Marriages in Harrow

In order to make a marriage official, some paperwork must be completed by groom and bride. This is called the notice of marriage.

Legal preliminaries

 

You are not required to marry in the area where you live. But for all civil marriages (and most religious marriages) you and your partner need to give notice of marriage at the register office in the area(s) where you live. A statutory fee of £33.50 per person is required see table of fees. 

 

If you live in different districts to each other eg. in the boroughs of Harrow and Brent, you must individually give notice in your respective districts. You must both have lived in those boroughs for at least 7 days prior to giving notice. The notice is a legal declaration that you are both free to marry. You both need to sign it in the presence of the registration officer. You cannot ask a relative or friend to give notice for you.

 

Once completed and signed, the notices will be displayed on the noticeboard at the register office for a period of 16 days. After this time the marriage is authorised, and you may marry at any time over the next 12 months in the stated venue. If you decide to transfer to a different venue, you will have to come in and give a new notice of marriage.

 

If the marriage is not to be performed by Harrow registrars, we will issue you with certificates for marriage. It is your responsibility to ensure that both certificates (his and hers) are delivered to the registrar who will perform the ceremony, before the wedding day. Without these documents, you will not be able to get married.

 

If you are marrying in Harrow but do not live here (for example, the groom lives in Hillingdon, the bride lives in Barnet and you are marrying at Harrow School) you need to give notice of marriage at your local register office and then deliver the certificates for marriage to us. Again, if this is not done before the wedding day, we cannot marry you.

 

The procedures may be different and further documents may be required if either of you are subject to immigration control.