What Are The Legal Requirements?
The word 'wedding' derives from the Anglo-Saxon 'wed', which means 'to pledge'. This is what a marriage entails - each partner making individual pledges. For such pledges to constitute a legal marriage, it has to be a public declaration, witnessed by at least two independent adults.
In order to be legally married within the laws of the United Kingdom you must:
- not be married already to someone else
- be of sound mind, understand the nature of the commitment you are making, and not be acting under duress (i.e. you must consent to the marriage)
- not be related by blood, adoption or marriage to each other
- as a couple comprise one female and one male by birth
- give notice to the registrar, priest or minister at the right time
- pay the fees
- live in the registration district in which you want to get married, or be marrying someone who lives in that district (minimum residency qualification is 15 days prior to giving notice of the intended marriage to the registrar or minister)
- either have the Banns read (Anglican Church only) or obtain the appropriate certificate
- arrange the ceremony, which has to take place between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., in a properly licensed place (the exceptions to this are those performed with a special licence or a Registrar General's licence, or Jewish or Quaker ceremonies)
- have the ceremony performed and registered by a properly licensed person
- have two independent witnesses present at the ceremony
- turn up at the appointed place at the right time
- collect a copy of the entry in the Registrar's Book of Marriages (the Marriage Certificate) after the ceremony
- be in possession of the following documents:
- birth certificate
- death certificate of spouse (if widowed)
- passport (if you are a foreign national)
- decree absolute (if a previous marriage has been dissolved)
- baptismal certificate (if you are marrying in church)
- letter of consent from guardian or parent (if under 18 - not needed in Scotland)
These are the general requirements for marriages taking place in the United Kingdom. In this section, we go on to look at individual requirements for marrying in England and Wales, in Scotland and in Northern Ireland.
