Marriages & civil partnerships

Celebrating your relationship with a legal marriage or civil partnership is a special way to commemorate the love and commitment you share. Marking the occasion with friends and family offers the chance to support your partnership and create memories that will last a lifetime. 

At Reading Ceremonies, we pride ourselves on delivering personal, meaningful and bespoke ceremonies that reflect your unique relationship. We also make the legal process as straightforward as possible, guiding you every step of the way so you can focus on enjoying this exciting chapter in your lives.

If you want to get married, or form a civil partnership, you must:

• be over the age of 18
• be legally free to get married
• attend a notice of marriage or civil partnership appointment at your local district Register Office

You must give notice to marry or form a civil partnership at least 29 clear days before your ceremony. We would advise our customers where possible to give notice 3-6 months in advance of their preferred ceremony date.

Please ensure you are aware of the differences between civil marriage and civil partnerships for both opposite and same sex couples, in this country and internationally before making your booking or giving your notice. 

GOV.UK information about the difference between marriage and civil partnership in England and Wales

For further information, please see notices of marriage or civil partnership.

Ceremony bookings

In Reading we have a wide range of ceremony options to meet your needs, whether you require a small statutory ceremony or a larger celebratory ceremony in one of our many venues we have it all.  

Your first step in planning your marriage or civil partnership will be to choose the type of ceremony and the right venue for you and your needs. 

Reading Registration Service offers 3 of our own civil ceremony spaces:

• Reading Town Hall Ceremony Room
• The Forbury Room
• Reading Register Office

Alternatively, you can book our registrars to solemnise your ceremony at one of our unique approved venues for marriages and civil partnerships across the borough. We offer a diverse range of venues, with capacities ranging from intimate ceremonies for just two people through to larger celebrations of up to 700 guests. 

Full list of approved venues

We are always interested in licensing new and exciting venues in Reading. If there is a venue you would like to use that is not currently approved, please contact us to discuss the approval process. Please note that approved premises must generally be publicly accessible venues, should not have a religious connection, and we do not normally approve open-air locations or temporary structures.  

To make a ceremony booking or to enquire regarding venues and dates of availability please call us on 0118 937 3533.  

You will have to pay a non-refundable deposit of £56 at the time of booking. You will then be sent an email confirming your booking and all the relevant information. You may be required to show this confirmation email when giving your notice of marriage or civil partnership.  

Your remaining balance for your ceremony fees is only payable once both parties have given their legal notice of marriage and at least one month ahead of your chosen ceremony date.  

Please note administration fees apply if you need to change or move your booking. All of our fees are taken using a secure payment line. Full list of ceremony and notice fees

Giving notice of marriage or civil partnership

Once you have decided your ceremony venue you are both required to give your legal notice of intent at your local registration service in the district in which you reside or have lived in for at least 7 clear calendar days. This is an interview in person to ensure there is no legal impediment to your upcoming union. This must take place at least 29 days before your legal ceremony.  

If one/both of you are not a British national/does not hold the relevant visa for the purpose of marriage/civil partnership in the UK you will be required to attend your appointment together and at least 71 days before your ceremony whilst the Home Office potentially carry out any investigations.   

A notice of marriage or civil partnership is valid for 12 months. You do not have to set your ceremony date when you give notice, but it must take place within one year of your notice appointment and the venue that you specify at time of appointment. 

Your notice is only valid for the specific venue you give notice for; if you decide to change venue at a later date you will then need to give a fresh notice and fees apply. It is therefore very important that you know the details of your venue before giving notice. 

List of approved venues in Reading

Your notices are publicly displayed at your local registration service during your notice period giving anyone a chance to make any legal objections to your upcoming legal union. 

A fee is payable to give notice to marry or form a civil partnership. There are additional fees for checking divorce documents granted outside the United Kingdom. See our register office fees and charges. 

Please check carefully to ensure you give notice in the correct local authority. You can check your local authority here using your postcode: Find your local council – GOV.UK 

If you live in the Reading borough district, please book your appointment here:  

Please note you will need to have your payment card and details of your required documents to hand before you start. 

Once you have booked your appointment, you will receive an email confirming your details and instructions on how to upload any images of your documents for our verification ahead of your appointment. Please note this is not mandatory, however you may wish to consider asking us to check if you are providing the correct documents in advance. You can upload PDFs, or images in PNG, JPG or JPEG format. Please do this at least 24 hours before your appointment so that the registrar can confirm you are bringing the correct documentation for your notice. You must still bring the original documents to your appointment. 

Documents to give notice

At the appointment you will be required to show your proof of nationality and address. You must bring the original documents; copies are not acceptable.  

If you have been married or in a civil marriage previously, you will also need to show proof of how it ended – usually a death certificate or dissolution/divorce documents. 

Please note that if you do not have the correct documentation we will not be able to complete your notice. We may not be able to book you in for another appointment in the required time ahead of your ceremony, so it is essential that you check the documentation carefully before attending. You will also be charged a rescheduling administration fee to move your appointment. See our register office fees and charges web page. 

For British nationals: Please bring your valid passport where possible. If not you can bring your full British birth certificate. You cannot use your short birth certificate to give notice if you were born after 1 January 1983. If you only have your short birth certificate you must obtain your full birth certificate that includes your full parent details, before presenting for notice of marriage. 

Foreign nationals: If you are subject to immigration control you will also need to show: 

• a valid passport or Home Office travel document 
• evidence of your immigration status in the UK (this is usually an E-visa Share code) 
• a UK passport-style sized photograph of each of you 

We will need to check your current immigration status at time of the appointment. Please have your share code ready. eVisas: access and use your online immigration status: View your eVisa and get a share code to prove your immigration status – GOV.UK  

We work collaboratively with the Home Office to ensure marriages do not break the Immigration Act. The Registration Officer is obliged to check your immigration status. The Home Office may want to investigate further. 

EU citizens: From 1st July 2021 if you are an EU citizen marrying in England and Wales you must provide an EUSS SHARE CODE from the gov.uk website to the registrar at your notice appointment to check your status. To qualify as a relevant national we need to check this a proof that you have settled status, pre settled status or an application pending from before 30th June 2021. If your application is currently pending with the Home Office please bring your application confirmation letter/email to your appointment so that we are able to confirm your date of application to the settlement scheme. 

 
If you are unable to provide a share code and relevant application confirmation letter/email, you will either: 

• have to postpone your notice of marriage appointment until you have the relevant documents, which could result in a significant delay and will incur a rebooking fee; or 
• have to go through the home office referral scheme, which could mean you are investigated and have to wait up to 70 days before you can get married. 

So to avoid disappointment, please ensure you present your EUSS share code and any relevant application documents on the day of the appointment. 

Please be aware that it is your responsibility to obtain this share code and not that of the register office. 

You can apply for a code here: View and prove your immigration status – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

Full information regarding document and evidence requirements for notices can be found here: Marriages and civil partnerships in England and Wales: Documents you’ll need to give notice – GOV.UK

Completing your ceremony booking

Once both parties have given their legal notice of marriage you are able to pay your remaining balance for your ceremony which confirm completion of your ceremony booking.  

If your ceremony is with Reading you can do this via calling us on our secure payment line 0118 9373533. At this time you can also pre-order your original legal marriage or civil partnership certificates.  

Failure to pay for your balance in advance can result in the cancellation of your ceremony. 

Please note if you need to reschedule your ceremony you will be charged an administration fee to move your booking. Our fees and charges page outline our full rescheduling and cancellation policy for all ceremonies. See our register office fees and charges. 

Marriage and civil partnership certificates

Please note you will no longer receive an original legal certificate on the day of your ceremony. Once your ceremony has taken place we have 5 days in which to officially register your legal marriage or 2 days to register your civil partnership. Once this has taken place any pre-ordered certificates will be posted directly to you. 

We offer standard second-class Royal Mail service for all our certificates as well as priority certificates via 1^st class or collection options. More information can be found here: 

If you wish to order copies of your certificates at a later date you can order them here: Order a Copy Certificate.

Planning your ceremony

Once you have booked your ceremony with us and both parties have given notice of intent, you must complete our online Marriage and Civil Partnership Planner. 

Complete your ceremony planner

You need to do this at least two weeks before the date of your ceremony. The planner helps you to decide on the style of ceremony but it also helps the Registrar to know what you want for your day.

A link to the planner can also be found in your ceremony booking confirmation email. 

Your planner must be submitted no later than two weeks before your ceremony date. 

Why do I need to complete a ceremony planner? 

Your Ceremony Planner provides your registrar with all the information needed to prepare and personalise your ceremony. It covers both the legal requirements and any additional ceremonial elements you wish to include. 

Through the planner you will be able to: 

• Confirm the number of guests attending. 
• Provide details of your legal witnesses. 
• Select your legal declarations and legal vow options. 
• Advise whether you will be exchanging rings. 
• Choose any additional personalised vows. 
• Provide details of your chosen music and readings. 
• Inform us of any special requirements for you or your guests. 

Optional keepsakes 

You can also purchase a range of keepsakes through the planner, including: 

• Non-legal commemorative certificates. 
• Keepsake certificate wallets. 

These items will be available for you to take away on the day of your ceremony. 

What happens next? 

Your submitted planner will also confirm important information about your ceremony day, including your arrival time and any preliminary interview arrangements. We will add this information to your ceremony booking. 

In most cases, your registrar will not contact you after you have submitted your planner. We will only get in touch if we require further information or if any changes need to be made before your ceremony. 

Join us on both Instagram and Facebook to find inspiration for your special day. Stay updated with latest events, weekly tips, recommended local suppliers, exciting giveaways, heartfelt testimonials and stunning photos from recent ceremonies across Reading … plus much more!

We’re eager to connect with you, especially if you have an upcoming ceremony with us. Remember to tag us in your photos @ReadingCeremonies or us the hashtag #ReadingCeremonies. 

On the day of your ceremony 

Please ensure you arrive at the correct venue as detailed in your ceremony confirmation email and arrive in plenty of time before your ceremony is due to begin. 

Before your ceremony can take place, both parties will be required to attend a brief private preliminary interview with the Registrar. During this meeting, you will be asked to confirm or update the information previously provided at your notice appointment. 

We will review all the details that will appear on your marriage or civil partnership schedule, make any necessary amendments, and discuss the final arrangements for your ceremony. This helps ensure that the registration can proceed correctly and that the details recorded on your legal certificates are accurate. 

If you and your partner would prefer to be seen separately for your preliminary interviews, you can indicate this on your Ceremony Planner. Our team will do their best to accommodate your request and help ensure that you do not see each other before the ceremony. 

You do not need to bring any legal documents to your preliminary interview. However, if your circumstances have changed since giving notice, please inform us as soon as possible before your ceremony date. 

Following your interview, you will have time to join your guests before your ceremony begins. Your Registrar will guide you through the process and ensure everything runs smoothly on the day. 

We look forward to welcoming you 

Our experienced team of Registrars are committed to providing a professional, welcoming and high-quality service. With many years of experience conducting ceremonies, they will guide you through each stage of the process, helping to ensure your ceremony runs smoothly and reflects the choices you have made. 

Whether you are planning a simple ceremony or a larger celebration, our Registrars will work to deliver a ceremony that is personal, meaningful and memorable for you and your guests. 

We look forward to welcoming you on your special day.