a similar cost, except you can have four guests (two of whom will act as witnesses). So maybe this is the way to go.

comeandgo

Where are you? In Scotland and NI a humanist wedding may be cheaper. They are not recognised as legal in England or Wales though.

Pollycat

comeandgo wrote: »

Where are you? In Scotland and NI a humanist wedding may be cheaper. They are not recognised as legal in England or Wales though.

Would it be recognised for a Middle East visa?

Would it be cheaper than a register office ceremony?

tyllwyd

(And remember that if part of the reason you are getting married is looking to the future if something happened to one of you, you will probably need to make new wills as the marriage would invalidate your current ones.)

DigForVictory

+1 for weekday registry office. Shop around, different registry offices cost more or less but they're all solidly legal which is what you need.

You can always have some family party or whatever humanist blessing etc you want when you get back, but shop around for the registrar & a proper solicitor & proper Wills for you both first.

Then get the visa (see if you can get one that will let you work as well? You never know if the opportunity to earn for you will pop up & it'd be a shame to miss a second income on paperwork alone, but it may be more codified)

Then buy the life/travel insurance as married.

Sncjw

Why do you not want the ceremony. You will need to give bans as well so that can add time on to things.

Sncjw

What do you mean by any of the trappings?

seven-day-weekend

I wonder if 'not wanting a ceremony' means that you think you can just sign papers?

In English Law there are certain rules you must follow:

First of all, your Banns must be published for 21 days.

Then when the day comes for you to get married at the Registry Office, you each have to declare before two witnesses and before the Registrar that you are free to marry.

Then you each have to affirm that you are willing to marry the other person.

Then you sign the register. Then you get the Certificate.

(All the above, (apart from the Banns!) before two witnesses).

You will also have to show ID.

Without those steps, the marriage is not legal.

So you have to have a 'ceremony', even in the cheapest and simplest of weddings.

seven-day-weekend

Here is an example of what you would say at a Registry Office Wedding, from Leeds City Council:
https://www.leeds.gov.uk/docs/Ceremony%20wording%20options.pdf