Marriages
We are delighted to provide you with information and advice on getting married in Scotland.
Civil Marriages
We can help to make your wedding day as memorable and as special as possible. We will take special care when arranging your marriage, paying attention to the smallest detail in order to make the ceremony more personal to you.
Religious Marriage
A religious marriage, may be conducted only by a minister, clergyman, pastor, priest or other person authorised by the Registrar General for Scotland.
Legal preliminaries
The legal preliminaries to marriage in Scotland are the same whether it be a religious or civil marriage and are fully explained in a leaflet called 'Marriage in Scotland' (RM1).
A Marriage Notice Form (M10) must be submitted by each party in the 3 month period prior to the date of your marriage and NOT LATER than 15 days before that date.
This information leaflet together with Marriage Notice forms, witness and contact details form and a fees leaflet are available from any Registrar in Scotland.
Civil Partnerships
Although a civil partnership is not a marriage it is still a union of two people. The Civil Partnership Act allows same-sex couples to make a formal, legal commitment to each other by entering into a 'civil partnership' through a statutory civil registration procedure. Through confirming a civil partnership, couples can gain important rights and responsibilities.
The Civil Partnership Act 2004, which applies throughout the UK, came into force on 5th December 2005. The process brings a range of new rights and responsibilities to those involved.
There is no need for couples to have a formal ceremony -the registration can be as simple as appearing at a Registrar's office with two witnesses, and signing the official documentation.
However, if a ceremony is the wish of the couple, a licence may be required for the choice of venue.
How to obtain a marriage or civil partnership certificate
For general information about getting married in Scotland visit the General Register Office or for more information please call the registrar for an informal chat to discuss your requirement.