Civil Marriage Ceremonies
Why Choose a Civil Marriage Ceremony?
A Civil Marriage Ceremony is a legal, non-religious celebration that can be held in any licenced venue or Register Office. Your ceremony will be supported by two members of the Leicestershire Registration Service, a Registrar, who will take care of the legal requirements, and a Deputy Superintendent Registrar, who will guide you through the ceremony itself.
Our team is friendly, experienced, and dedicate to making your day feel personal and seamless. Before your ceremony, our Ceremony Team will be available to answer any questions and offer support, ensuring you feel fully prepared and relaxed for your special day.
We offer you 3 different types of ceremonies to suit your style:
Simple – suitable for those wanting an effortless and intimate occasion.
Classic – perfect for those looking for something more. This ceremony includes music and your choice of our ring vows.
Enhanced – these ceremonies are for couples who would like to create a more personalised occasion and they allow you to incorporate individual touches
As well as being able to legally marry you, we pride ourselves on the unique service that we can offer to every couple who chooses Leicestershire as the location for their big day.
Step 1 - Choose your venue
Choosing where to have your ceremony is one of the first, and most exciting, decisions you’ll make, and it helps set the tone for your entire day. Here in Leicestershire, we’re fortunate to offer almost 60 licensed venues and Registration Offices., making it easy to find a location that reflects your style and fits your budget. You can explore all of our licensed options on our Registration Offices and Venues pages.
Once you have selected your venue, we recommend booking your Registrars as early as possible, even if your ceremony is a few years away. This helps secure your preferred date and time and ensures everything is in place for your special day.
Step 2 - Book your ceremony / Registrars
To book your Registrars, please contact our friendly team on 0116 3056565. Bookings can be made up to three years in advance of your ceremony date. As we don’t currently offer online booking, calling us is the best way to secure your preferred date and time.
A non-refundable deposit is payable when you make your booking, so we recommend reviewing our terms and conditions beforehand. You can also view our current fees here. If you need to change the date, time or venue of your ceremony, an amendment fee will be charged as per our current fees.
Step 3 - Notice of marriage appointment
Before your ceremony takes place, there are some important legal formalities that must be completed. Each of you will need to give your notice of marriage, in person, at a Registration Office within the district where you live.
Giving notice is a legal requirement. By doing so, each of you will formally declare your intention to marry. You must each give notice individually to the Registration Service where you live, and you must have lived in that district for at least seven consecutive days before your appointment.
If you live in Leicestershire, you can book your notice of marriage at any of our seven offices by calling us on 0116 3056565. If you live outside Leicestershire, you will need to contact the Registration district local to your home address. You can find your nearest office here. If you live in different Registration districts, you will need to give your notice separately to your local office.
Notice can be given up to 12 months before your ceremony. However, we recommend completing this as early as possible – ideally at least three months before your chosen date (28 clear days in the absolute minimum) – to allow plenty of time for all legal checks to be completed.
You can find more detailed information about the legal requirements here. If one or both of you are not a British national or are subject to immigration control, additional conditions may apply to your notice of marriage. Please see here for further guidance, or contact us on 0116 3056565 and our team will be happy to help.
Step 4 - Personalising your ceremony
Now it is the perfect time to let us know how you’d like to personalise your ceremony. The options available will depend on the type of ceremony you have chosen.
Around 12 weeks before your ceremony (or at the time of booking if your ceremony is within that window), you will receive an email with a link to an online form. This form allows you to share details such as your music choices, witness names, entrances and other preferences.
We kindly ask that you complete this form promptly so we can include your choices in your ceremony paperwork.
For full guidance on what you can expect and how to prepare, please refer to your ceremony information, which is emailed to you when you book and again when we send your online choices form.