To ask for help finding a registry office, sharpish!

[OrangeElk]

My partner and I want to have a very simple registry office ceremony as soon as possible. Ideally this autumn/early winter, but foolishly failed to take into account the backlog! does anybody know anywhere that might have shorter lists?! It'll just be us and two witnesses.

We've already managed our expectations down from wanting Manchester/Stockport or Norwich, but still would like it to be a not-hideous building/room.

Any leads gratefully received!

I thought you need to use the register office of the borough in which you reside?

Unless this has changed in the 40 odd years since I got hitched...

Liverpool has lovely registry office in St George's Hall right by train station

Do you have an area in mind? Do you have a preference for day of the week? Have you tried your local church (likely to have shorter lists and the cost can be cheaper, it depends on options)? Eg the register office in my city is £300 more for a Saturday wedding than the local church, but on Tuesdays the register office is cheaper.

I don't think you are tied to where you live

Things have changed. You can marry wherever. But you have to give notice in your local district(s) and if that's the bottleneck then there's no way around that AFAIK. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/living-together-marriage-and-civil-partnership/getting-married/

Try Nottinghamshire - Bridgford Hall and Arnot Hill House are both lovely. Probably needs to be on a weekday though

The one in Stockport is in a fabulous building

If you fancy further afield then Dunfermline in Fife has a lovely registry office and so does Haddington in East Lothian.

I attended a very simple but lovely Register Office wedding in Lambeth a few weeks ago and it was in a nice big clean light room with lots of artificial flower arrangements dotted about. Very pleasant staff/registrars. Nicely landscaped area outside the office too. Easy to get to, as it's a few minutes walk from Brixton tube station. No idea of backlog but the couple marrying had booked it a few days before. Maybe they got lucky with a cancellation.

Good luck!

You are not tied to your local one m

Merton is lovely

Grade II listed building in Suburban Greater London. David Beckham’s sister got married here, which may either put you off or be a draw: Langtons Registry Office it’s a lovely building and cheaper on certain days of the week.

Lichfield register office is lovely, nice building and lovely grounds. It holds 30 guests iirc

Oh excellent suggestions all, thanks! We may have luck at Liverpool! Not too worried about day of week or time etc.

I don't think the giving notice is causing hold up, just finding slots, good to hear people are able to do it short notice, I guess waiting for cancellations is one way but a bit stressful!

Thanks again :)

Second St Georges Hall in Liverpool!

Gretna Green, just you two + witnesses. Married over the anvil. Lovely!

Gretna is lovely. My friend married at the Old Mill if they have availability.

If St Georges Hall in Liverpool is all booked try over the water in Birkenhead - I haven’t been inside the town hall but there are plenty of great photo opportunities right outside in Hamilton Square.

@millymae

If St Georges Hall in Liverpool is all booked try over the water in Birkenhead - I haven’t been inside the town hall but there are plenty of great photo opportunities right outside in Hamilton Square.

It's a square with the most grade 1 listed buildings outside of London. You can take ferry over Mersey there 😁

Yes Birkenhead is another fab choice - could get married there and take the ferry back to Liverpool for dinner afterwards

Northampton registry office used to be in a gorgeous building.

....just googled and yup, still there. Beautiful.

Someone more knowledgeable will confirm but you have to give notice which I think needs to be at least a month before?

28 days

Another voting for Birkenhead. Chester's building is fugly but loads of beautiful places around the city to take photos after