Celebrate in Liverpool Liverpool Wedding Guide 2023 | Page 6

Getting married OR FORMING A CIVIL PARTNERSHIP IN A REGISTER OFFICE OR APPROVED VENUE This information relates to all ceremonies taking place in England and Wales provided both parties are British or EU nationals. If either party has non-EU nationality please contact your local Register Office for advice. Further information can be found on p18. To be married or form a civil partnership in a Register Office or Approved Venue (hotel, stately home, football club etc.) in England or Wales both you and your partner need to give notice to a Superintendent Registrar at your local Register Office at least 30 days before the day of your ceremony. This gives people a clear 28 days to object to the marriage or civil partnership if they have a proper legal reason to do so. Although you can marry or form your civil partnership at any Register Office or Approved Venue in England or Wales, you can only give notice at the Register Office in the district where you live (and you must have resided in that district for at least 8 consecutive days immediately prior to giving notice). You must each give your notice personally; no one else can do it on your behalf. You must be legally free to marry or form your civil partnership; over the age of 16 and not related to each other (if you are related to each other by birth, marriage, civil partnership or adoption you will need to check the degrees of relationship prohibited with your local Register Office). You will need to show evidence of the: • Name • Age • Nationality • Address • Marital status You will be advised what documents are acceptable when you arrange your appointment to give notice. If you are under the age of 18 you will need to show that you have the permission of your parents or legal guardian. The fee for giving notice is £35 each (correct at April 2020). A further fee will be payable for the marriage or civil partnership to take place. Please check with the Register Office where the event will take place. 5 A notice of marriage or civil partnership is valid for 12 months, but only for the place you have requested. If the ceremony does not take place in that time, you will both need to give notice again and pay the appropriate notice fee. PLEASE NOTE: Only the attendance of a Superintendent Registrar, conducting the ceremony, and a Registrar, registering the marriage, makes it legal in the eyes of the law. You may make your appointment to give notice online at www.liverpoolregisteroffice.co.uk or by telephoning 0151 233 3004. Liverpool Register Office offers a provisional booking system to allow you to reserve a time slot for your ceremony in advance of giving your notices. You may apply for a provisional booking up to 2 years in advance . To apply for a provisional booking please use our online application form at www.liverpoolregisteroffice.co.uk Alternatively, you may visit the office personally to do this. There is a fee for this service. To search for the contact details of your local Register Office and the services that they offer, contact the General Register Office website www.gov.uk/register-offices If you wish to marry in a Register Office or an Approved Venue elsewhere in England and Wales, please contact the local Register Office for further information.