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Registry office wedding & in need of witnesses

10 replies

Timeforperudo · 24/06/2019 14:23

Hi everyone - I have been a lurker for a long time, been planning my wedding since last March but this is my first time posting.

We are getting married abroad, we can't legally marry in the country the wedding is booked in so we are doing a registry office legal ceremony here and then doing official wedding later in the year (either have to be a native resident or have lived in the country for a certain amount of time).

As part of the basic registry office ceremony we are only allowed two people as witnesses (unless we wanted to then add on another £800 charge for room hire for an events room, which defeated the object and budgets). We couldn't pick just one of each set of parents to be witnesses as we thought this wasn't very fair so we decided to just get some strangers on the street to be witnesses beforehand. However I am now panicking that we won't be able to find anyone on the day! We both have multiple siblings too so can't just pick a sibling.

I just wondered if anyone was free in the Hornchurch area on Tuesday 2 July 2019 and would fancy being a witness!? Ceremony is at 9.45am. We would hopefully not need much of your time, just the ceremony and then you could be on your merry way as we will be heading home straight after.

Thanks in advance everyone :-)

OP posts:
rickyst · 24/06/2019 14:26

Not from that area but couldn't you pick a bestie each? Like your maid of honour and his best man? Be nice to have some loved ones with you there; it's only a piece of paper but it's an important one...

Timeforperudo · 24/06/2019 14:29

We did think about that @rickyst but i don't really have one best friend, I have a couple and they're all my Bridesmaids, i couldn't really pick out of them without feeling unfair on the others.

We are trying to think of options at the moment and just wondered if anyone nearby might fancy doing it, although obviously being this late in the day I'm not expecting anyone to be able to make it but you never know Smile

OP posts:
Confused01011 · 24/06/2019 14:31

Why not ask everyone who would like to be there, names all in a hat and two out?
Seems the only fair way if you can’t recruit any strangers to do it.
Good luck.

Ninkaninus · 24/06/2019 14:33

You should probably report your post and ask MNHQ to edit it to make it obvious you’re looking for MNers to act as witnesses. 🙂

There have been a few MN weddings over the years and people are usually very happy to come along. 😊😊

Good luck! Flowers

Ninkaninus · 24/06/2019 14:33

Oh also I’d have them move this thread to AIBU or Chat!

Iwantacampervan · 24/06/2019 15:14

Unfortunately I live no where near Hornchurch or I would l have offered. Hope it all goes well for you.

Timeforperudo · 24/06/2019 15:24

Thanks everyone - I'll see if I can get this moved / title changed!

OP posts:
MaggieFS · 24/06/2019 15:30

Not my area either, but love these threads. Good luck

CherryCheezcake · 24/06/2019 15:32

Oh no, I'm very local to Hornchurch, but am at work out of London that day. If it's the place opposite the theatre, if you can't get any MN witnesses, you could try the Pensioner Massive who hang out in the theatre cafe

Dec2019mumtobe · 24/06/2019 15:54

not my area, sorry.

Can you just ask your mums to be the witnesses? That's what I'd do. I'm sure if you explained, the dads wouldn't mind!

(Unless your family is not in the area and would have to travel a long way just for a quick ceremony?)

Good luck!

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