The first decision to make is whether you would like a traditional church wedding or a civil ceremony.

Church of England Weddings

If you live in the same parish as the church you wish to marry in, contact your minister who will explain the banns system to you. This is the announcement of your intention to marry made on three Sundays before the wedding to allow any objections to be raised. If you do not live in the parish, you may still be allowed to join the parish electoral roll and be considered a regular worshiper. Otherwise, you may apply for a special license. This needs approval from your chosen vicar and the vicar of your actual parish. Special licenses are granted by The Faculty Office on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury. In the case of second marriages, the decision on whether or not couples may marry in a particular church lies with the minister. The minister will want to discuss the circumstances surrounding the failure of your previous marriage before agreeing to host your ceremony. You can marry on any day apart from Christmas Day and Easter Sunday – marriage is illegal on these days in the UK.

Church of Scotland Weddings

Provided it is conducted by an authorised celebrant, a religious ceremony can take place anywhere, with no residency requirement. But don’t leave it too late – at least 15 days and up to three months notice must be given at the register office on the district.

Roman Catholic Weddings

Both of you must be free to marry and one of you must be a baptised Catholic to marry in a Catholic church. You can marry on any day, but again, not Christmas Day or Easter Sunday. Some form of preparation, such as wedding ‘lessons’ will be required, as directed by the priest.

Jewish Weddings

These usually take place in a synagogue but can also be held in other venues. You can marry on any day of the week other than the Sabbath and holy days.

Civil Ceremonies

A civil ceremony can take place at a register office or in any premises that is licensed to hold weddings under the Marriage Act. Such premises must be permanent buildings, (which rules out boats, marquees and gardens), open to the public and unconnected with any religion. You can marry on any day, apart from Christmas Day and Easter Sunday, between 8am and 6pm as prescribed by law. For a full list of legally approved premises, priced at £5, call the General Register Office. The vows spoken during a civil ceremony are fairly brief, but couples can add their own non-religious readings and music to personalise the service. The bride and groom declare there is no lawful impediment to their marriage and sign the register before two witnesses. Notice of the wedding must be given at your local register office (or offices, if you live in different areas) at least 15 days before the wedding. Some couples choose to marry quietly in a register office and have a humanist service of blessing afterwards. This is a non-legal ceremony in which you say your secular vows.

Civil Ceremonies in Scotland

Wherever you live in the UK, you may marry in a civil ceremony in Scotland by submitting notice forms to the registrar up to three months (and not less than 15 days) prior to your wedding.

Wedding Stationery for Your Wedding Ceremony

If you would like some Order of Service Cards or Order of the Day Cards for your wedding ceremony, look no further the The Designer Card Company.  A whole range of matching Designer Wedding Stationery is available, including Save the Date Cards, Handmade Wedding Invitations and Evening Invitations, Menu Cards, Table Numbers, Place Cards and Place Tags, Favour Boxes, Table Plans, Escort Cards and Thank You cards.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 8:24 pm and is filed under Wedding News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.