Approved premises

Ceremony timeline

30 – 60 minutes before the ceremony

  • Registrar and celebrant arrive. This allows time for the registrar and celebrant to settle in, find somewhere suitable to park (unless space has already been reserved), chat with a venue wedding team member, and meet the photographer.

30 minutes before the ceremony

  • Both parties will speak to the registrar before the ceremony. This is to check that all their details are correct, called the preliminaries. They may do this together, but it is usually done separately. The registrar will also review the ceremony's details so they know what to expect. Information will include elements such as the order of ceremony, if anyone will be given away, who stands where, and who has the rings.
  • Depending on the couple’s choice, music may be playing whilst guests begin to arrive.

15 minutes before the ceremony

  • The ceremony will start at its allocated time. There must be no delay, as the registrars may have other ceremonies to attend. We ask for guests to be seated.

Ceremony

  • Once the guests have been seated, the registrar will be standing in the centre. The music will begin to play, signifying the arrival of Party 1.
  • The ceremony will take place over the following 30 minutes.
  • The registrar / celebrant will close the ceremony and congratulate the couple on their marriage.

After the ceremony

  • The registrar will invite the married couple and their witnesses for the signing of the schedule.
  • Once the official schedule is signed there is usually a photographic opportunity using a ‘dummy’ schedule (the original is a legal document and therefore cannot be photographed).
  • The couple will be invited to lead their guests from the room to the next stage of their celebrations.
  • There are occasions where, as part of the couple’s ceremony plan, they have asked for a relative or close friend to bless their marriage. Whilst we make it clear that a civil ceremony should contain no religious content, we are happy to introduce the person carrying out the blessing. Once we have left the room, the blessing can take place.