Giving notice and the legal steps

Book your ceremony venue and registrar. Aim for 12 months before. Your notice records the venue, so it needs booking first. A civil ceremony or approved venue needs a registrar; a religious building needs an authorised person or a registrar booked.

Give notice at your local register office. No earlier than 12 months before, aim for 3 months before, at least 29 days before. Each of you gives notice in person, by appointment, at the register office for the district you've lived in for the last 7 days. You'll need your passport or birth certificate, proof of address and the venue's details. If either of you isn't a British or Irish citizen, give notice together and allow longer: it can take up to 70 days. Church of England and Church in Wales weddings can be different: ask your church. GOV.UK doesn't give a date to aim for; three months ahead leaves time if a document needs sorting.

Make sure your marriage schedule reaches whoever is marrying you (religious ceremonies). By the day itself. The register office issues it after the notice period. Take it to the person conducting your ceremony on or before the day, unless it's sent to them directly.

Order your marriage certificate. In the weeks after the wedding. Certificates aren't handed over at the ceremony. Order one from the register office once the marriage is registered.

Book your registrar or celebrant. Aim for 12 months before. Booking isn't the same as giving notice. For a religious or belief ceremony, such as a humanist one, check your celebrant is authorised to marry you.

Send your marriage notice forms (M10). No earlier than 3 months before, aim for 12 weeks before, at least 29 days before. Each of you fills in and signs an M10, plus one celebrant and witness form, and sends them to the registrar for the district where you're marrying, with your birth certificates, proof of address and passports. It's £45 each. If either of you has lived in the UK for less than two years, you'll also need a certificate of no impediment. Notice given more than about three months ahead may have to be given again, so check with your registrar if you're early.

Collect your Marriage Schedule (religious and belief ceremonies, such as humanist). No earlier than 7 days before, by the day itself. One of you collects it from the registration office and gives it to your celebrant before the ceremony. At a civil ceremony the registrar brings it.

Return the signed Marriage Schedule (religious and belief ceremonies, such as humanist). Within 3 days after the wedding. Signed straight after the ceremony by both of you, your celebrant and two witnesses, in black ink, then back to the registrar within three days.

Book your registrar or officiant. Aim for 12 months before. For a religious or belief ceremony, talk to your officiant first: they sign one of the notice forms.

Send your marriage notice forms (GRO 446). No earlier than 12 months before, aim for 8 weeks before, at least 28 days before. One form each, in person or by post, to the registrar for the district where you're marrying, with your full birth certificates and passports. It's £22 a form. Aim for 10 weeks ahead if either of you has been married or in a civil partnership before. Without the right visa or evidence, notice can take up to 70 days.

Collect your Marriage Schedule (religious and belief ceremonies). No earlier than 14 days before, by the day itself. It can't be issued more than 14 days before the wedding, and one of you must collect it yourselves: a friend or relative can't. Give it to your officiant before the ceremony.

Return the signed Marriage Schedule (religious and belief ceremonies). Within 3 days after the wedding. Signed after the ceremony by both of you, your officiant and two witnesses, then back to the registrar within three days.

GOV.UK for England and Wales, National Records of Scotland and mygov.scot for Scotland, and nidirect for Northern Ireland, checked in October 2026. Each step on your overview links to its official page.

Registrars sometimes set their own appointment times and fees, and your registrar always has the final say. If either of you isn't a British or Irish citizen, notice can take longer, up to 70 days.