Marriage - arrangement and the ceremony
The following explains the arrangements you should make, what happens on the day, and what you can expect the ceremony to be like.
Formalities and legal requirements for marriages
Arranging the ceremony
If you wish to marry by civil ceremony at our register office or one of our approved venues, you must contact us to book the date and make arrangements.
The Notice of Marriage
A Notice of Marriage states the names of the parties to the marriage, age, marital status, address, occupation nationality and the intended venue for the marriage. It is a legal document covered by the Perjury Act 1911. Your marriage cannot go ahead unless the legal formalities have been completed.
Giving Notice of Marriage
Unless you are marrying in the Church of England or Church in Wales by Banns or Common Licence, you have a legal obligation to give Notice of Marriage at the register office(s) in the district(s) in which you and your partner reside.
If you live in Hammersmith & Fulham
If you both live in Hammersmith & Fulham, you must come to the Hammersmith & Fulham Register Office in Fulham Town Hall to give your Notices of Marriage. No one else can do so on your behalf.
You do not have to attend together, but we strongly advise that you do so (unless one or both of you are subject to immigration control, please see below).
The Hammersmith & Fulham Register Office,
Fulham Town Hall
Harwood Road SW6 1ET
Tel: 020 8753 2140
Fax: 020 8753 2146
PLEASE NOTE THAT FROM MONDAY 6TH JUNE 2011 HAMMERSMITH AND FULHAM REGISTER OFFICE ARE INTRODUCING AN APPOINTMENT SYSTEM FOR TAKING NOTICES FOR MARRIAGE PLEASE RING THE OFFICE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
Opening hours are Monday to Friday, between 9.30am and 4pm. The office is closed until 11am on the last Thursday of every month.
If one or both of you do not live in Hammersmith & Fulham
If either (or both) of you do not live in Hammersmith & Fulham, you must give a formal Notice of Marriage in person to the superintendent registrar of the district(s) where you live, unless one or both of you are subject to immigration control.
British Wishing to Marry Abroad
Please ring the office for advice
Foreign Nationals, Immigration Control
If one or both of you are subject to immigration control you will need to attend a Designated Register Office to give notice of marriage, this complies with the marriage rules of 1st February 2005.
It is most important you contact us as early as possible to ensure that all the legal requirements, particularly the residential qualifications can be met. You would both need to attend a designated office at the same time in order to give a notice of marriage.
Registration officers have a statutory duty to report any marriage they suspect has been arranged for the sole purpose of evading statutory immigration controls.
For further information on visas please follow the link www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
Qualifying periods
Both of you must have lived in a registration district in England or Wales for 7 full days (9 days) before giving notice at the register office.
If you live in different registration districts then each of you will need to give notice separately in your respective district. (unless subject to immigration control)
After giving notice you must wait a further 16 days before the marriage can take place, (for example, if notice is given on 1 July the marriage may take place on or after 17 July). Visitors to England and Wales will need to satisfy the residential qualification of nine days and then wait a further 16 days before they will be eligible to marry.
A notice of marriage is valid for 12 months.
The wedding day
On the day of the wedding you will need to bring with you at least two other people who are prepared to witness the marriage and sign the marriage register.
A marriage ceremony in the presence of a superintendent registrar cannot, by law, contain any religious aspects.
Documents you need to produce
When you attend before the superintendent registrar or vicar to make the formal arrangements, you will need to produce certain documents which show evidence of your name, age, marital status and nationality. Please bring original documents, as photocopies are not accepted, please ring the office.
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Name and age - A current full passport. If this is not available, please contact 020 8753 2140 and we will advise you accordingly.
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Declaring your nationality - A current full passport. If you do not have this document, contact us for advice. If you are not a UK national please ring the office, we can advise you whether any further administrative procedures or legal requirements would be necessary in order for you to declare your nationality.
- Marital status - If you have been married before in this country or any other, you will need to produce documents to confirm that you are now free to marry. These could include either a divorce decree absolute bearing the court's original stamp, or the death certificate of your former husband or wife. If divorce is foreign we would need to see the original plus a certified translation.
- Proof of Address - We would need to see of proof of address ie utility bill, bank statement or similar document.
Depending on your individual circumstances, other documents may be required, but we will be able to advise you - if you have any queries, please ring us on 020 8753 2140.
The ceremony
We want to make your wedding day special, so please let us know your wishes. We are here to help in any way we can to ensure that your marriage ceremony is a relaxed and enjoyable occasion.
The register office ceremony is quite simple and short, lasting about 20 minutes including the signing of the register.
However, for those couples choosing to marry in one of the approved premises e.g. Council Chamber or Queen's Club you have the option of enhancing your ceremony perhaps by including poetry or prose readings.
If you have any queries or problems please contact us on 020 8753 2140.
Fees
Notice of Marriage
If you both live in our district, the cost of the Notice of Marriage is £33.50 each. (£35.00 from 1st April 2012)
Register Office or Approved Premises fees
Please ring us on 020 8753 2140 for more information.
Page last updated: 12/03/2012
