What do you NEED to get married?

[SqutterNutBaush]

I don't mean dresses etc I'm thinking licences, certificates and the like, I've heard about these things but don't know how/when and costs to get them.

when you decide you want to get married you need to go to the registry office and get a licence. You might need birth certificates (?) and any divorce papers etc if necessary. You could phone the registry office and ask

for registry office you book a ceremony date. you have to attend /book intention to marry appointment at your local registry office at least 3 weeks before the marriage takes place. I think you need to take id and proof of address. I think it cost us £70 to register and £40 for the ceremony.

For a civil wedding you need to book a venue, either a registry office or a licensed venue, for which you will need to book a registrar from the local registry office. Registrars for "out calls" often book up months in advance, as do Saturdays at the registry office, so you either need to plan well ahead or be flexible with your dates. You need to give notice of marriage at least 15 days before your wedding date, at the registry office where you live (which may not be where you are getting married) - usually this is by appointment only and can book up quite far in advance. Once the 15 days has elapsed you'll get your licence, which you have to take/give to the registry office who will be marrying you before they can do so. Obviously if you are getting married in the same place as you gave notice then you don't need to worry about that!

For a CofE church wedding you need to have your banns read on a Sunday three times before the wedding, both in the parish where you live and the parish where you will marry (if they are different) after which the minister will give you your banns certificate, which is the equivalent of the civil licence paperwork.

www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/overview

Church weddings can be by banns or licence. The latter is obtained by the vicar from the bishop and marriage by special licence is I think the quickest way to marry.

CAB page on all the legal/admin stuff