Our statutory ceremonies are conducted in the Register Officer each Wednesday morning with just two witnesses. For a grander ceremony to include guests and choices, we offer the City Suite in the Civic Centre or the City Archives building with the Oak Room and the Rococo Room.
Whatever style of ceremony you have in mind, we offer a range of venues, fees, and packages to suit every couple.
Once you have chosen your venue, you will need to arrange for the Registration Service to attend your ceremony. Both partners must also give Notice of Marriage as soon as possible at their local Register Office(s), which can be booked online and completed no earlier than one year before your ceremony date.
A civil partnership is formed when both partners sign a legal document in the presence of a civil partnership registrar and two witnesses. No ceremony is required, although couples may choose to include simple words during the signing. Civil partnerships are available to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples under current regulations, and fees remain the same whether you hold a ceremony or simply sign with witnesses.
Same-sex couples who originally formed their civil partnership in England or Wales may convert it to a marriage, either through a standard appointment at the Register Office or through a two-stage process that includes a ceremony at an approved venue following the appointment at register office. Once converted, the civil partnership ends, and the couple is treated as married from the date the civil partnership was formed.
There is currently no provision for opposite-sex couples to convert a civil partnership to marriage.
If you are planning to marry in a Church of England or Church in Wales premises, you must first speak with the vicar, who will confirm whether the marriage can take place and advise you on the ceremony, timescales, and legal requirements such as publishing Banns or issue of common licence. In these cases, you do not need to contact your local Register Office.
However, if your marriage is taking place in any other “non-conformist” religious premises which is not Church of England or Wales, you must give formal Notice of Marriage as soon as possible at your local Register Office subject to availability, once your ceremony date has been arranged, but no earlier than one year before the wedding.
A baby naming ceremony is a special way to celebrate a new arrival or the joining of a new family. Ceremonies can be held at the City Suite or the City Archives, or at any approved premises within the city, and can be personalised with poems, readings, and meaningful promises made by parents, grandparents, or chosen friends.
This is a non-statutory ceremony. Birth certificate of the baby will be required before booking, and you may choose a venue from the available options on our venues page. Please note that two registrars are required to conduct this ceremony, and the relevant fees will apply. For further information, please follow the links below or contact the Registrar’s Office directly.
A Renewal of Vows ceremony is a meaningful way to celebrate your marriage and civil partnership at any stage of your life together. Many couples choose to renew their vows to mark a special anniversary or to share a celebration with family and friends after marrying abroad.
This is a non-statutory ceremony. Marriage certificate / Civil partnership certificate will be required before booking, and you may choose a venue from the available options on our venues page. Please note that two registrars are required to conduct this ceremony, and the relevant fees will apply. For further information, please follow the links below or contact the Register Office directly.