 Your wedding day
When you come to give notice of your intention to marry, you will be provided with an attractive guide if you are marrying at the Wandsworth Register Office, telling you all you need to know about getting married there.
We will discuss all our facilities and any enhancements you would like to incorporate in the marriage ceremony. For example, we can offer music, additional words and commitments to the legally required ones, and readings of poetry or prose. We will be happy to discuss the incorporation of any other special or cultural features.
Similarly, if you are planning not to marry in the Register Office but instead to marry in one of the premises in Wandsworth approved for civil marriages, we will discuss with you any enhancements you would like incorporated in the marriage ceremony.
Whether you are marrying at our Register Office or at one of the approved premises for civil marriages, our overall aim will be to ensure that your wedding runs smoothly, to reflect your specific wishes and to provide you with a truly enjoyable and carefree experience.
What must we do to marry?
You need to visit the Register Office and give notice of your intention to marry. This is a legal requirement. The fee is £30 for each notice of marriage and is not refundable if the marriage does not take place.
Both the bride and the groom must give a notice of intention to marry in person. No one else can do this on your behalf.
Everyone getting married in England and Wales needs to do this before the ceremony. (Those being married in the Parish Church usually follow different procedures).
Giving notice of your intention to marry permits your marriage to take place after sixteen clear days and within a year of the date of giving notice.
You do not need to be resident in Wandsworth to be married at our Register Office.
What are the requirements for giving notice?
To give notice at Wandsworth Register Office you must have lived in the Wandsworth district for seven days immediately before the notice is given. If one or both of you lives elsewhere, you need to give notice in person at the Register Office in the district where you live, again after seven days residency. We can direct you to the correct office if you are in any doubt. It does not matter if you move to a different address before your wedding day so long as the seven days residence requirement is established before you each give notice.
If you both live in the Wandsworth district you both need to give notice at our Register Office.
You must wait at least sixteen days after each of you has given notice before the marriage ceremony takes place. During this waiting period the notices are displayed on the Register Office Notice Board.
On the sixteenth day the Register Office issues a certificate of authority which is required for a legal marriage. You will need one certificate for the bride and one for the groom. There is no fee payable for these certificates.
You must have decided on the venue for your wedding before you attend to give your notice.
People subject to immigration control
There are now new rules for getting married in U.K if you are subject to Immigration Control.
Anyone subject to Immigration Control wishing to marry in U.K. must follow the new procedures.
They must either
- Hold entry clearance as a fiancé or marriage visitor
- Hold a Home Office Certificate of Approval
- Be a person with settled status in UK (e.g. indefinite leave to remain in current passport)
To give notice for a marriage for people subject to the new controls the couple, in addition to the usual requirements for evidence of identity and marital status, and at least a 7 day residence in England or Wales
- Must attend a designated Register Office (Wandsworth is a Designated Office)
- Must attend together
- Must provide evidence of their eligibility (certificate of approval, passport visa etc)
Further information is available from the Home Office Information Line on 0870 606 7766
www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
Immigration and Nationality Directorate
Lunar House
40 Wellesley Road
CROYDON
CR9 2BY
Do we need to do anything else?
Not if you are being married at Wandsworth Register Office and both of you live in Wandsworth. If one or both of you lives elsewhere, the certificate(s) of authority from your local register office must be delivered here, before the day of the ceremony if possible.
If you are marrying elsewhere, you must collect your certificate of authority for the marriage from us (we will tell you the first date that you can do this when notice is given). These certificates (one for the bride and one for the groom) must be delivered to the Registrar, Minister, Priest or Authorised Person who will be conducting the ceremony.
No legal marriage can take place without these certificates of authority.
What must we do to marry in church?
If you intend to marry in a church, other than the Church of England, the procedure for giving notice is exactly the same as giving notice for marriage in a register office. You can marry in a church which is not in the district where either of you live if the Church is your usual place of worship or where there is no place of worship for your religion in the district where either of you lives.
If you are planning a Church of England wedding, you do not give notice of your intention at the Register Office. You should see your local vicar. He will arrange for Banns to be read and will then issue his own certificate for the marriage to take place.
Where do we go to give notice?
The Wandsworth Register Office is located in Wandsworth Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, SW18. It is based on the ground floor and has direct easy access for disabled and elderly visitors. There are toilet and baby changing facilities within the Register Office.
Get a map
Must we make an appointment?
No, but you may do so if you prefer. We operate both a drop-in service and an appointment service.
Our drop-in service operates from 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. We aim to see all callers within thirty minutes of arriving and 90% of callers within 15 minutes.
If you would prefer an appointment during these hours, you may make one by telephoning the Register Office (020) 8871 6120/1 or our Minicom line for deaf people (020) 8871 8642.
If giving notice during these hours is inconvenient, we can offer you an appointment on Thursday evening, Saturday or an early morning appointment from 8.30am during the week. You can also make an appointment online.
What will we be asked?
The Superintendent Registrar will interview you in private and ask you a number of questions. There is nothing to worry about. Information is required about you and your fiance(e) and the arrangements (date and place) for the ceremony.
You need to tell the registrar the name you are known by (and any names you have ever used) age, nationality, your present or most recent occupation, your marital status, where you are living and how long you have lived there.
You will need to provide the name and address and local authority area of the place where the wedding is to be. If you are being married in a church etc. you need to tell us the denomination and the name of the officiating minister.
Do we need any documents?
You are required to provide evidence of your name, age, nationality and marital status. You will need to produce your passport - this is the most useful document as is records your name, date, place of birth and nationality. If you do not have a passport you should bring a Home Office Travel document, Home Office acknowledgement of application for asylum, or national identity card. If you have none of these, two other documents such as a birth certificate and medical card, utilities bill with your name on it, bank card etc. may be acceptable. You should bring some form of proof of your address such as a utility bill. If you have been previously married you will need to show how the marriage ended - a death certificate if you are a widow(er), a divorce decree absolute bearing the court's original stamp if you are divorced. If the divorce was granted in another country you may be asked for evidence that the divorce has become effective (e.g. family book, civil registration).
If your documents are not in English you should provide a translation - the translator should sign and show their name and address and should not be either party to the marriage. Original documents are required - photocopies are not acceptable.
If either of you is under eighteen years of age, you will need to produce evidence of consent by your parent or guardian. We can advise you further on this.
What will we be told about marrying at the Register Office?
Apart from booking your wedding day for an available time convenient to you, we will provide you with a colourful guide, illustrating our different marriage rooms and facilities. The guide will also tell you about the ceremony and all the other things that you will need to know for your wedding day.
We will discuss with you whether there are any special or cultural features you would like incorporated in the marriage ceremony (e.g. provision of music, additional commitments to each other, readings of poetry or prose).
We will help you plan your ceremony and our aim will be to try and ensure that all the arrangements for your wedding day fully accord with your wishes.
Can we marry elsewhere?
Yes, apart from marrying in church, you can marry in any other register office in England and Wales. You can also marry in other premises which have been approved for civil marriages. These premises tend to be hotels, stately homes, civic halls, galleries etc. where both the marriage ceremony and the wedding reception can be held.
We can provide you with contact details for other register offices and for approved premises both in Wandsworth and elsewhere.
If you are intending to marry in one of the approved premises in Wandsworth, we will discuss with you whether there are any special or cultural features you would like incorporated in the marriage ceremony (e.g. provision of music, additional commitments to each other or readings). As with our Register Office weddings, our aim will be to personalise the ceremony to meet your wishes.
If we both live outside Wandsworth what do we do?
If you are planning to marry in our Register Office contact us to book an appointment for the ceremony. You will each need to give notice of marriage at the Register Office in the area where you live. Similarly, if you want to marry in one of Wandsworth's approved premises, you will need to give notice in your area.
Can we book our wedding before giving formal notice?
Yes. The law only allows you to give notice of marriage one year before the proposed date of your marriage. We have set up a system for provisional bookings in order to give you the opportunity to plan further in advance. We know that given all the arrangements that have to be made for the reception, the photographer, wedding cars, etc. you may wish to make your booking more than a year before the ceremony.
We will take a provisional booking up to 18 months in advance. If you are planning to marry in one of the approved premises you should first provisionally book the venue and the time before contacting us to confirm the availability of our staff to attend your wedding. You can then confirm the arrangements. Formal notice of your marriage should be given as soon as possible but not more than a year before the ceremony because of the legal constraints.
How much will our register office wedding cost?
- Fees are payable for:-
Giving notice of marriage (fee not refundable if the marriage does not take place) - £30 each party
- The marriage ceremony at;
- the Register Office - £40 plus certificate fee £3.50
- The marriage certificate - £3.50 each
- Fees for marrying in approved premises are set by the local authority. All other fees are set by Parliament and are regularly reviewed. If you contact our Office we will be happy to advise you of the current scale of fees.
What do we do if we want to change the arrangements?
The date: The certificate of authority for your marriage is valid for a year from the date notice is given. With the agreement of those conducting the ceremony the date and time can be changed so long as both certificates (for the bride and groom) are still valid. If a fresh date for the ceremony is outside this timescale notices will need to be given again and the fee paid.
The place: If you decide to change the place where your marriage is to be solemnised you are required to give fresh notices of marriage (and to pay the fee). Remember that the sixteen day waiting period will begin again.
Marriage Preparation Course
The Marriage Preparation Course is for any engaged couple who wants to develop strong foundations for a lasting marriage
Who is it for? It is for any engaged couple who wants to have the best possible start to their marriage. The course, while based on Christian principles, is very helpful and relevant for any couple with or without a Christian faith or church background.
Contact Christine Perkin on 020 8874 6023 christine.perkin@stmarks-battersea.org.uk or visit www.stmarks-battersea.org.uk
Further information
We will be pleased to offer further advice or information should you have any queries.
Please do not hesitate to telephone the Register Office on (020) 8871 6120/1, between the hours of 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Outside these hours, messages can be left on an answerphone service and we will respond no later than the following working day.
For deaf people, we have a Minicom line (020) 8871 8642. Outside office hours, messages can be left on this line and we will respond no later than the following working day.
If you would prefer to make a personal visit to the Register Office, then either come along between 9am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday, or telephone for an appointment.
Emergency help
If you require emergency assistance outside our normal office hours (e.g. to conduct a marriage ceremony where one of the party is nearing death), please telephone (020) 8871 6900 and ask to be put in touch with the Superintendent Registrar.
Complaints/suggestions
If you have any complaints about the Register Office or any views and suggestions, please contact the Superintendent Registrar at the Wandsworth Register Office, The Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, SW18 2PU (telephone number (020) 8871 6120/1 or our Minicom line (020) 8871 8642 for deaf people) or email at registeroffice@wandsworth.gov.uk. If you remain dissatisfied, then please contact the Head of Support Services who has overall responsibility for the service. He is also based at the Town Hall (telephone (020) 8871 6026) or email at pwatson@wandsworth.gov.uk. If, following this, your complaint has not been handled satisfactorily, then contact the Chief Executive at the Town Hall (telephone (020) 8871 6001) or email gkjones@wandsworth.gov.uk who will take an independent view of the problem.
Confidentiality
We will treat all your personal data as private and confidential and will only use it for the purposes for which you are aware. We may contact you to get feedback on the quality of the service that you have been provided with.
Wandsworth weddings are broadcast live on the Internet but only with the consent of the couples. Guests will be told about the broadcast and advised where to sit to avoid being in the range of the camera.
Customer reaction
We are keen always to hear what our customers think of the service we provide - be it good or bad. Our aim is to provide you with the best possible service but to do this we need to know your views.
We regularly conduct customer surveys and if you are given a survey questionnaire, we would be grateful for your co-operation in completing and returning it to us. With your involvement, we can ensure that we are providing a service that is responsive to customer needs.
Another way of gauging your opinion is if you complete one of our comments cards which you will find in our waiting room. If you have any thoughts on how we could improve our service, or you would like to comment on features of the present service you particularly liked, then please complete one of these cards and either leave it in the receptacle provided in the waiting area or post it to us.
Finally, you can, if you prefer, write or email setting out your views to the Superintendent Registrar at The Wandsworth Register Office, Wandsworth High Street, London SW18 2PU (registeroffice@wandsworth.gov.uk) or the Head of Support Services at the Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, SW18 2PU (or by email to pwatson@wandsworth.gov.uk). |
