Getting Married....
The Church of England and the Church of Wales are able to
issue their own paperwork for weddings. However, people from other
religions must visit their Register office to give notice of their
Marriage.
If you want a civil ceremony, then you must each give notice to the
Superintendent Registrar in the district where you live. This needs
to be done not more than 12 months before the wedding.
Unless the performing minister is ensuring the Banns are read
or a Common License is issued, it is the responsibility of both the
prospective Bride and Groom to ensure individual notice of marriage
is given to the Superintendent Registrar.
Cheshire County Council Registrar's department
can be viewed from the following links:
It is a legal requirement that both of you have lived within a
registration district in England or Wales for at least seven days
before notice is given - notice being given at the same office if
you live in the same district or at separate offices if you live in
separate districts.
A notice to marry will be valid for 12 months, but is only
valid for the venue named.
Once notice has been given you must wait a further 15 days
before the marriage can take place.
When you arrive to give notice of your wedding one of the
Superintendent Registrar's will ask you to sign a legal declaration
that the details in the notice are correct. If you sign your name
to false information you may find yourself the subject of a legal
investigation and possibly prosecution.
You must bring originals of the following documents:
- Proof of identity: This could be passports.
- Proof of residence: In the absence of a passport proof of name
in use can be verified by the production of a birth certificate
plus a further document e.g. driving licence, medical card, council
tax bill or utility bill.
- Consent must be obtained if you are under 18 years of age.
- If you have been married before: bring a document to show the
marriage has ended, a death certificate or a decree absolute if you
are divorced.
If any documents are in a language other than English, you will
need to get these translated before giving them to the
Superintendent Registrar. They will be submitted to the Registrar
General for verification.
You can be married by:
- Your marriage can be solemnised by a Superintendent Registrar
in the presence of a Registrar and two credible witnesses.
- An Authorised Person (a Priest, Vicar) who will register the
marriage and issue you with a marriage certificate.
Costs
There are certain costs involved when you give notice of
marriage, details of which can be obtained from the
registrar.
The Ceremony
You can get married in registry office, church, chapel or any
building that has been formally registered for marriage ceremonies
(some hotels and even football grounds are now allowed to hold
ceremonies)
A civil ceremony must be of a strictly non-religious nature.
Details of Registry Offices in Cheshire can be found at the
Cheshire County Council Registration Pages although you may marry
at any Registry Office in England or Wales.
Other Details
Remember, if the bride takes her husband's name there are a
few organisations she must notify of the name change. Here is
a checklist to help you remember:
- Banks and Building Societies
- Benefits Agency
- Council Tax
- Credit and Store Card
- Doctor
- Dentist
- DVLA
- Employer
- Finance Companies
- Inland Revenue
- Insurance Companies
- Loan Companies
- Mail Order Catalogues
- Motoring Organisations
- Passport Office
- Pension Company
- Premium Bond Office
- Professional Bodies