Where can I find out about changes to weddings for European (EEA) nationals?
Further information on changes to wedding preliminaries where one or both partners is a resident of the European Economic Area.
Questions
Where can I find more information on the changes to marriage registration?
Further information on the May 4th 2021 changes to marriage registration.
If someone is known by a different name from that on the birth certificate, which name should be used?
When banns are published, the “true name†of the persons who intend to marry must be used.
Do both of the witnesses have to be 18 or over?
There is no legal requirement for witnesses at a wedding to be 18 or over, however, when it comes to younger witnesses, you would have to be satisfied that they fully understood what they were witnessing and what their signature on the marriage register meant. It is therefore advisable for marrying
Can banns be called in Scotland for couples resident there?
If either, or both the bride and groom live in Scotland, but have a legally-recognised connection to a Church of England church where they are to marry, the Common Licence procedure would be advised.
Is a minimum period of residency required before banns can be called?
If a couple move in to a parish which they now call home, they have a legal connection with the parish church in respect of weddings and banns with immediate effect. They are not required to live there for a certain amount of time before a wedding can be booked, or banns can be called.
Can couples use their own words for their vows?
No. The vows must remain unchanged for legal reasons. At an appropriate point, couples can be given space to offer a reading or even additional things they would like to say to one another, but the official marriage vows, and the rest of the marriage service, must not be changed in any way. <a href=
Do banns certificates have to be signed by a clergyperson?
Yes. Section 11(4) of the Marriage Act 1949 says that a certificate of publication of banns 'shall be signed by the incumbent or minister in charge of the building in which the banns were published or by a clergyman nominated in that behalf by the bishop of the diocese'.
Can a non-UK resident witness a CofE marriage?
Yes they can. However if their first language is not English then there is a need to ensure they understand enough of the service to know what being a witness means and understand what they are signing for in the register.
Do first, middle and/or surnames need to be used in the vows and declarations?
The Christian names, or at least the first Christian name of the bride and the groom should be used.
