Civil Marriage ceremonies - Cost, Certificates & Marrying Abroad
Some more information about civil ceremonies, the costs involved, marriage certificates and getting married overseas.
How much does it cost to get married?
Cost of giving notice in advance of a ceremony either at a register office, Approved Premises or in a religious building other than in the Church of England or Church in Wales: £30.00 per person
Cost of a Register Office ceremony: £40.00
Cost of a ceremony on
Approved
Premises - the cost for attendance by the Superintendent
Registrar and Registrar is set by the local authority in
question. A further charge is likely to be made by the owners of
the building for the use of the premises.
Cost of a Religious Ceremony at a building other than a Church of England or Church in Wales - unless the building has an Authorised Person - there will be a £47.00 fee for the registrar and there may be further fees charged by the trustees of the building and the person who performs the ceremony.
Cost of marriage certificate: £3.50
How do we find our local register office?
You can search for your local registry office here. Alternatively, addresses and phone numbers for local register offices can be found in the local area phone book.
What about an approved venue?
You can search for a list of approved venues here. Please type in the full postcode, town or county to get details of venues available in a particular area.
How do I get a copy of a marriage certificate?
You will receive your marriage certificate straight after the ceremony. If at any stage you require another copy, you can apply online or via a register office, in person, by post or fax.
Is it possible to correct a marriage record at a later date?
Each entry in a marriage register is an historic record of the facts as they were given at the time of the ceremony. If errors are subsequently discovered the law may allow for details to be changed or added for which there is no charge. If you would like to discuss a correction, please contact the Superintendent Registrar for the registration district where the marriage took place, who should be able to give you some initial guidance.
Please note: applications for corrections can only be requested by one of the parties to the marriage.
What do we do if we want to get married abroad?
If you have any general enquiries about marrying abroad, you should contact the Embassy or High Commission of the country concerned.
It is possible you will be asked to obtain a Certificate of No Impediment. This is a document required by some foreign authorities to enable a non-national to marry in their country and, under certain circumstances, can be provided by your local register office. If you are asked to provide one, you should contact your local register office.
If you have been asked to provide an Apostille – which is simply formal confirmation that a signature, seal or stamp appearing on a document is genuine – please contact the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 020 7008 1111 for full details including fees, or go to www.fco.gov.uk
Can we register our details in England and Wales?
No, overseas marriages may not be registered at a register office. However, you can apply to have your overseas marriage documents – with translations if necessary – sent from the country where you were married and deposited with the General Register Office.
Certain conditions apply, further information can be found here.
