Paperwork
You do not need to bring any paperwork or ID to your ceremony. The registrars will have your marriage or civil partnership authority and a copy of the options you have chosen. This will include any readings or personal vows. You may want to print these on card and personalise them to keep as mementos.
Arrival at the venue
The registrars will need to see both of you before the ceremony. This is to make a final check of the information on your marriage or civil partnership schedule. They will also confirm the arrangements for your ceremony with you, in case there are any last-minute alterations.
For ceremonies:
- In our Register Office. Please arrive 15 minutes before your ceremony is due to start.
- In the Spring Hall room.
- The couple need to arrive 15 minutes before the ceremony is due to start if they are being seen together.
- If one of the couple is making an entrance to the Spring Hall room, they need to arrive 5 minutes before.
- At Approved Venues. The registrars will arrive no later than 15 minutes before the ceremony is due to start. They can see you both together or separately in turn.
Please note: For ceremonies in Calderdale Register Office you will see the registrars together. For ceremonies in the Spring Hall room or at Approved Venues, you can be seen separately if you would prefer.
They can also answer any questions from your photographer or anyone else playing a part in your ceremony.
Your ceremony will start at your allocated time.
Please be on time. If you arrive late, it may not be possible to conduct your ceremony that day.
The ceremony
The registrars will lead you through the ceremony you have chosen.
- You will repeat any words you need to say after them;
- or read your personal vows to each other, so you do not need to try and learn them.
Signing the schedule
At the end of the ceremony, you will be asked to check your marriage or civil partnership schedule carefully. Please take a moment to do this, as any mistakes identified later will cost £99 to correct.
You will sign the schedule in the names you are using when you:
- contract your marriage;
- or form your civil partnership.
Note: These will be the names on your certificate, which you can use as proof of your name change.
Please do not forget that you will need to bring two people with you to act as your witnesses. We are unable to provide witnesses for you. They will also sign your schedule at the end of the ceremony. They should ideally be over 16 and will need to be able to understand the ceremony.
At the end of the ceremony
Once the schedule has been signed, there is time for photos of you and with your witnesses. (Please take large group shots taken outside the Spring Hall building or after the registrars have left the venue.)
The registrars will then invite your guests to stand and you will leave the room to a round of applause.
- You can throw confetti in the grounds of the Spring Hall building.
- We encourage the use of biodegradable confetti.
- For ceremonies at other venues, please check with them.
Your certificate
Your marriage or civil partnership certificate will not be issued on the day of the ceremony. We need to complete the registration before we can do this. The registrars can issue you with a letter to take on your honeymoon for you to claim any special offers.
Once the registration has been completed, the certificate will be sent out to your home address.
Please note: We have a team of ceremony registrars, who are not based at Spring Hall. It is not always possible to arrange a meeting with them beforehand. However, we do have an experienced ceremony team who are happy to answer any questions you have.