Marriage Ceremonies in Manchester
You can get married at any licensed venue in England and Wales, as long as it has been approved by the local authority. Your marriage must take place at the venue you name on your notice of marriage. If you decide to change your venue, you will need to give, and pay for, a new notice of marriage to update your details.
Manchester offers a wide choice of beautiful licensed venues, from historic buildings to modern hotels and unique spaces.
If you plan to marry in a licensed venue, you will need to book a registrar to attend and conduct the ceremony. Registrars can be booked up to two years in advance, but it’s important to check that a registrar is available for your chosen date before you confirm your venue booking. To arrange a registrar, couples can email registeroffice@manchester.gov.uk with their enquiry and a daytime contact number. A non-refundable deposit of £40 is required when you make your booking.
Every marriage ceremony requires two witnesses. They can be friends or family members, but they must be over 16, able to speak English and fully understand the ceremony.
On your wedding day, you and your witnesses will sign a Marriage Schedule — a one-page legal document needed to register your marriage. This schedule records details for both parties, including your full names, date of birth, address, occupation, and your parent or step-parent’s information if you wish to include it.
If your ceremony takes place in a licensed venue or civil setting (not a religious building), the Superintendent Registrar will keep the Marriage Schedule until the day of your wedding.
After the ceremony, the signed Marriage Schedule is kept by the registration officer for civil weddings. The details are added to the electronic register at the register office as soon as possible. Your marriage certificate will be ready to collect the next working day — or you can request for it to be posted to you.
For religious weddings, the officiant at the church or religious building must return the completed Marriage Schedule to the local register office within 21 days. The marriage will then be added to the electronic register within seven days, and you can apply online for your marriage certificate once this is done.
Civil Partnerships in Manchester
A civil partnership is legally formed once you and your partner sign the Civil Partnership Schedule in the presence of two witnesses and a civil partnership registrar. Some couples choose a simple, legal signing only — others prefer to include a ceremony alongside the signing. While a ceremony isn’t legally required for a civil partnership, Manchester Register Office offers flexible options to create a meaningful event if you wish.
The civil partnership schedule includes a short legal declaration that you must both acknowledge when you sign. You may choose to say these words to each other during your civil partnership formation.
A civil partnership must be held at the venue named on your notice of civil partnership. If you change your venue, you’ll need to give and pay for new notices. Couples can hold a civil partnership in any approved venue in England and Wales — Manchester has a wide range of licensed venues to choose from.
If you plan to hold your civil partnership in a licensed venue, you must book a registrar to attend. This can be done up to two years in advance, but always check a registrar is available before finalising your venue.
