Legal Scottish Marriage
You Choose The Content and Location
Interfaith Ministers can hold a legal ceremony for you literally anywhere in Scotland - indoors, outdoors, on the beach, in a castle, in a hotel, in a private house or garden. Because of the freedom here in Scotland with where and how to have a ceremony, couples come from all over the world to marry here. As a Minister and Celebrant we can offer this possibility to you whereas Registrars can only marry you in registered premises.
There is no period of residency required prior to the date of the marriage, but one of you, the Bride and Groom to be, will need to attend in person at the Registry Office nearest to the location where you’ll be married, to collect the Marriage Schedule (the piece of paperwork we need for your ceremony to be legal) at some point during the seven day period before the ceremony.
Three months prior to the date of the wedding you each need to apply to be married by filling in a form (M10) and each providing supporting documents to send or show the Registrar in person - supporting documents include proof of identity, nationality and age; which might be your passports or birth certificates.
You need to nominate two witnesses aged at least sixteen who will sign the necessary paperwork after the ceremony (if you’re travelling to Scotland just the two of you, we can help provide witnesses for you).
You also need to pay a small fee to the local council when you apply. That’s all you need to do - it’s that simple!
If you've been married before and are divorced or widowed you’ll need to provide divorce or death certificates (for your most recent marriage if you’ve been married more than once before).
If you do not hold a British passport, depending on where you currently live and how long you’ve lived there, you may need additional supporting paperwork from your country of nationality in the form of a Marriage Visa or Certificate of No Impediment (once you decide where to marry you'll need to check with the local Registrar to confirm what exactly you need to submit).
WHAT MAKES THE CEREMONY LEGAL
To be legal the ceremony must include the following which we will ensure we include
- a declaration by the parties, in the presence of each other, the celebrant and two witnesses, that they accept each other as husband and wife
- a declaration by the celebrant, after the foregoing declaration, that the parties are then husband and wife
- signatures from the parties, the celebrant and the two witnesses on the Marriage Schedule
Should you wish to obtain further detail about what’s involved in having a legal marriage ceremony in Scotland, we’d be happy to email you some Legal Guidelines which give you an initial overview about what you need to do and when.
The most up to date and accurate information about Marriage Visas for foreign nationals must be obtained from any Scottish Registrar.
“We had a beautiful natural wedding which Angie gracefully participated in as our minister. Her attention to the finer details and the months of preparations (inner and outer) she helped us make were invaluable on the day. Many friends and family mentioned afterwards how special and present Angie was in leading our unique 'homegrown' wedding. That says it all to us. If you wish to create a truly special ceremony; however simple or intricate you want it to be, Angie will listen to every word and help create the day, just the way you and your loved ones wish it to be.”
JAMES AND SARAH had a Tailor-made ceremony held by Angie