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Marriages

Arranging Your Ceremony

Image of Bride and GroomYour civil marriage ceremony may be held at a Registration Office, an Approved Venue, or some other alternative location.

A ceremony held within a Registration Office can be conducted during normal office hours on weekdays and by arrangement on Saturday afternoons.

Ceremonies held at Approved Venues or other alternative locations can be conducted seven days a week and on public holidays (excluding 25th and 26th of December, 1st and 2nd of January) between 9.00am and 7.00pm.

When you have decided on a date and venue for your marriage, contact the appropriate Registration Office to check availability.

Bookings may be made by contacting the appropriate Registration Office.

Please make your booking as soon as possible to ensure the date and time preferred is available.

A civil ceremony can be built around your own choice of wording. As part of the ceremony, it is essential for you both to identify yourselves as being the persons named on the schedule document, for you each to declare that you accept one another as lawful wife/husband and thereafter for the registrar to declare that you are now husband and wife.

The registrar conducting your ceremony will have an initial draft of wording for you to consider and between you, you can decide on any additions or amendments you wish to make.

A civil marriage ceremony cannot contain any prayers or readings from Christian or other scriptures

Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact any of the Registration Offices listed.

Formalities before your Marriage

Approximately 4-6 weeks before the date of your marriage, both bride and groom should complete Marriage Notice Forms (Form M10). These forms must be submitted along with birth certificates and fee to the appropriate Registration Office. Certain other documentation must also be submitted if either you or your partner has been previously married, or is a foreign national.

The registrar also requires the full names and addresses of the two persons, who must be aged 16 years or over, acting as witnesses to your marriage. Marriage Notice Forms and Witness Information Forms may be obtained from any Registration Office in Scotland.

When submitting the completed forms, they must be accompanied by both of your birth certificates. Please note that certain other documentation may be supplied if you or your partner has been formerly married, or is a foreign national.

If you have any queries or require assistance in completing the Marriage Notice Forms, please do not hesitate to contact any South Ayrshire Council Registration Office, where staff will be only too happy to assist.

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