Marriage ceremonies and arrangement
Below you will find information about the arrangement and ceremony aspects of weddings. You may also wish to read our frequently asked questions about marriages and civil ceremonies.
Civil ceremonies
Civil ceremonies must
- take place in a Register Office or other building licensed for civil ceremonies
- be completed within the hours of 8am to 6pm
- be conducted by a registrar and be of a strictly non-religious nature.
Whilst there are certain words which must be said at the ceremony, we can tailor it to ensure it is personal to you. You can also choose readings and music which can really make your day special.
Religious Ceremonies
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, but occasionally a registrar will be required to register the marriage.
Approved premises and wedding venues
There are various venues in Hackney in which you can get married. Please contact the Registrars for a free copy of our Wedding Brochure - see details at the top right corner of this page. You can also download a list of approved venues.
It is also possible for suitable privately-owned premises to be licensed for marriage ceremonies, offering a vast choice of type, location and cost. Hackney has a number of such venues approved for marriage. They range from former churches, 16th century houses to theatres, galleries and of course the Town Hall.
To book a marriage at an approved premises, please contact the proprietor of the building first to ensure they have the date available. You will then need to contact the Register Office - see details at the top-right corner of this page - to book the registrars to conduct the ceremony.
The legal formalities
- Unless you are marrying in the Church of England or Church of Wales by Banns or Common License, 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. Please note, this means seven whole days after the day you move in.
- 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.
- 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 1 July, the marriage may take place on or after 17 July).
- If either party are subject to immigration control, please read the section below, Information for Foreign Nationals.
- Both authorities must have been issued on or before the day of the marriage.
Marriage authorities
The marriage will be authorised by Superintendent Registrars Certificate. These certificates need to be collected and taken to the venue for the marriage ceremony to go ahead. You will be advised when 'giving notice' when the authorities will become available.
Documents required by law
When you attend before a Superintendent Registrar to make formal arrangements, you will need to produce official documents to confirm your name, age, marital status, nationality and address. Examples of suitable documentation include a passport or birth certificate.
Please also note that
- if you have been widowed, you will need to provide the death certificate of your former spouse
- if you are divorced, you will need to bring a decree absolute bearing the court's original stamp deed
- if you have changed your name, you will need to bring poll documents
- If you are under 18, you will need to bring a completed parental consent form
For more information about any of the above, you can contact us using the details at the top-right corner of this page.
Information for Foreign Nationals intending to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK
If you or your partner are subject to immigration control, you need to give notice of a marriage or civil partnership.
You can do this at one of the 76 designated register offices in England and Wales. You must attend the register office together. Hackney Register Office is a designated register office.
You will be asked for documentary evidence for some information, for example your nationality, so you will need to take your passport. You will also need evidence of the ending of any previous marriage or civil partnership.
If you want to come to the UK to marry or register a civil partnership, you will need to get the correct entry clearance. You will need this before you travel to the UK.
You are not subject to immigration control if you have the right of abode in the UK, or are one of the following -
- a British citizen
- an EEA national - see below for list of EEA countries
- a member of visiting forces from NATO and Commonwealth countries
- a diplomat that is not subject to immigration control
EEA Countries
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland*, United Kingdom
*Switzerland is not an EEA country but Swiss nationals have the same free movement as EEA nationals
Costs
You will each be charged a fee of £33.50 when you give notice. Current fees and the capacity of each venue can be found on the Downloads section to the right of this page.
In addition,
- a marriage or civil partnership starts at £43.50, payable at least 28 days in advance of the ceremony
- a marriage at approved premises will incur a fee to the proprietors of the premises, and a fee for the attendance of the registrars, which is variable depending on the day on which the ceremony takes place
- 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 £83.50 is payable in advance to the Hackney Registration Service
- a marriage at a Church of England or Church in Wales does not generally involve the Register Office and enquiries regarding fees must be directed to the Minister of the church.
All fees except for weddings in approved premises are set by law. The fees for marriage in an approved premises are available from the register office (see contact details at the top-right hand corner of this page).
Page updated: 17 Oct 2011
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