Are you going to “tie the knot”, “get hitched” or in parent language “get married”

Marriage is a very important commitment between two people to join together in the sight of God, friends, family and even the community of our country.  Marriage is an important part of the fabric of our society and there are formal legal requirements to be carried out.

Church of Scotland parish ministers are authorised to undertaken the marriage ceremony and you are recommended to contact the Interim Moderator, Rev David Stewart, at an early stage of your wedding planning. 

Ministers of the Church of Scotland are authorised to perform marriages. The Church does not regard marriage as a sacrament and ministers are free to marry people who are not members of the Church of Scotland. However, if neither the bride nor groom is a member of the Church, the first approach should be to the minister of the parish in which one or other of them resides. In certain circumstances the Church of Scotland permits the re-marriage of divorced people in church.

Any two persons can marry in Scotland regardless of their nationality and country of residence subject to meeting the minimum following requirements:

• Both of you must be at least 16 years of age (parental consent is not required).
• You must both be unmarried. If either of you have been previously married you must produce original documentary evidence that your previous marriage ended by death, divorce or annulment.
• You must not be of the same sex at birth.
• You must both be capable of understanding the nature of a marriage ceremony and of consenting to marrying.
• You must both be capable of understanding the nature of a marriage ceremony and of consenting to marrying.

Residency Requirement
Scotland is the only country in the UK where there is no residency requirement to be fulfilled. However, at least one of you must personally visit the Registrar for the district in which your marriage is to take place during the seven day period leading up to the date of marriage. Please note, you cannot attend on the day of your marriage.

Giving Notice

You both need to complete and submit a marriage notice to the Registrar for the district in which your marriage is to take place. Notice must be given in the three month period prior to the date of your marriage and not later than 15 days before the date of your marriage. It is usually possible to make a provisional booking with a Registrar before the three month period prior to your marriage date but you will still need to give formal notice within the permitted time period.

Your marriage notice must be submitted early enough to allow the Registrar sufficient time to satisfy himself that you are both free to marry one another. Normally notices should be with the registrar about four weeks before your marriage but if either of you has been married before or are traveling from overseas, the notices should be with the Registrar at least six weeks beforehand.

Although you do not need to attend personally to hand in your marriage notices, at least one of you must attend personally at the Registrar's office during the seven day period leading up to the date of your marriage (not on the marriage day itself). In the case of a religious marriage, this is to collect the marriage schedule. In the case of a civil marriage, it is to finalise the marriage arrangements with the Registrar.

Documents to be Produced

When handing over or sending your marriage notice forms to the Registrar, you will need to supply certain documents for example, your birth certificate. If you have been married before, a decree absolute of divorce or if you are a widow or widower, the death certificate of your former spouse. If you are marrying a step-relative or an in-law, you will need to provide relevant death certificates and/or other documents requested by the Registrar. Only original documents will be accepted.

If you are domiciled outside the United Kingdom, a 'certificate of no impediment to marriage' is required stating that you are free to marry. This should be obtained from your own registrar of marriages or a competent authority that has access to the marriage records in your country. Should any of your documents be in a foreign language, you will need to provide a certified translation in English. If you are unable to provide any of the required documents, the Registrar will advise you what other documents are acceptable.

Arranging Your Marriage Ceremony

It is important to make early arrangements for the venue and for the date and time of your marriage. If you are having a religious ceremony, arrange to see the minister who will be conducting your service before completing the notice forms. If you will not be having your religious ceremony in a church, you should not book a venue until your minister has agreed to officiate. For civil ceremonies, make early arrangements with the Registrar, particularly in cities or towns or cities where large numbers of people want to be married at popular times of the year.

Finally, you will need to arrange for two persons, aged 16 years or over, to be present at your ceremony to act as witnesses. Two witnesses are required for both religious and civil ceremonies. If you are unable to provide witnesses, you should ask the venue, where you will be getting married, if they are able to provide them.

The Marriage Schedule

When all the required documentation has been received and the Registrar is satisfied that there is no legal impediment to your marriage, he will issue a marriage schedule. No marriage can proceed in Scotland without a marriage schedule, which must be presented to the person performing your marriage before the ceremony commences.

If you are having a religious ceremony, the marriage schedule will be issued to you personally within seven days of the marriage date. It cannot be issued to anyone other than the prospective bride or bridegroom. Immediately after the ceremony, the marriage schedule will be signed by both parties and the person performing the marriage ceremony. The two witnesses will also add their signatures. The schedule must then be returned to the Registrar within three days so that the marriage can be registered. If you are having a civil ceremony, the schedule will not be issued but the Registrar will have it available for signing after the ceremony.

After your marriage has been registered, you can obtain a copy of the entry in the Registrar's book of marriages (your marriage certificate) from the Registrar on payment of the appropriate fee.

If You Live in England or Wales

If you intend to marry either a person residing in Scotland or a person residing in England or Wales who has a parent residing in Scotland, there is an alternative procedure to follow if you so desire. If you decide to do this, you may give notice to the Superintendent Registrar in the district in England and Wales in which you reside. The person you are marrying must, however, give notice to a Scottish Registrar in the usual way.

After the 21 day period has elapsed from entering the notice in the notice book, the Superintendent Registrar will issue a certificate of marriage, which must be sent to the Scottish Registrar as quickly as possible.

If You Are Domiciled Outside the UK

There are additional requirements for you to fulfill if you are domiciled outside the United Kingdom. If you are subject to the marriage laws in the country in which you are domiciled, you need to obtain a certificate of no impediment to marriage, which will state that you are free to marry. This certificate should be obtained from your own marriage registration authority. A certificate from a lawyer will only be accepted as a last resort since they do not have access to marriage records. If the certificate is in not in English, a certified translation is also required. In the absence of such a certificate without good reason, it may not be possible for you to get married in Scotland. If you have been resident in the United Kingdom for the past two years, you do not need to submit such a certificate.

If you are in any doubt about what is required, contact the Registrar in the district in which you intend to marry. You are also strongly advised to fax over your documents for approval before making your journey to Scotland.

UK Visa Requirements

Further Information

The above information was correct at the time of updating. Please check with your registrar’s office or relevant authorities for current information.

Introduction
It is not only couples living north of the border who can enjoy a Church of Scotland wedding ceremony. Since 1st January 1978, believers of other faiths can now be married in the Church of Scotland as long as they believe in monogamy and the vows that they are to take. Religious ceremonies may be conducted at any time and in any place in Scotland including Scottish churches.

Legal Requirements
Unlike the Church of England, banns are not published and there are no residency requirements, although notice has to be given to a registrar no later than 15 days before the wedding date. If everything is in order then the District Registrar will issue a Marriage Schedule not more than seven days before the date of the ceremony. This must be given to the minister officiating at the marriage ceremony before the service begins.

The Church of Scotland is generally happy to marry divorced couples although you will be asked to clarify the circumstances of your divorce and your minister will want to be sure that your new marriage will not be detrimental to you or any children involved. The minister has the right to refuse to marry a couple.

back to top

Preparing for a Church of Scotland Wedding
The Church of Scotland believes that marriage should be a lifelong commitment so your minister may wish to see you beforehand to help you to understand the nature of the decision you are making and discuss the order of service.

On the day, your ushers should be the first to arrive at the church, about 45 minutes before the ceremony, and be primed about where guests will sit. The front right hand pew is reserved for the groom and best man and his close family sit in the second pew behind him. The front left-hand pew is reserved for your parents and bridal attendants. Split up their duties so that someone can supervise parking arrangements, hand out buttonholes, order of service sheets and prayer and hymn-books.

Your groom and best man should arrive at the church at least 30 minutes before the ceremony begins so that they can greet guests as they arrive. Your guests will arrive at the church 15 to 20 minutes before the ceremony begins and are shown to their seats by the ushers.

The next to arrive at the church are your bridesmaids and your mother who usually wait until you arrive. The chief usher will then escort your mother to her seat, which is the cue to the organist and guests that you have arrived.

Marriage Frequently Asked Questions
Ask here (provide link)  http://www.churchofscotland.com/worship/downloads/wplifemarriagefaqs.doc

back to top