Marriages

A marriage notice has to be lodged with the Registrar not less than 29 clear days before the proposed date of marriage, and not more than three months before the date. Marriage notice forms are required for both civil and religious marriages and can be obtained from the Registrar or downloaded from the National Records of Scotland website (see Related Sites).

Marriage notices can be delivered in person, by post or by email.

All marriage notice paperwork must be submitted to the Kirkwall Registration Office.

Religious or Belief Marriages

If you wish to have a religious or belief marriage ceremony you should contact the minister, priest or other celebrant to make arrangements.

Civil Marriages

When you have decided on a date, place and time, contact the Registrar to check their availability. Bookings can be made well in advance, however the Marriage Notice Forms cannot be submitted until three months prior to the date of marriage.

Whether you choose to have your ceremony in the Registration Office or at a venue of your choice, we will be happy to assist you in every way to ensure you have a day to remember.

Your ceremony can be tailored to your specific wishes. Music can be played for the guests arriving and for the entrance of the bride. This can be a piece of music which is special to the couple. You may also wish to consider having readings or poetry as part of the ceremony and this can be carried out by family or friends. Many couples wish to make personal promises to each other and these can be serious, funny or romantic. The Registrar will be more than happy to discuss this with you.

You can now include religious readings or hymns as part of your marriage ceremony, however this would not be carried out by the Registrar, probably by family or friends.

Documents to be Submitted

• Marriage Notice Form (M10) completed by both parties.
• Birth Certificates.
• Proof of Residence (utility bill, bank statement, driving licence).
• If either party has been married or civilly partnered before, a final divorce/dissolution document or spouse’s death certificate.
• Proof of Nationality, if you were born after 1 January 1983 we require proof of nationality, i.e. valid passport.
• If you are not a British Citizen you may also need to provide a Certificate of No Impediment. This is a document issued by your home country stating that you are free to marry.

If you are coming into the UK from a foreign country further documentation will be required. Visit the National Records of Scotland website for further information (see 'Related Sites' section of this page) or speak to the Registrar.

If any documentation is in a language other than English it will need to be accompanied by a translation.

Fees

Please contact the Registrar who will provide you with the relevant fees.

Marriage Schedule

For religious or belief marriages the Marriage Schedule should be collected by the couple from the Registrar not earlier than 7 days prior to the marriage.

Following the ceremony the Marriage Schedule should be returned to the Registrar within 3 days in order for the marriage to be registered and you will then receive your marriage certificate.

For civil marriages the Registrar is responsible for taking the Marriage Schedule to the ceremony.

Documents issued by the Registrar

A marriage certificate, if requested and paid for, is issued once the marriage is registered.

Changing an Existing Civil Partnership to a Marriage

Guidance on how to change an existing civil partnership to a marriage can be found on the National Records of Scotland website (see 'Related Sites' section of this page).