Minimum Age
The minimum legal age for getting married is 16 years old. In England and Wales the written consent of the parents or Guardians is required for persons who have not reached 18 years old and have not been previously married. If either of the persons is below 18 a birth certificate must be produced.
Sex
It is a legal requirement in the United Kingdom that one partner must have been born a male and the other a female.
Consent
Both partners must be acting by their own consent.
Sound Mind
Both partners to be married must be of sufficiently sound mind to understand the nature of the marriage contract.
Location
A marriage in England and Wales must take place in one of the following:
A District Register Office
A church or chapel of The Church of England or Church of Wales
An approved building - approved by the local authority under procedures dictated by the marriage Act 1994
A Naval, Military or Air Force chapel
Procedure
Civil Ceremony
If you wish to marry by civil ceremony, that is at a register office or other approved building for civil marriage, you should first contact the Superintendent Registrar of the district where you wish to marry.
Church of England or Church of Wales
If you wish to be married in the Church of England or Church of Wales - and generally you will be able to so only if you or your partner live in the parish - you should first speak to the Vicar. If he is able to marry you he will arrange for the Banns to be called on three Sundays before the day of the ceremony or for a common licence to be issued. The marriage will also be registered by the Vicar.
Other places of religious worship
If you wish to marry by religious ceremony other than the Church of England or Church of Wales you should first arrange to see the Minister or other person in charge of marriages at the building. However, the Church or religious building in question must be in the registration district where you or your partner lives.
It will also be necessary to give formal notice of your marriage to the Superintendent Registrar of the district(s) where you live.
The legal formalities
Unless you are marrying in the Church of England or Church of Wales by Banns or Common Licence You and / or your partner must attend personally at the register office for the district(s) where you live and give notice of your marriage to the Superintendent Registrar.
Superintendent Registrar's certificate without licence
This is the most common form of notice and a form giving the couples names and addresses, ages and location of the ceremony will have to be completed together with a declaration that there is no legal objection to the marriage.
Residency requirements
- If both partners reside in the same registration district.
Each partner must have lived in that district for at least seven days prior to giving notice to the Superintendent Registrar of that district. Either party may give notice.
Superintendent Registrar's certificate and licence 'Special Licence'
Licence or 'Special Licence'
This requires that one of you has lived in the registration district for at least 15 days prior to giving notice at the register office. Your partner need only be resident of or be physically in England and Wales on the day notice is given. Be ready to provide certain documents to show the Superintendent Registrar these may include a passport or some other
