Church of England

Until recently, the law restricted couples who wanted a religious ceremony to marry in their parish church. Now there's more flexibility and you can choose any church outside your parish that either you, or your parents or your grandparents has a connection with. The first thing you should do is contact the minister to book the date. They should then explain the banns (announcing your intention to marry, which are made on three consecutive Sundays and allow anyone to voice any legal objections. You'll also need to visit your local superintendent registrar at your local town hall to give notice of your intention to marry and to obtain your licence.

Church of Scotland

A Church of Scotland ceremony can take place at any time, in ant place, provided your minister agrees to it, and may be solemnised only by a minister, clergyman, pastor or priest. You don't need to be a resident of Scotland, but you will need to contact the register office in the district where you plan to marry no later than 15 days in advance of your intention to wed.

Roman Catholic

You and your groom must both be free to marry, and one of you must have been baptised Catholic to wed in a Catholic church. You priest may ask you to undertake some form of wedding lessons or marriage preparation with him, and its expected that you'll also need to visit your local superintendent registrar at your local town hall or council office to give notice of your intention to marry and obtain your licence.

Jewish Weddings

Jewish weddings fulfill both a religious and civil purpose, but you'll need two applications - one for your local register office and one for the religious authority under which the ceremony will take place. Jewish weddings are usually conducted in a synagoue but can be held at other venues that are licensed for the occasion. Weddings may take place on any day of the week except the Sabbath - sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday

Civil Weddings

Register Office

To marry in a register office, you and your fiancé must both give notice in person to talk to your superintendent registrar at your local town hall or council office. Who ask for your age, name, marital status and nationality, and will then issue with a certificate of common notice. In England and Wales, you both need to have been resident for seven days before booking with the register office to get the date you want - Weddings can be booked no less than 17 days and no more than 12 months in advance. Expect to pay around £30 each to give notice, plus a further £30 to £40 for the registrar's fees

Weddings Abroad

Getting married overseas

Weddings abroad are recognised as legal in the UK as long as they do not contravene UK laws - for example underage rules and being free to marry. Always contact the country's embassy or consulate for advice to ensure that you have the right documents and when you will need to provide them. Many countries can involve lots of red tape, so it can be easier to have a civil ceremony in the UK and then a blessing abroad.