Marriages

Arranging Your Ceremony

Your 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.

If you are outside the British Isles the Registrar may ask to see your valid passport or other document allowing you to be in the country.

From 1 February 2005, if you are visiting the UK to be married and you are a citizen of a country that is not a member of the European Economic Area, you will need to apply for a visa before you travel. If you do not get a visa the registrar will not be able to accept your notice of marriage and you will not be able to marry in the UK. Obtaining a visa should be straight forward. For more information visit the UK Visas website, click on "Visitors" or contact your nearest British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission for advice.

If you are already in the UK, and you are a citizen of a country that is not a member of the European Economic Area, you will need the approval of the Home Secretary to be married here. This will be provided in the form of a certificate of approval. For more information visit the Home Office website or call the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau on 0870 606 7766, or write to Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Lunar House, 40 Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR9 2BY.

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.