Wedding Planning Advice – Wedding Ceremonies
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
Posted in Planning Advice
Today we are focusing on the different choices available for the wedding ceremony. This is the most important and emotional part of your big day, so it is important that you choose a service that is right for you. You should make this choice at the start of your planning, as it will influence the type of venue you require. For example, you may need a venue that is licensed to hold a civil ceremony. Remember that you will also need to make sure your place of worship, registrar or celebrant is available on your preferred date before booking your reception venue.
Religious Ceremony
This is the most traditional and formal type of wedding ceremony. The format will depend on your faith, but you should contact your place of worship in the first instance to confirm your eligibility to marry and to make initial arrangements. For the purpose of this post, we will concentrate on the Church of England ceremony.
You are free to marry in church providing neither of you have been divorced – if you have been previously married you should speak with your minister to discuss your situation. You can marry in any church of your choice providing you can demonstrate one of the following connections:
- you were baptised in the parish
- you were prepared for confirmation in the parish
- you have lived in the parish for at least 6 months at any time in your life
- you regularly attended services at your chosen church for at least 6 months at any time
- one of your parents has lived in the parish for at least 6 months at any time after you
were born
- one of your parents regularly attended services at your chosen church for at least 6
months
- one of your parents or grandparents was married in the parish
A Church of England ceremony is legally binding due to the reading of the Banns. This is where the wedding is announced to the congregation, usually on 3 consecutive Sundays in the three months before the wedding date, so providing an opportunity for any objections to be raised. If one of you lives in a different parish to where you are getting married, you must arrange for the Banns to also be read in that parish. For more information, visit the Church of England website.
Any other type of religious ceremony is not legally recognised in its own right. This means that you must give formal Notice of Marriage to the superintendent registrar in the district in which you live in the same way as for a civil ceremony – your place of worship should be able to advise you on whether you will also need to have the registrar present at your ceremony.
Civil Ceremony
A religious ceremony is not for everyone, and the most popular alternative is a civil service. The ceremony must take place in either a register office or licensed venue. It has to be in a permanent structure with a roof, which means that you cannot hold your ceremony in a marquee or outdoors. Remember to confirm the availability of the registrar before booking your venue.
A civil ceremony is much more flexible and can be personalised to reflect your personalities – you can include music, readings, and poems and even write your own vows. However, you cannot have any reference to religion in your ceremony and you should confirm your reading and music choices with your registrar.
It is a legal requirement that you must give formal Notice of Marriage at the register office in the district where you live. You need to have lived in the district for at least 7 whole days before giving notice, and you must give notice a minimum of 15 whole days before your wedding date (i.e. if you give notice on July 1 the earliest you can get married is July 17)
The Notice of Marriage will be displayed at the register office for 15 days – if no objections are raised during this time, a certificate will be issued. This certificate is only valid for 12 months, so if you do not hold your ceremony during this time you will need to give Notice again. When giving notice you will both need to provide the following documentation:
- birth certificate
- passport (if you don’t hold a British passport you need to check your eligibility to marry)
- decree absolute, if you are divorced
- marriage and death certificate, if you are widowed
- change of name deed, if you have changed your name
- proof of current address (e.g. bank statement, utility bill)
For further information on civil ceremonies, including residency requirements and giving notice, visit the website of the General Register Office.
Humanist Ceremony
Humanist ceremonies are the most flexible, and are increasingly popular among couples that want a truly personal and unique service. You can hold the ceremony at any location, including outdoors, and can personalise it with music, readings, poems and your own vows. You do not, however, sign a register as with a civil ceremony.
A humanist ceremony is not legally recognised in England, so you must hold a civil ceremony beforehand in order for your marriage to be legal. Many couples choose to do this the day before with only close relatives in attendance.
For more information on humanist weddings or to find your local celebrant, visit the British Humanist Association’s website.
Next month: Finding Your Venue
Photo Credits:
Top: Stephen Sutton Photography
Middle: Style Me Pretty
Bottom: Once Wed
