Tel: 023 9282 2251
Booking your civil marriage
Last updated: 13 August 2010 13:33 UKYou can browse our wedding brochure above. Click the page edges to turn them and click in the centre to open it full-screen in a new window. It's also available as PDF at the bottom of this page.
Provisional bookings
We're happy to take a provisional booking up to two years in advance. This allows you to be able to make your other arrangements in plenty of time.
There is a £30.00 non-refundable fee for making a provisional booking and this can be done either in person or over the telephone, but only by the bride or groom. We're unable to take bookings from friends and relatives unless the bride and groom are overseas.
If you're marrying within twelve months from the date of your booking, you'll be asked to arrange to give your notices of marriage within eight weeks of the booking date. If it's more than twelve months from the date of your booking, the registrar will advise you as to when and where you should give your notices of marriage.
If you have any difficulties giving your notices of marriage please contact us as soon as possible.
Approved premises
Since the introduction of the Marriage Act 1994, we've approved a number of licensed premises. Covering a unique variety from an historic warship to hotels and historic buildings.
Once you've provisionally booked with the venue of your choice, you should contact the superintendent registrar of the district where it's located. You'll need to confirm that registration staff will be able to attend on your chosen date and discuss a time for the ceremony.
A locally set fee is payable for the registration staff to attend your marriage. This fee is in addition to any charged by the venue or those paid for the notices of marriage. Full details of these can be obtained from us.
Please note that marriages cannot take place 'outside' or in unlicensed premises.
Giving notice of your intention to marry
If you're planning to be married in the Church of England, you should speak to your parish priest, who will arrange for banns to be read.
For any other marriage, whether register office, licensed venue or religious ceremony in a church or building other than the established church (Church of England ), you'll need to give a notice of marriage at your local register office. This is by appointment with the local superintendent registrar. Our telephone number is 023 9282 9041 and notice can be given up to 12 months in advance of the ceremony.
The notice is a legal document which must be given in person by both the bride and groom. A friend or relative cannot do this for you regardless of your circumstances.
You must both have lived continuously in any one district of England or Wales for the seven days immediately before the date you give notice of your marriage. It does not matter if either of you move to a different address after the notice has been given. If you both live in the same district, where possible you should attend together to give your notices of marriage.
Once you have both given notice you must wait at least 15 days before the marriage can take place. If you're getting married in another registration district you can collect your authority for marriage from the register office where you gave your notice as soon as the waiting period is over. The authority for marriage is the legal document which allows your marriage to take place, and it is valid for 12 months from the date that you gave the notice of marriage.
A fee is charged for giving a notice of marriage and this is currently £33.50 per person.
Documents you need to show us
When you give your notice of marriage there are certain documents that you will need to show:
- birth certificates - to verify your age and the spelling of your name
- passports - to verify your nationality
- deed poll documents, change of name deed or statutory declaration - to show any changes to your name
- decree absolute - if either of you has been divorced
If this was not in the UK you'll need to produce a translation of your document and in some cases it is necessary for a foreign divorce document to be sent to the registrar general for verification. - death certificate - if either of you has been widowed
In some cases you may also need to produce a marriage certificate for your previous marriage. - consent form - if either of you is under 18 you will need a consent form signed by the person who is responsible for you
- proof of address – to verify that you are living in the registration district
Your marriage cannot go ahead unless the legal formalities have been completed.
If either you or your partner are foreign nationals (from outside of the European Union) you must first contact us by telephone before arranging any appointments, as there are different procedures and documents involved.
Contact us
- Call 023 9282 9041
- Write to or visit us at The Register Office, Milldam House, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3AF
- Email registrars@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Associated documents:
Weddings brochure (1.17 MB)