Securing Your Wedding Registrar
At The Ashes Barns
Following your booking with The Ashes Barns, we often get lots of questions about the legal aspects of your ceremony. The important tasks are securing your Wedding Registrar and giving notice, as the day simply can’t go ahead without these. You can give notice from 12 months prior to the big day, but no later than 28 days before.
Giving Notice
You will need to request an appointment at your local register office, where you will declare your intention of marriage. You must give notice within the district of where you live (for at least the past 7 days). This is the case even if you live outside of The Ashes Barn’s registration district.
During the appointment you will be asked questions regarding personal information about both you and your partner. You should not worry about this discussion, as it is just a method of identifying that you can marry legally.
Your Appointment
It’s important to bear in mind that personal documentation will be required for your appointment. You may want to contact the register office prior to your meeting to ask what documents to bring along. These documents may include things like your passport, or proof of your current address. You should take these with you to avoid paying for a second appointment should you not have the correct identification.
Following your appointment, your notice of marriage will be displayed publicly for 28 days in the Register Office. During this time, the public are able to declare any legal reasoning as to why you can not marry.
Securing Your Wedding Registrar
Securing your Wedding Registrar is best done as soon as possible as their availability is limited. You can do this by contacting the Staffordshire Registration Office and checking the registrar availability on your wedding date online. You can then request a suitable ceremony time which you will have confirmed with The Ashes Barns events team.
If you’ve booked your wedding more than 2 years in advance be sure to pop a reminder in your calendar. This will remind you to get in touch with the register office once your wedding days falls within 2 years.
Having your ceremony time confirmed early on is really useful as your wedding schedule is dependent on this time. It is also always important to confirm that your registrar can travel to The Ashes Barns to marry you.
Before The Big Day
Once booked, your registrar will provide a booklet containing reading options and promises that can be included in your ceremony. As a wedding ceremony is a legally binding occasion there are certain elements that can not be altered. Although, you are welcome to compose your own vows should you wish. For example, if you opt for a non-religious civil ceremony, you could not include any hymns or religious wording. However, you may ask your registrar if you could have a personal reading. It always best to contact your registrar regarding any changes to your ceremony.
During your ceremony, your registrar will also usually be happy to help make announcements. For example, guiding guests into the celebratory confetti walk at the end of the ceremony.
On The Big Day
Many couples ask if there is a rehearsal of the ceremony prior to the wedding, which we can completely understand. As the registrars are booked in for weddings most days, they unfortunately can’t conduct rehearsals. However, please be reassured that around 30 minutes before the ceremony the registrar will speak with each of you individually. This is where they will re-confirm that you are both happy with the ceremony schedule.
They will confirm all of your reading choices and the order of ceremony. This ensures that your ceremony flows exactly how you want it to.
You can contact the registrars directly on 0300 111 8001, or email using the button below.
Photography by the fabulous Adam Lowndes Photography.