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Calderdale Register Office

Marriage arrangement and ceremony

The ceremony

A civil ceremony can take place in a Register Office or other building licensed for marriage ceremonies. The ceremony is conducted by a Registration Officer; it must be of a strictly non-religious nature.

A religious ceremony can take place in a church, chapel or other building of religious worship which has been formally registered for marriage ceremonies. The service is conducted by the minister in accordance with the religious rites and ceremonies of the premises.

Approved premises

Since 1st April 1995, the Marriage Act 1994 has allowed suitable premises to be licensed for marriage ceremonies, offering a wide choice. You may marry at any approved premises in England or Wales, irrespective of the district where you live. For a list of approved premises in Calderdale, see Approved venues for ceremonies .

To book a marriage at Approved Premises, contact the proprietor of the building. You will also need to book Registration Officers from the local Register Office to conduct the ceremony.

Church of England or Church in Wales

You wish to be married in either of the above you or your partner would generally have to live within the parish of the church, or be a regular worshipper. If the vicar is able to marry you, he / she will arrange for the Banns to be called or for a Common Licence to be issued. The marriage will also be registered by the vicar, and there is generally no need to involve the local Superintendent Registrar. If the Register Office needs to be contacted, the vicar will advise you.

Other places of religious worship

The church or religious building in question must normally be located within the registration district where you or your partner live, or, if outside the district, be a place of regular worship for either or both of you. The service will be conducted by the Minister, but occasionally a Registrar is required to register the marriage.

To book a marriage at any of the above venues, contact the Minister of the Church, and the local Superintendent Registrar, where necessary.

The above information is a general guide only. For marriages outside England or Wales, or marriages of people where the circumstances are not straightforward, contact the Superintendent Registrar for advice.

The legal formalities

Unless you are marrying in the Church of England of Church in Wales by Banns or Common Licence, notice of marriage has to be given by each of you personally to your local Superintendent Registrar(s).

Both of you must have lived in a registration district in England or Wales for at least seven days immediately before giving notice at the register office. If you both live in the same district, you will each give notice at the same office. If you live in different registration districts, you will each give notice separately in your own area. However, if one or both of the couple are subject to immigration control, both must attend together at a designated Register Office, irrespective of the district where they live. The nearest offices to Calderdale are Leeds and Manchester.

A notice of marriage is valid for twelve months. You may therefore not give notice of marriage to the Superintendent Registrar more than twelve months before the date of your wedding.

A notice of marriage is valid only for the venue named on the notice. Whereas it may be possible to alter the date of your marriage (provided it is before the expiry date), a change of location would require a fresh notice and fee.

After giving notice you must wait a further fifteen clear days before the marriage can take place (for example, if notice is given on 1st July, the marriage may take place on or after 17th July).

Both authorities must have been issued on or before the day of the marriage.

Marriage notices are taken at Calderdale Register Office by appointment only.

Documents required by law

When you attend before a Superintendent Registrar to make formal arrangements, you will need to produce certain documents to confirm your name, age, marital status and nationality.

Preferred documents are:

• a current valid full passport (or, where appropriate, a Home Office Travel Document, a Standard Acknowledgement letter, or a national identity card) or, if unavailable,
• a birth certificate and a second document such as a driving licence or medical card confirming your name and date of birth

Also required:

• if you have been widowed, the death certificate of your former spouse.
• if you are divorced, a decree absolute bearing the court's original stamp.
• Deed Poll documents if you have changed your name.
• proof of your address in the form of a recent utility bill or bank statement
• a completed consent form if you are under 18 years of age.

Costs

You will each be charged a fee of £30 when you give notice.

Plus

• the fee for a marriage at the Register Office, including a marriage certificate, will be £43.50 payable on the day.
• a marriage at approved premises will incur a fee to the proprietors of the premises, and a fee for the attendance of the Registration Officers, which is variable depending on the day on which the ceremony takes place.  Current fees are, Monday to Friday £320.00 and Saturday/Sunday £380.00.
• a marriage at a Place of Religious Worship will incur a fee to the Minister of the Building (variable); in addition, if a Registrar is required to register the marriage, a fee of £50.50 is payable on the day.
• a marriage at a Church of England or Church in Wales does not generally involve the Register Office; enquiries regarding fees must be directed to the Minister of the church.

All fees are subject to review annually, on the 1st of April.

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