If you’re having a civil wedding—a legally binding marriage that isn’t religious—you’ll need to book a registrar.
A registrar is someone who has the authority to legally register civil marriages in the UK. They’re not to be confused with a celebrant, who can’t legally marry two people. You could think of a celebrant as more of an emcee.
So, how much does it cost to book a wedding registrar—and where can you find one? Read on to find out.
Contents
How much does it cost to book a registrar?
How much does it cost to get married at a registry office?
How much is a marriage licence?
How much is a marriage certificate?
How do I book a wedding registrar?
How much does it cost to book a registrar?
On average, it costs about £300-500 to have a registrar come to your wedding venue and perform the ceremony. Though it could be more if you’re getting married during a popular time, such as a weekend or out of office hours.
Prices may also vary by location. Registrar fees are set by local councils, so if you aren’t sure just head to their website to confirm.
To give you an example: in Hammersmith and Fulham, it costs £556 to have a registrar attend your venue during the day on Monday-Thursday, but £771 for them to attend out of hours. If your ceremony is on a Saturday daytime, the registrar fee is £686.
Important: if you’re having a civil ceremony, you can only get married in a venue that’s been officially registered for marriages. Again, this information should be on the venue’s local council website. Kindred is an approved venue in Hammersmith and Fulham.
How much does it cost to get married at a registry office?
You can also choose to get married at a registry office. It’s a simpler, no-frills approach to the day.
Again, fees are set by local councils and vary by location, how many guests you have, and depending on the time of your ceremony. It’s more expensive to get married at peak times, and different councils will charge their own fees.
Currently, in Hammersmith and Fulham council, for a wedding of up to 56 guests you would pay:
- £390, if you got married on Monday-Thursday
- £447 to get married on Friday
- £507 for Saturday daytime
- £607 for Saturday evening
- £605 for Sunday and Bank Holidays
The prices are lower if you’re having a ceremony of up to 12 people (including the couple).
If the registry office is your venue, the registrar fee is usually included in the total cost.
How much is a marriage licence?
A “marriage licence” is actually a US thing — here in the UK, the equivalent is “giving notice”. There isn’t some special document that you need to have before you tie the knot.
Giving notice is exactly what it sounds like: you go to your local authority (your council) in person and sign a legal statement saying that you intend to get married. You need to do it at least 29 days before the ceremony. But you can do it up to 12 months ahead of the date.
It costs £42 per person to give notice, or £57 if one or both of you isn’t a UK national.
Important: you can’t legally be married in a civil ceremony if you don’t give notice.
There’s a few other things to bear in mind when giving notice, if you and your partner don’t live in the same area or if one of you isn’t from the UK. Everything you need to know is on the UK government website.
How much is a marriage certificate?
A marriage certificate, on the other hand, is a document that proves your wedding took place. You won’t automatically be given one: you’ll have to order it from the local council for the wedding venue.
It can take up to a week to issue the certificate, either from the moment your details have been put into the system or after you order it. You can usually order it online after your big day.
Marriage certificates cost £12.50 each, not including postage. Happily, this is a flat fee across all registry offices in the UK. You only need one marriage certificate per couple.
How do I book a wedding registrar?
You’ll have to do this through your local council. And the good news is that it’s pretty straightforward.
Remember that you need to book a registrar from the council where the wedding venue is, not where you live. But you need to give notice of your intention to marry at your local council.
Here’s what you need to do to book a wedding registrar.
1. Find an approved ceremony venue
All wedding venues available to hire should be approved ceremony venues—check on the local council’s website before locking in.
2. Contact the registry office
Again, this needs to be done through the local council for the wedding venue. Get in touch with them as soon as you’ve locked in your wedding date to make sure there’s a registrar available.
Some wedding venues will allow you to hold your date for a period of time, in case you need some flexibility. This can be helpful if there isn’t a registrar who is available on that particular date.
3. Book your registrar
Once dates are confirmed, pay the relevant fee and lock in your registrar booking.
That’s it, you’re done!
Your wedding venue
Registrar-led weddings are becoming increasingly popular here in the UK. Civil ceremonies account for the bulk of marriages—and we’ve been proud to host some of them at Kindred.
Nestled in the heart of Hammersmith, we’re a West London wedding venue known for our unique interiors and warm service. When you have your wedding with us, you’ll have a dedicated events planner to make sure things go off without a hitch. Wedding planning should be fun and joyful: we’ll take the stress out of it so you can enjoy every moment.
From intimate weddings to larger groups, we’ve got the space to suit. Our Grade II listed building includes Cellar, our ground-floor Hammersmith restaurant, plus two floors of private spaces—and private bars stocked with top-shelf tipples.
Have a read through our wedding brochure to learn more about weddings at Kindred. We also welcome you to come and visit us in person to see the space for yourself, at no obligation. Simply get in touch with our team to arrange it.
