Registration Service

Marriages, Civil Weddings and Civil Partnerships - Arrangement and Ceremony

The legal formalities

Both of you must have lived in a registration district in England or Wales for at least 7 days immediately before giving notice at the register office. 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.

However, if you are a non-European Union citizen and have the relevant documentation to enable you to marry in the United Kingdom, you must both attend together at a designated Register Office. Barking and Dagenham is a designated office.

A notice of marriage is valid for 12 months. You may therefore not give notice of marriage to the Superintendent Registrar more than 12 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 15 clear days before the marriage can take place (for example, if notice is given on 1st July, the marriage may take place on or after 17th July).

BOTH authorities must have been issued on or before the day of the marriage.