Religious marriage
Getting married in a church or other religious building
Church of England or Church in Wales
If you wish to be married in the Church of England or Church in Wales, you should first speak to the Vicar of the parish where you wish to marry. He will tell you if you are eligible to marry at the church.
If he/she agrees to marry you, he/she will arrange either for the Banns to be called on three Sundays before the day of your marriage or for a common licence to be issued.
The marriage is registered by the Vicar at the Church and there is usually no need to contact the Register Office about the marriage.
Other Places of Worship
If you wish to marry in any building used for worship and licensed for marriages,other than the Church of England or Church in Wales, you should contact the minister or other person in charge of marriages at the building. If he/she agrees to marry you, he/she will make arrangements for the marriage ceremony.
Remember that usually, you can only be married in a religious building which is situated in the registration district where one, or both, of you live. There are very few exceptions to this ruling - please contact your local Superintendent Registrar for advice on this matter.
Once the marriage has been arranged you will each have to give formal notice of marriage at the Register Office in the district(s) where you live. See 
Legal Formalities for more information.
Many places of worship have their own "registrar" or authorised person who will register the marriage on the day and issue your marriage certificate but sometimes you may need to book a Registrar from the local Register Office to attend to do this for you. Please ask about this at the time you arrange your marriage.
Civil Marriage at a Register Office or an Approved Premises
You can choose to marry at any Register Office or other building approved for civil marriage (called an Approved Premises) within England and Wales.
Register Office
If you wish to be married at a Register Office, you must first contact the Superintendent Registrar at the office where you wish to marry to check that the date and time are available for your marriage. Most Register Offices will make a provisional booking and then give you sufficient time to give notice of marriage.
see The Legal Formalities for more information
Approved Premises
If you wish to marry at an Approved Premises you will need to make arrangements at the venue as well as arranging for the attendance of the local Registration Officers at your marriage.
It is essential that you agree the date and time for your marriage with both the local Superintendent Registrar and the venue before you make any other arrangements. Again, the Superintendent Registrar will make a provisional booking and allow you sufficient time to give notice of marriage. See The Legal Formalities for more information.
The Legal Formalities
If you are marrying in the Church of England or Church in Wales, once the vicar has agreed to marry you he/she will deal with all the legal formalities involved and arrange for Banns to be called or for a common licence to be issued.
If you are marrying in any other religious building, at a Register Office or Approved Premises you must each give notice of marriage and, no matter where you intend to be married, the notices of marriage must be given at the Register Office(s) for the district(s) where you live.
Please note that most Superintendent Registrars will operate an appointment system for the giving of notice. If you are giving notice of marriage in Rotherham - see opening hours/making an appointment for more information.
Your notice of marriage is a formal, legal statement about your intention to marry.
Each of you must give notice of marriage in person no-one else can do this for you.
Your notices of marriage must be given at the Register Office for the district in England or Wales where you have lived for at least the previous 7 days. (If one, or both, of you is not usually resident in England or Wales please ask the Superintendent Registrar for further advice about when and where to give notice of marriage.) It does not matter if you move address once you have given notice of marriage.
Once you have given notice of marriage you must wait at least 15 days before your marriage can take place.
A notice of marriage is valid for twelve months, so you cannot give your notice more than twelve months in advance of the date that you are due to marry.
If you live in the same district, the Superintendent Registrar at your local register office will take both notices, one from each of you. You should both attend together to give your notices of marriage.
If you live in separate districts, each of you will have to give notice at your own local register office.
You are asked to give information about yourself and the person you intend to marry as well as details of where the marriage is to take place.
Once you have given your notice of marriage, it will be displayed on a public notice board in the Register Office for fifteen clear days. This is to allow any member of the public who knows of a legal reason why the marriage should not take place to notify the Superintendent Registrar.
If everything is in order, at the end of the fifteen day waiting period the Superintendent Registrar will be able to issue the marriage authority.
The marriage authority is the legal document that confirms that the marriage can go ahead.
If you are marrying at your local Register Office or an Approved Premises within the district where you normally reside, the marriage authority will be issued automatically on the day of the marriage.
If you are marrying at a religious building, or outside the district where you normally reside, you will need to collect the marriage authority from the Register Office where you gave notice of marriage and deliver it to the appropriate person dealing with your marriage ceremony. The Superintendent Registrar will advise you about this at the time you give your notice of marriage.
Documents you will need to produce
When attending to give notice of marriage at your local Register Office you will need to produce evidence of you name, age, marital status and nationality.
If you have a current full passport you should bring it with you when giving notice of marriage. If you do not have a passport, a birth certificate would also be acceptable (if possible it should be a birth certificate issued at, or near to, the time your birth was registered). You will also be asked to produce a document confirming your name and current address e.g. a household bill, bank statement, driving licence, pay slip, benefit book.
If you have been married before you will need to produce documents to confirm that you are now free to remarry.
If you are divorced you will need to be able to produce a decree absolute showing the court's original seal (this is usually a rubber stamped seal in red or purple ink). If the divorce was granted in a foreign country and the divorce document is in a foreign language, you may be asked to produce an English translation.
If your husband or wife died you will need to produce a certified copy of the death certificate.
If you have changed your name by deed poll, change of name deed or statutory declaration, this document should also be produced.
If either of you are under 18 years you will probably require your parent's written consent before you can marry - please contact the Superintendent Registrar for advice.
Please note that photocopies of documents are not acceptable. If you are unable to produce any of the required documents contact the Superintendent Registrar at your local Register Office for advice
Cost
Marriage at any Register Office
Total fees £103.50
includes £30 each payable to the Superintendent Registrar at your local register office at the time notice of marriage is given and £43.50 payable to the registrar on the day of the marriage
Marriage at an Approved Premises in Rotherham
Notice of Marriage Fees £60 plus registrar's attendance fee (see below)
£30 each, payable to the Superintendent Registrar at your local register office at the time notice of marriage is given, plus the fee for the attendance of the Registration Officers on the day of the marriage. The attendance fees are set by the local authority and will vary from district to district but in Rotherham they are:
Registrar's attendance fee
Monday - Friday £148.50 (includes one marriage certificate)
Saturday £213.50 (includes one marriage certificate)
Sunday/Bank Holidays £283.50 (includes one marriage certificate)
Fees from 1 April 2006
Monday - Friday £153.50 [includes one marriage certificate]
Saturday £223.50 [includes one marriage certificate]
Sundays and Bank Holidays £293.50 [includes one marriage certificate]
In addition, there is likely to be a charge for the use of the Approved Premises for the marriage ceremony. Please enquire at the venue.
Marriage in the Church of England or Church in Wales
These fees may vary from church to church - information about fees may be obtained from the Vicar of the church where you wish to marry.
Marriage in a Religious Building (other than the Church of England or Church in Wales)
Notice of Marriage fees £60
Registrar's attendance fee £50.50 (includes one marriage certificate)
(Many religious buildings have their own 'Registrar' or 'authorised person' appointed to register marriages in which case you will not require the Registrar from the local office to attend. Please ask the person in charge of marriages at the place where you intend to marry about fees charged for the attendance of the 'authorised person' and any additional fees which may be payable for the marriage ceremony and other services.)
All about Rotherham Register Office
The Register Office is situated on the ground floor of Bailey House, Rawmarsh Road close to the town centre. The Register Office is fully accessible to wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. On Saturdays there is free access to the Bailey House car park.
Marriage ceremonies are held between
10am and 3.00pm on weekdays
10am and 4.00pm on Saturdays (May to October)
11am and 2.30pm on Saturdays (November to April)
As you would expect, Fridays and Saturdays are the most popular days and, once you have decided on a date for your marriage, we advise you to contact us straight away to be sure of being able to book the date and time of your choice. You can book a marriage up to one year in advance at Rotherham Register Office.
The old image of a register office marriage is a thing of the past in Rotherham. Marriage parties enter the Marriage Suite through a separate, canopied entrance. The marriage room and waiting areas are beautifully furnished and decorated in a traditional elegant style, and offer a fitting location for any marriage. Beautiful silk flower arrangements and seasonal fresh plant and flower displays are provided for every marriage.
The marriage room has seating for 46 people (including the bride, bridegroom and their two witnesses) and both the waiting room and the marriage room have facilities for playing music - if you wish you can provide your own music to be played at the beginning and end of the marriage ceremony.
Marriage ceremonies are booked so that there is ample time for photographs both inside and outside the building - we have recently added a small garden area to enhance the facilities already available.
Whether you want a small and informal ceremony, just the two of you and close family and friends, or 'the full works' with best man and bridesmaids, the staff at Rotherham Register Office will do everything possible to fit in with your plans. For further information see about the marriage ceremony and how to make it special
Whatever your arrangements, whatever your choices, the aim of all our registration staff is to make this part of your day truly memorable and enjoyable.
If you would like to come to look around the marriage rooms at Rotherham Register Office before booking your marriage, please telephone (01709) 823542 so that we can be sure a member of staff is available.
Aston Hall Hotel
Worksop Road, Aston
www.astonhallhotel.co.uk
Rooms approved
Byron Suite (280)
Library (30)
Holderness Suite (50)
Telephone: 0114 2872309
Carlton Park Hotel
Moorgate Road, Rotherham
www.carltonparkhotel.com
Rooms approved:
Moorgate Suite (45)
President Suite (45)
Atrium (60)
Park Suite (100)
Regency Suite (150)
Conservatory (80)
Telephone 01709 849955
Consort Hotel
Brampton Road, Thurcroft, Rotherham
www.consorthotel.com
Rooms approved
Consort Suite (300)
Morthen Room (35)
Telephone: 01709 530022
Holiday Inn Hotel
West Bawtry Road,
Rotherham
www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/emart
Rooms approved
Donna Hartley Room (50)
Sebastian Coe Room (120)
Peter Elliott Room (250)
Corporate Room 112 (30)
Corporate Room 12 (30)
Corporate Room 13 (30)
Telephone: 01709 830630
The Elton Hotel
Bramley, Rotherham
www.bw-eltonhotel.co.uk
Rooms approved
Portland Room (50)
Mackay Room (50)
Conservatory (20)
Telephone: 01709 545681
Hellaby Hall Hotel
Hellaby, Rotherham
www.hellabyhallhotel.co.uk
Rooms approved
Garden Suite (150)
Attic Restaurant (150)
Drawing Room (30)
Cellar (40)
Telephone:01709 702701
The Town Hall
Moorgate Street, Rotherham
Rooms approved
John Smith Room (100)
Members Room (30)
Telephone: 01709 822756
A full list of all Approved Premises in England and Wales can be obtained from the General Register Office for an administrative fee of £5.00. Write to ONS, PO Box 56, Southport PR8 2GL with a cheque or postal order made payable to ONS. Credit/debit card orders can be made on Tel: 0151 471 4817
A list of local venues can be obtained from the Register Office for the area.
Who do I contact to book a civil marriage in Rotherham
If you wish to book a civil marriage at Rotherham Register Office or at an Approved Premises in the Rotherham district you should contact one of the Superintendent Registrars at Rotherham Register Office.
Please telephone (01709) 823542 between 9 am and 4 pm and ask to speak to
Louise Sennitt or Gillian Richards.
or email: registrationservice@rotherham.gov.uk
You may book a marriage at the Register Office up to one year in advance of the date you wish to be married. We will make a provisional booking over the telephone/by email and advise you when and where you should give your notices of marriage. See The Legal Formalities for more information.
You may make a booking for a marriage at an Approved Premises in Rotherham up to two years in advance. We will make the provisional booking over the telephone/by email and advise you when and where you should give your notices of marriage. See The Legal Formalities for more information.
If you are marrying at an Approved Premises it is essential that you agree the date and time of the marriage with both the Superintendent Registrar at Rotherham Register Office (to be sure that Registration staff are available to attend your marriage) and the marriage venue.
If, after you have made the booking, you wish to cancel the marriage or change the date, time or place of the marriage you should contact the Superintendent Registrar as soon as possible.
About the marriage ceremony and how to make it special
Once a marriage has been booked with Rotherham Registration Service, every couple is provided with a marriage folder to help them plan their marriage ceremony at the Register Office or an Approved Premises.
The folder contains helpful marriage information, outlines the order of events and gives details of the marriage ceremony.
Whether you want a small and informal ceremony, just the two of you and close family and friends, or the 'full works', the Rotherham Registration Service staff will do everything possible to fit in with your plans and make sure that the marriage ceremony itself forms an important and meaningful part of a truly happy and memorable day.
You may choose a ceremony in which you quite simply make the required legal declarations and contract, or you may decide to make additions to your ceremony, creating a unique event that you and your family and friends will always remember.
Traditionally, a civil marriage ceremony is quite brief so we encourage you to consider ways of extending and enhancing the proceedings in order to make your marriage a more personal and individual occasion. The marriage information folder suggests ways of personalising your ceremony by offering a wide selection of additional wordings, marriage promises and 'readings'.
The marriage ceremony will be conducted by one of our Superintendent Registrars - they all have their own personal style when conducting ceremonies but the aim of all our staff is to help you to enjoy this part of the day.
So, whilst it is only natural to be a little apprehensive, there is no reason to be unduly worried about what the marriage ceremony involves. Do not be nervous about including extra wordings and promises as the Superintendent Registrar is there to guide you through each stage of the proceedings and will prompt you about what you have to do and ask you to repeat your chosen words a phrase at a time.
The inclusion of a reading is a matter of personal choice and by no means a requirement but, if well presented, it can be a great addition to the marriage ceremony and an excellent way of involving a family member or friend in the day.
The use of your own choice of music most certainly adds to everyone's enjoyment of the occasion - remember the music used does not necessarily have to be classical or 'wedding' music! Favourite or contemporary songs with an appropriate theme can be just as effective in creating the right atmosphere.
Please remember that, as far as possible, the marriage ceremony is about your choices but, for legal reasons, a civil marriage ceremony cannot contain any additional wordings, readings or music of a religious nature.
The Superintendent Registrar has total discretion to refuse the use of any material considered to be unsuitable.
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