Finding witnesses for a quiet civil partnership on the Isle of Wight

[littlepeanutb]

Me and my partner and love of my life are visiting the Isle of Wight this month and we have booked to secretly have a civil partnership while we are there. We have only ever wanted it to be just us at our ceremony 💖 we hoped to be able to ask some strangers to be our witnesses but the registry office is not near to much and I'm very shy and the idea of going out and asking people that might say no is making me feel intimidated! And the day feel a bit stressful.
Has anyone else done this? Does anyone have any smart ways of finding strangers to be witnesses ahead of time?
We don't know anyone on the island. We just love it there.

Have you already given notice?
If you haven’t you cannot legally form a civil partnership in the UK without 28-days between giving notice of marriage and the ceremony.

Also the register office usually have extra staff around the offices to witness, or you can ask someone waiting to go in.

I live on the island and am shy and will witness if you like and if I can.

We have given notice 💖 I have been diligent in ticking all the boxes and doing all my paperwork. Just fallen down at the witnesses part!
I sort of hoped they might have someone working there that would be willing to help but didn't want to rely on it in case not ... Thank you!

Wow thank you this is so kind 💖 it's on 27th May in the morning (they only offer limited slots for the no ceremony just witness option) x

You should check with the Registrar, as most in the UK explicitly say that their staff are not available as witnesses.

Thanks I thought this might be the case as they would never get any work done! I want to be respectful of their staff so I will keep asking around for any strangers that could help
Any thoughts anyone has for this would be so appreciated 👍🏻

Could you ask the Register Office if they have another civil partnership/wedding either directly before or after yours? Perhaps that couple could be your witnesses and you could be theirs?

I have heard of people doing this but I wasn't sure if there would be confidentiality issues and if asking them to contact the other couple was too much to ask 💖
If possible I don't want to leave it til the day because it's making me anxious about what we hope will be a nice thing! 😊

There are people you can hire for such a thing, I used to know a couple who did it. You would have to pay for their expenses/ services though.

Could you join a local Facebook group and put it out to see if someone near there would be willing?

I've had go at posting on a local community FB noticeboard so fingers crossed.. good idea thank you!

My partner and I will be in the Isle of Wight at that time if you need any more witnesses!

Oh that would be absolutely amazing if you are free and could do it? It only takes 15ish minutes I was told.
I am new to Mumsnet and don't know if you can DM or how I can give you the information?
Thank you 💖

I’ve DM’d you