By Emma Morley

Last updated 14:30, Thursday, 06 November 2008

AS well as all the fun bits, such as choosing a reception venue and picking wedding stationery, there are dull, legal matters to bear in mind when planning your big day.

A civil wedding of Amy Johnston and Leslie Barclay at Greenhill Hotel, Wigton

Here is Cumbrian Weddings’ guide to the requirements at different venues:

CIVIL CEREMONIES:

Couples will now be able to book the date of their civil ceremony more than a year in advance as Cumbrian Registration Service has introduced a new initiative this year.

Barbara Airey, deputy superintendent at Kendal Register Office, said: “Some couples are booking venues more than a year in advance. To accommodate this we have decided to allow them to reserve a date for a registrar from 12 to 24 months in advance.”

There is a non-refundable fee of £50 for this service, on top of the standard wedding fee.

To arrange a wedding in an approved venue you should contact the venue to make provisional arrangements and then immediately contact the register office of the district in which the venue is located to make sure they can attend on that date.

You have to give ‘notice’ to the registrar in the district where you live. This is a legal declaration that you are both free to marry each other and must be made up to a year in advance of the wedding day.

Your notice has to be displayed on a public noticeboard for 15 clear days before your wedding date, but it is advised you do this at least six weeks in advance.

You will need to provide proof of age, identity and nationality, evidence that you are free to marry and your passport, driving licence or birth certificate.

There are certain procedures that you will need to follow if you are subject to immigration control. Contact Carlisle or Kendal Register Office for more information.

There are certain words – declaratory and contracting words – prescribed by law that must be said during the civil ceremony, but there are also things you can add to the ceremony to make it more personal.

Music and pieces of poetry or prose may be used as long as they don’t have religious connections.

You will need two people to act as witnesses and they can be friends or relatives. They will have to watch the ceremony and sign the register.

If you are worried or confused by any of the procedures Barbara advises contacting the Registration Service.

She said: “We send out a brochure which outlines all the formalities you need to follow but you can always ring us if you are not sure about anything or need advice.”

For more information visit www.cumbria.gov.uk/registration.

CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS:

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 gave same-sex couples legal recognition of their relationship. Ceremonies can take place in a register office or licensed venue.

Couples need to give notice of their intent to the registration office in the district where they live. This will be displayed for 15 days before the ceremony.

CHURCH OF ENGLAND WEDDINGS:

If you want to get married in a Church of England church you must first discuss your plans with the vicar.

Your banns must be read out in church on three Sundays during the three months before your wedding day.

They must be read in the parish you live in as well as the church you are getting married in if they are different.

For the ceremony, you can choose to have a modern language service or a more traditional language service.

It is usual to have a rehearsal with the minister taking the service in the church so that you and the other people involved in the service can be taken through what will happen.

For more information visit www.cofe.anglican.org.

GETTING MARRIED IN SCOTLAND:

In Scotland you can get married wherever you want in either a religious or civil ceremony as long as you have the officiant and two witnesses.

The couple each have to submit a Marriage Notice form (M10) to the registrar of the district they are to be married in no later than 15 days before the marriage.

This form should be accompanied by original birth certificates and, if previously married, divorce documents or death certificate of the former spouse.

For more information visit www.gro-scotland.gov.uk.