Church Wedding
If you decide to opt for a religious ceremony, you need to live in the parish or be on the electoral roll and neither of your must have been married before. Then all you need do, is contact the minister/priest of the church as soon as possible.
When you go to visit your local minister for the first time, he will ask to see your baptism certificates, so remember to take them along with you. You will also be asked to complete a form giving details of your birth and occupation, as well as those of your fiancé and both fathers.
The minister will explain the church fees and calling the banns, which are usually called on three consecutive Sundays. Most families follow the tradition of marrying in the church of
the bride’s family, but there is no reason why you can’t get married in the groom’s parish church, or another church of your choice.
If however, you would like to get married in a church outside your local parish, you may have to fulfil residential requirements. The minister will instruct you on the steps to be taken to insure your wedding is correct and legal.
Alternatively, you can apply for a common licence, which requires you to be resident in the parish for 15 days before the licence is granted. Once you’ve decided what type of marriage service to have, the minister will arrange a rehearsal of the wedding ceremony and the vows. You should also discuss with him his views on photography, video recording and the use of confetti, as some churches have banned these. Remember to also ask about arrangements for flowers, hymns and music.

Civil Wedding
The law was changed in 1994 to allow couples in England and Wales can get married just about anywhere, as any building can apply for a wedding licence. At present, there are over 2,500 licensed properties in the UK, including: hotels; civic buildings; stately homes; castles; museums; gardens; and film studios. You can obtain a list of approved buildings from for a small fee from The Registrar General for England and Wales by calling: 0151 471 4817.
The option of having the wedding ceremony somewhere other than in church offers plenty of freedom and creativity, and couples can also compose their own vows, as long as they comply with the requirements laid down by the registrar general.
The cost of a civil ceremony varies from one local authority to another, but the fees for a registrar are higher than traditional registrar office fees, because the registrar has to travel.

Register Office
There are a number of reasons why people choose a register office or civic wedding. Firstly, they may have no religious beliefs, or be looking for a simpler ceremony, be divorcees, or be of different faiths. Since a change in the wedding laws, couples can choose which registry office they wish to get married in, rather than being obliged to use their district office. However, this means that there is likely to be competition for bookings at the more attractive offices, so remember to book well in advance.
When getting married you need to give notice of your intention to marry. This you have to do in person, to the superintendent registrar of the district in which you intend to get married. This cannot be done more than three months in advance.
You can marry either by certificate or licence. To marry by certificate, you need to give notice to your own local authority 21 days before the event. If you live in separate districts you will need to apply to the registrars of both districts. Marrying by licence allows you to tie the knot within 21 days, with only one of you needing to give notice. However, you will pay more for this flexibility. Both types of certificates are valid for three months, with the ceremony having to take place in the district where notice has been given. Photographs are not allowed to be taken during the ceremony.

Overseas Wedding
More people are choosing to get married overseas, lured by the prospect of a romantic ceremony on the beach. The Caribbean, United States, Sri Lanka, Bali and The Maldives are all popular destinations and many tour operators offer all-inclusive wedding packages and can advise on the legal requirements for marrying in a different country. The basic rule is that a wedding abroad is legally recognised in the UK if it is legally binding in the country in which it takes place. In you should allow at least 12 weeks for the paperwork to be processed.

Legal Requirements

• The minimum legal age limit for getting married in the UK is 16. However, those under 18 need to have written consent from their parents or guardians.
• In England and Wales the marriage must take place in a registered building, ie: register office, church, chapel or premises which have a civil licence.
• Two witnesses (over the age of 18) must be present to witness the marriage ceremony.
• The wedding must take place between 8am and 6pm, except for those from the Jewish community and the Society of Friends.
• An amendment to the Marriage and Proscribed Words Act now allows couples to choose alternative vows from a newly modernised selection.
• You must both be single and eligible to be married, ie: not already married.

Wedding Invitations
Receiving a wedding invitation is likely to be the first most people hear of your intended wedding and also sets the tone for the occasion. So, it's worth taking time to choose your stationery carefully. Make sure that the stationery you choose matches the style of your wedding, be it ultra modern or traditional. There is a wide variety of designs available to suit all tastes and budgets.
For small, informal weddings, you can buy pre-printed invitations, or make them yourself. Specially printed invitations are more appropriate for larger weddings and can be ordered from: printers; stationers (look in the Yellow Pages under ‘Wedding Services’ and ‘Printers and Stationers’); department stores and specialist bridal shops.
You will need one invitation per family and as a formality, an invitation should be sent to the groom’s parent’s, attendants and any close friends and family (even those who you already know are unable to attend). Order an extra 20 invitations to allow for mistakes or for extra guests you may wish to invite. Order the invitations at least three months in advance, as they can take up to four weeks to be printed.

Who pays?
Traditionally, the bride’s parents host, organise and pay for the wedding. However, times have changed and nowadays the work and financial load is spread more evenly. The grooms parents may contribute, as may the bride and groom themselves. It's not unusual for the bride and groom to pay for the whole event if their financial position allows it.

The father of the bride is traditionally responsible for:

• Press announcements
• Wedding outfits for the bride and her attendants
• Flowers for the church and the reception
• Wedding stationery
• Bride’s and attendants’ transport to the church and reception
• The reception
• The cake

The groom is responsible for:

• Any fees connected to the church (except floral decorations), or fees for the registrar and civil licence.
• The bride’s engagement/wedding ring.
• Bouquets for the bride and bridesmaids, flower sprays for both mothers, buttonholes for himself, the best man and ushers.
• Presents for the bride, attendants and the best man.

The bride is responsible for:

• The groom’s wedding ring and present.
• Her trousseau.
• The groom is normally responsible for paying for the honeymoon and the first night hotel bill, but nowadays brides often contribute.

Who pays for the bridesmaids dresses can be a tricky one. Bridesmaids and other attendants frequently pay for their own clothes, but if this is the case, you should give them some say in what they wear on the day. If you are paying, you should choose the outfits worn.

Church Weddings

• Baptist union (01235 517700)
• Marriage Care, formerly Catholic Marriage Advisory Council; (020 7243 1898)
• Church of England Enquiry Centre (020 7898 1000)
• Church of Scotland office (0131 225 5722)
• Jewish Marriage Council (020 8203 6311)
• Methodist Press and Information Centre (020 7486 5502)
• United Reform Church (020 7916 2020)
• Muslim Information Centre/Services (020 7272 5170)

Useful numbers
If you are in doubt about your situation, or if you and your partner are of different religions, consult the minister of your local church or contact one of the above, or following authorities for advice:

Civil weddings

• Registrar General for England and Wales Tel: 0151 471 4817
• General Registrar Office for Northern Ireland Tel: 02890 252000
• General Registrar Office for Scotland Tel: 0131 334 0380

The Wedding Countdown

Soon after your engagement

• Tell your friends and family of your plan to get married.
• Choose a day and see the minister/priest to arrange the ceremony (register office weddings must be booked three months in advance).
• Provisionally book the reception venue and caterers/band/sound system.
• Organise your clothes/dressmaker.
• Start looking at honeymoon brochures and book early to avoid disappointment.
• Consider taking out wedding insurance against any last minute cancellations.
• Decide with both sets of parents how many people are to be invited. Work out a budget and a guest list.
• Decide on your menu.
• Book the cars.
• Book the video company, photographer.
• Decide on your gift list.
• Order your wedding cake.

Three months before the wedding

• Organise a wedding gift list.
• Choose the wedding rings.
• Confirm arrangements with the person who is performing your wedding, and decide how you want to decorate the church/registry office.
• Order wedding stationery – invitations, service sheets, place cards etc.
• Organise wedding transport or make arrangements to borrow cars from friends or family.
• Organise all wedding flowers, consulting relevant people for the flowers at the wedding ceremony and for the reception.
• Order your wedding cake.
• Book your registry office.
• Decide your menu with the help of caterers.
• Buy going away or honeymoon clothes. Arrange the hire of formal wear for the groom, best man and other male members of the bridal party.
• Send out invitations at least six weeks before the day.
• Finalise honeymoon plans and book hotel, if needed, for your wedding night.
• Make appointments with your hairdresser or beauty salon to discuss hair and make-up.
• your first night hotel.

• Organise the ushers.
• Send out thank you letters as wedding gifts arrive.
• Buy presents for all bridesmaids and attendants.
• If you are going to change your name, allow at least six weeks for a new passport.
• Banks and building societies need two weeks notice, also notify your doctor, dentist etc.
• Chase up late invitation replies, finalise your guest list and give numbers to the caterers. Work out the seating plan.
• Check your fiancé has organised the rings, his clothes and the honeymoon. Check whether you need visas or innoculations, and order foreign currency.
• Check your wedding clothes and try on the outfit, including, head dress, shoes, underwear.
• Visit your hairdresser with the headdress, veil or hat and try out the effect with your hairstyle. Book the final appointment. Practise your make-up.
• Have a rehearsal at the place of worship if possible.
• Check that all the transport has been organised.

• Help to decorate the reception venue.
• Arrange for the cake to be delivered.
• Prepare wedding outfit.
• Have a manicure.
• Relax and have an early night.