MARRIAGE
Marriage according to the law of this country is the union of one man with one woman voluntarily entered into for life to the exclusion of all others.
Nowadays there is a really exciting variety of venues in which you may choose to marry in England and Wales. In the following pages we outline the legal requirements, the procedures and the format of a civil marriage.
We hope that you find the information useful. Don’t forget that we are here to help you, so if you would like any further information or clarification please get in touch with us. Our aim is to help you have a perfect occasion.
Choosing the Venue
Marriage can be either a civil or a religious ceremony.
A civil marriage may be held in either a Register Office or an Approved Venue. These marriages are arranged through the Register Office in the registration district in which you are to marry.
A religious marriage can be held in any religious building which is registered for marriage. These are arranged through the priest, minister or other representative who will advise you whether or not you need to contact the Register Office as part of the procedure.
If in doubt, you can always ring your local Register Office.
Marriages at Register Offices
You can marry at any Register Office in England and Wales.
Norfolk has nine Register Offices varying in style, capacity and facilities. You may wish to visit them before making a booking. Details of all our Register Offices can be found later in this book and on our web pages at www.norfolk.gov.uk. You will both need to give a Notice of Marriage before you can be married (see Legal Preliminaries)
Marriages at Approved Venues
Civil marriages can take place in buildings which have been approved by the local authority such as hotels and stately homes. At present it is not possible to be married in the open air, a marquee or any moveable structure such as a boat or hot-air balloon!
Many of Norfolk’s Approved Venues are featured here. A full list is available on our web pages at www.norfolk.gov.uk
You should secure a provisional date and time with your chosen venue and then contact the Register Office responsible for that venue. They will advise whether Officers are available to conduct and register your marriage. You should contact the Register Office before paying a deposit to an Approved Venue.
Marriages at these venues are becoming increasingly popular so bookings should be made as soon as possible.
You will both need to give Notice of Marriage before you can be married (see Legal Preliminaries).
Marriages in Religious Buildings
For a marriage in a religious building you will need to contact the priest, minister or other religious representative responsible for the building which you have chosen. This is in order to secure agreement for your marriage to take place.
Church of England – Normally the vicar will call the banns during the 3 months before the date of your marriage. Usually there is no need to involve the Register Office. However in certain circumstances, the vicar will choose not to call the banns and will advise you both to contact the local Register Office in order to give Notice of Marriage (see Legal Preliminaries).
Churches other than the Church of England – After making your booking with the priest or minister you should contact the local Register Office as you will need to give Notice of Marriage (see Legal Preliminaries).
Legal Preliminaries
Before you can marry, there are certain legal formalities that need to be observed. The main requirement is for the Bride and Groom to give a Notice of Marriage to the Register Office in the district in which they live.
Giving a Notice of Marriage means that you are making a declaration that you are both free in law to marry each other and will require you to produce certain documents (see Giving a Notice of Marriage).
You must give your Notice in the district in which you have been living for at least 7 consecutive days, immediately before giving Notice. It does not matter if you move out of the area once Notice is given.
If you fail to give Notice the marriage cannot take place.
Contact your local Register Office to make an appointment to give Notice.
Giving a Notice of Marriage
- Contact your local Register Office to make an appointment.
- If either of you is under 18 years of age the consent of your parents or guardians is required. A consent form is available from your Register Office.
- Evidence of name is required e.g. Passport, Birth Certificate, Deed Poll
- Evidence of nationality is required eg. Passport
- Evidence of address e.g. Recent Utility Bill, Recent Bank Statement, Driving License
- If either of you has been married or formed a civil partnership before you will need to provide documentary evidence to show how your last one ended. e.g. A Decree Absolute or the Death Certificate of your former spouse or partner
- All documents must be originals
- A statutory fee is payable to the Register Office for giving Notice.
- Notices must be given in person by the Bride and Groom.
- If you both live in the same district you should try to attend together to give your Notices.
- If you live in different districts you should try to give your Notices within 7 days of each other.
- You can give Notice up to 12 months in advance of the date of your marriage.
- If either of you is a foreign national, please see the section on Immigration Control.
After you have given Notice
- You must wait at least 15 clear days before the marriage can take place. On the 16th day, the Certificates of Authority allowing the marriage to proceed are issued.
- The Certificate of Authority is the legal document that permits the marriage to go ahead and is valid for 12 months from the date that you gave Notice.
- If you are marrying in another registration district, it is your responsibility to collect and deliver the Certificates of Authority to that district prior to the marriage taking place.
- If you change the venue of the marriage, a fresh Notice will have to be given and a further statutory fee will have to be paid.
Fees
For current fees please contact your local Register Office or visit our web pages at www.norfolk.gov.uk
Your chosen Ceremony
Gone are the days when a civil marriage meant a brief ceremony in front of a desk.
Your ceremony can be simple with just the legal requirement of two witnesses or something more elaborate to include bridesmaids, the bride being given away, your own vows, music and readings. The ceremony must, however, be strictly civil and have no religious content to it. When you give your Notice of Marriage we give you a helpful booklet with all the ceremony choices we offer. Our experienced Registration Officers will be only too happy to discuss the options available. We are fully aware that it is your special day!
Are you subject to Immigration Control?
You are not subject to immigration control if you:
- Are a British Citizen.
- Are a national of a country in the EEA (European Economic Area) or Swiss.
- If you have, in your passport, a certificate of entitlement giving you the right of abode in the UK.
If you do not satisfy any of the conditions above, you are likely to be subject to immigration control. If you are planning to marry in the UK the following conditions apply:
- If you are already in the UK you will need to have settled status or if you do not have this, you will need to apply to the Home Office for a Certificate of Approval.
- If you are coming into the UK from abroad, you must obtain the appropriate official permission to marry or form a civil partnership before you arrive. (e.g. a fiancé or marriage visa)
- You will need to give Notice at a Designated Register Office; this is a special Register Office that is allowed to take Notices from persons subject to immigration control. The Norwich Register Office is the designated office for Norfolk. You may give Notice at any of the designated offices in England and Wales. A full list of designated offices is available from the Norwich Register Office.
For further information regarding immigration status please telephone the Home Office on 0870 606 7766 or visit their web site www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
In Norfolk we also offer three other types of ceremony; Renewal of Vows, Naming and Commitment. These can take place in any of our nine register offices or any of the approved venues. You can find details of all these at any register office.