Marriage in a church or other religious building

Lincoln Cathedral

Marriage in an Anglican church (Church of England or church in Wales)

If you are getting married in an Anglican church, the religious preliminaries will be followed. This involves the reading of the Banns. You will need to speak to the vicar to organise this.

The registry office does not usually need to be involved. However, if you or your partner are from outside the EEA (European Economic Area) or Switzerland and subject to immigration control, you will be required to give notice at your local register office.

Marriage in any other church or religious building 

For marriages in any other religious building, you will need to give notice at your local register office. However, you should first arrange to see the minister or other person in charge of marriages at the building to arrange your ceremony.

Some religious buildings have an authorised person responsible for registering marriages there. However, if the building where you are marrying does not have an authorised person or that person is not available, you will need to book a registrar to attend and register the marriage instead.

If you require a registrar to register your marriage, please get in touch with us as soon as possible to book their attendance.

It costs £86 for the registrar to attend and register your marriage, and certificates are £11 each. 

Issuing the marriage schedule

We will issue your marriage schedule after your notices have served the statutory 28-day notice period. The notice period could be extended to 70 days if you are subject to immigration control, and we need to refer your notices to the Home Office.

Once we have issued your marriage schedule, you can either collect it from Lincoln registration office, or we can send it directly to your home address. Sometimes, we will need to send your marriage schedule directly to your place of marriage. We will contact you when we issue your schedule to discuss your options.

Your marriage schedule will be checked and signed by an authorised person at your marriage service. They must return it to us after the service has taken place so that we can register your wedding. If a registrar attends your place of worship, they will return it to the registration office for you.

Marriage certificates

Please note certificates can only be issued once the original signed schedule has been received from the church.

Order a marriage certificate online
Information for the religious officiant

Pre-Ceremony Information 

If you have any queries or need generic advice leading up to the ceremony, please get in touch with the General Register Office on 0300 123 1837.

Post-Ceremony Information

On the back of the marriage schedule, in pencil, please print the signatures of:

  • the married couple
  • all witnesses
  • the officiating minister

As soon as possible, send the Marriage Schedule by secure post to:

Lincolnshire Registration
PO Box 760
Lincoln
LN2 5WG

Please include your phone number and email address of the officiating minister as we may need to confirm details with them.

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