Personalising your special day
Once you have given Notice of Marriage or Civil Partnership you will be provided with a pack which will include additional information to help you plan your ceremony. We are happy to discuss any aspect of your ceremony, so please feel free to contact us. Everyone is different and we want to provide the perfect day for you. Please remember that any music, readings or vows should be of a non-religious nature. However, there is plenty of choice and it is the readings, poems, special vows and music that make each ceremony unique. On the following pages you will find a range of ceremony options to cover all budgets. There is something to suit everyone, from a simple register office to a completely Bespoke ceremony. Gone are the days when there was no choice and you could not personalise your ceremony. Everyone has an idea of how they would like their special day to be, and here in Worcestershire we want to ensure you have a ceremony to remember and perfect just for you. If, after you have made your booking, you need to change the date, time, or cancel your ceremony, please notify the Registration Service immediately in order that we can try and accommodate your requests. Registration staff will be able to advise you of the process. We are here to give you guidance and support throughout and will do everything within our power to make your day happy and memorable. What happens at your civil marriage ceremony? We want you to have a day to remember but, as with most special events, there are some things that we need to ensure happens. On the day, you must bring two people with you to be witnesses to your marriage who must be able to understand and speak English. You can choose any relative or friend as long as they are old enough to understand what is taking place. Before the ceremony is due to commence, we will need to check the details taken at the time of the Notice of Marriage. Please refer to your ceremony booklet for details and arrive 30 minutes beforehand for your separate interviews. Please be aware that other ceremonies may be booked around yours, so it is important that you arrive on time to ensure that your ceremony can take place. The ceremony time will vary dependent on the type of ceremony you have chosen so can be up to 45 minutes in duration.
Every marriage will include:
The Registrar will welcome everyone to the ceremony.
Everyone will be reminded of the legal definition of marriage and of the solemn and binding character of the vows you will be making to each other.
You will declare that you are free to marry (a declaration).
You will make a contract with each other (contracting words).
You may exchange rings and make promises.
You and your witnesses will sign the legal Marriage Schedule. There will be an opportunity for photographs – see Photography and Videography section . The above is only a very brief outline of the skeleton of a marriage ceremony. The options on the following pages will show you how you can enhance or make your ceremony bespoke … happy planning! What happens at your civil partnership formation? Civil partnerships are slightly different in that there is no formal ceremony as part of your formation. The law just requires you to sign a Civil Partnership Schedule (legal contract). If, however, you wish to have a ceremony, we can arrange and discuss this with you. As with marriage ceremonies you will need to bring two people with you to be witnesses to your civil partnership who must be able to understand and speak English. You can choose any relative or friend as long as they are old enough to understand what is taking place. Before the formation is due to commence, we will need to check the details taken at the time of the Notice of Civil Partnership. Please arrive at least 30 minutes before the formation is due to commence as we will need to check the details taken at the time of the Notice of Civil Partnership with each party separately. Should you wish to have a celebration of your civil partnership then we can offer a ceremony to celebrate your union as civil partners. Use the following pages to provide ideas that will make your ceremony one to remember. There will be an opportunity for photographs – see Photography and Videography section .
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