If you got married just the two of you, how did you sort out witnesses?

[Lottapianos]

DP and I are considering a civil partnership later this year. We absolutely dont want a fuss or a ceremony though, and were wondering if registry offices can supply a couple of witnesses, or if you absolutely have to bring your own. What did you do for your tiny wedding?

Our (London) registry office specifically made it clear they could not supply witnesses from their office staff — apparently it took up far too much staff time, so they had a blanket ban. They also advised we brought our own and didn’t rely on grabbing people off the street — if we missed our slot, they weren’t going to rearrange everyone else’s.

We brought two friends we knew would be free in the daytime at no notice — we got a cancellation — both resting actors. Other friends got a couple of firemen coming off shift at the fire station next door.

Some people have used Mumsnet to find witnesses.

Please have MN witnesses! It's been done several times before, and I was a witness for one, where the bride asked on MN and the groom asked elsewhere. The groom's witness didn't turn up and they had to go out into the street and ask people!

'Other friends got a couple of firemen coming off shift at the fire station next door."

Brilliant

Hate the thought of asking strangers on the street, just not for me

We got married one January in a Scottish seaside town. The registrar asked a couple of ladies from the office next door. Think it was the housing department.
Anyway they seemed v pleased to be asked.

My OH asked a couple of people he knew via work who lived relatively close to where we got married. I'd never met them before, nor since, but I'm really grateful they took time out of their day to be our witnesses.

I think asking strangers on the street is way too chancy, even for people ok with the idea in principle. I’ve certainly had to refuse once when I was accosted by a harassed man in a suit outside the same registry office, because I just didn’t have 20 or 30 mins to spare. It could well take a while to get two willing and able people, and be quite stressful.

'It could well take a while to get two willing and able people, and be quite stressful.'

My thoughts exactly!

Where are you getting married?

I loved the ones where mners got to be witnesses. I would be honoured to be asked to do that for someone.

I just asked a couple who were walking along the corridor near to the wedding office, it turned out that they’d just got married themselves and had also had to ask strangers.
This was in New York though and it was a matter of just turning up rather than booking a certain time so we wouldn’t have been under any time pressure had people refused.

Anon, likely to be London, possibly Brighton, not sure yet

We just asked the registry office to find us some. They produced a couple of lovely old ladies.

We got strangers off the street. We got married abroad, it was only a short service thing, like less than 10mins.

We asked the old people's home opposite the registry office if two people could help us (a week or so in advance).

Two delightful elderly ladies came and witnessed us. Other than us and them, the only other person was a photographer we booked. Hate having my photo taken but really glad we did that as DC like to see them.

@Pentaras was yours in Surrey?

There are some venues you can elope to which will provide the witnesses for you (usually just two members of staff there). An example would be Milbrook Estate in Devon but there are a few others dotted around the country. It would cost around £700 I think (think that might include an overnight stay in their guest cottage though)

I love when MN comes to the rescue for this sort of thing. I'd love to do it one day if it ever happens near me.

We got married just the two of us in Central Park, NYC and you only need one witness there, so our photographer did it.

I got married on a Scottish island [ to my now ex ]. We had two people who were working at the registry office as witness's. One of them even took photos for us.

We had a photographer, and she offered to bring her husband along to be the second witness (who worked around the corner from the registry office).

Just 2 personal friends, or close family

We got married abroad on our own. The hotel provided two witnesses.

We then had a big blessing and party on our return and had 'proper' witnesses from close family.

We had some neighbours we were friendly with - that way we didn't offend anyone by choosing someone close. It happened to be their wedding anniversary anyway, so we all went for an epic fry up afterwards