Planning a Wedding Ceremony with a UK Wedding Celebrant

If you’re planning on having a celebrant-led wedding ceremony and you want to know how to legally marry when having a Celebrant-led wedding in the UK? Read on…

The Celebrant Directory have teamed up with the lovely Jenny Knight, from Knight Ceremonies to give you the information you need to know to be legally wed. Jenny has been in the wedding and events business for 22 years and is a professionally trained Celebrant. She knows her stuff!

It’s surprisingly easy to plan a Celebrant-led Wedding Ceremony in the UK, there are a few  steps a couple need to go through, I am here to guide you through that process in a few simple steps!

1. Find and book your Wedding Venue

Popular wedding venues get booked up years in advance, especially during peak wedding season, so it’s normally the first thing on couples’ to do list. Find your dream wedding location and book your venue.  

If you want a legal ceremony at your venue, you’ll need to book a licensed venue. But if you’re having your Celebrant-led ceremony separate from the legal signing, it then opens up a multitude of different options to you. 

Independent Celebrants can create and conduct beautiful ceremonies, but couples must still attend a registered office or have a registrar attend a licenced building to make their marriage legally binding. Whilst this might sound like a pain, it actually gives you complete freedom to choose whatever venue you like; If you love a stately home, but want an outdoor wedding, have a wander around the grounds and pick somewhere with great views, or perhaps with the house as a backdrop.

One of the best things about planning a Wedding Ceremony with a UK Wedding Celebrant is that here are no restrictions when it comes to location, so long as you have permission from the land or venue owner.

Wedding Celebrants will work outside at any time of the year

N.B. Did you know that Registrars are restricted by guidelines that state that once the temperature drops below 16 degrees, they will automatically move the ceremony inside? Celebrant Jenny Knight says, “I have conducted woodland ceremonies in Autumn, for example, and myself and the guests just dressed accordingly!”

I can’t stress enough that celebrant-led weddings can be officiated anywhere, so pick a venue that suits you as a couple and one you truly love!

2. Find and Book your Perfect Celebrant

Once you have found your dream location for your day, the next thing should be to research and book your officiant, and if that is to be a Wedding Celebrant, then you will need to check their availability, and of course, have a consultation in order to confirm if they are the right fit for your and your wedding.

The benefit of choosing a Celebrant over a registrar is that you can actually choose who conducts your wedding and build a relationship with them before your big day. Having a say in your ceremony content, format, and flow is a huge benefit and can mean the difference between a choice of three pre-set government scripts and a truly personal and unique one!

Independent Celebrants, like the couples they celebrate, are completely unique with their own styles and approaches. They can craft unique ceremonies with meaningful rituals like handfasting, sand ceremonies, or other unique elements and sprinkle them with their own personality, so it’s worth taking the time to find a celebrant who feels like a good fit.

Unlike registrars, who might have several ceremonies on the same day, Independent Celebrants usually only conduct one wedding a day. So you can choose a ceremony time that suits you both, rather than accepting whatever is left.

3. Register your Intent to Marry 

You will now need to register your intent to marry. This must be done in all cases, whether you choose a registrar or Celebrant, as it enables the registration service to prepare your legal documentation and record the details of your marriage.

Depending on where you are in the UK, the rules are slightly different, but wherever you are in the UK registrars are busy and popular times might be hard to come by, so make sure you give plenty of notice – ideally at least 10-12 weeks.

In England and Wales –  you must give at least 29 days notice and legally marry within 12 months of giving notice, The couple must register their legal intent to marry (give notice) in the district where they currently reside, as in local register office to their home address.

Scotland also requires at least 29 days notice (ideally 10-12 weeks) but it works differently, Couples are required to fill in M10 forms that must be placed with the registrar in the district in which the venue (for the legal wedding) is. The place of marriage is recorded on the form.

Northern Ireland requires couples to give notice at least 28 days prior to the marriage. Couples should contact the registrar of the council district in which the legal ceremony will be registered.  

4. Doing the legal bits at a Registry Office

If you opt for a Celebrant-led ceremony and just want to complete the legal bit at a registry office,you can request a simple ‘statutory’ service to complete your paperwork and declarations.  Most couples do the legal documents at the registry office,  close to their wedding day, usually the day before or day after. You are free to choose when this takes place, so book your legal signing when it suits you.

When you attend your legal service, remember that you can save your vows and ring exchanges, along with all other personal details, for your Celebrant-led ceremony. Doing this when you sign your papers is not a legal requirement. Just inform the registry office that you would like to do this.

You will be required to take two witnesses and choose one from each of the following legal statements:

Declaratory Words

“I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I, AB, may not be joined in matrimony to CD.”

or “I declare that I know of no legal reason why I, AB, may not be joined in marriage to CD.”

Or By replying “I am” to the question “Are you AB free lawfully to marry CD?” …

Contractual Vows

“I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, AB, do take thee, CD, to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband).”

or “I AB take you CD to be my wedded wife (or husband)”

or “I AB take thee CD to be my wedded wife (or husband)” …

Cost of a Statutory Wedding at a Registry Office

The current (2024) Standard UK Fees Notice of Marriage are £42 per person (or £57 if you are subject to immigration control) which are payable to the registration service in which both parties live. You will also need to book the Statutory Ceremony which is £56 (+£12.50 per copy of your marriage certificate).

You are then free to hold your ceremony wherever and whenever you like! Over the past couple of years, I have conducted ceremonies on the beach, in beautiful woodlands, castles, stately homes, on working farms, in rustic barns, at lakeside settings, and in fields with tipis, fire pits and cows!

5. Plan the rest of your Big Day!

Now that your venue is booked, your Celebrant secured and your intent to marry logged at the registration service, you can set about planning your big day with gusto, and without restrictions!

The same process applies for destination weddings too.  If you are wanting to have your ceremony abroad, why not separate the legal signing and avoid all the red tape at your wedding destination.  Upon your arrival abroad you will often have to complete documentation and visit several government offices and associations in order to satisfy their requirements.  It’s a lot simpler this way!

It really is a simple process!

At the Celebrant Directory, we’re dedicated to helping couples find their perfect celebrant and plan their perfect ceremony. Check out rated and reviewed Celebrants and find your ceremony inspiration too!

Photographer Credit: Alisa Roberts