Question about giving notice of marriage

[Eminybob]

DP and I have booked our wedding and have an appointment to give notice in a couple of weeks time.

We are not telling anyone we are getting married until after the event, for various reasons.

What happens when we give notice? Does our name go on a list somewhere? Or on display?

If so is this why couples eloping often run away to do it?

I had a civil wedding. They put your name up on the wall in the office for a few weeks. I think It's unlikely to be seen by anyone you know.

In our area your name goes on a screen in the Register Office. Nobody is likely to see it at all.

If you get married in church I think the bans have to be read 3 times?

Your intention to marry is displayed in the town hall/registra's office. The registrar takes some details about you too. Itmay be advertised elsewhere too. In England the normal procedure is to advertise your intention to marry (display the banns) for at least 3 weeks before the date, but I think you can get special licenses to override this. It's different in Scotland, no need for the 3 week thing, which is why people elope to Gretna Green, the most southern bit of Scotland.

I may be wrong on the detail, but that's the general idea.

When we did this (erm 17 years ago...) it was all fairly quick and painless an nothing came of it at all. More of a legal box ticking exercise.

Thank you everyone.

I thought that might be the case. I can't imagine anyone will see it. I guess they would need to know where to look?

Although I wouldn't put it past busybody MIL to snoop at such things on a regular basis!

It is now 28 days in England.