How to Marry in Cheshire East

Notice of marriage/civil partnership has to be given in the registration service where you live, so if you live outside Cheshire East, contact your local registration service to find out when they are open for notice appointments.

You cannot get married or form a civil partnership without giving notice within the legal time limits. You can give notice up to 12 months ahead of the ceremony date, but notice must be given by at least 1 month before the date. The easiest way to decide on the latest date you can give notice is to take one month from your ceremony date. For example, if you want to marry on 4 August 2023, you need to have given notice by 4 July 2023. It is therefore very important to get your notice appointment booked.

Contact our team on 0300 123 5019 in good time to get your appointment booked.

We will continue to keep in touch with our couples booked to have their ceremony with us in Cheshire East, but if you need our team, contact us at ceremonysupport@cheshireeast.gov.uk. If you have made any changes to the date or time of your ceremony with your venue, let us know so that we can make sure our diary matches.

The government's latest guidance on marriages and civil partnerships is available on the gov.uk site. If you have any specific queries about your ceremony, please contact the Ceremonies Team at ceremonysupport@cheshireeast.gov.uk

In order to comply with the advice given by the government, NHS and PHE, we are offering the following advice to those who have a ceremony booked with us, who wish to book a ceremony with us or who wish to pay their ceremony fees:

Cheshire East features idyllic rural landscapes and picturesque historic towns and, with over 60 Approved Premises (venues) and our ceremony rooms in Crewe and Macclesfield, you are sure to find a setting that is perfect for you.

Visit our dedicated ceremony website Your Ceremony Your Choice for information on how to plan your ceremony.

Whether you are planning a small, intimate ceremony or a grand occasion, our professional and dedicated Registrars can help create a ceremony of the highest standard that will leave you with memories to treasure for a lifetime.

Where can I get married?

The marriage venue that you choose will depend on what type of ceremony you wish to have. There are three types of ceremony venues offered within England and Wales:

  • A religious ceremony in a church or other religious building. 
  • A civil ceremony in a Register Office
  • A civil ceremony in Approved Premises - Details of venues licensed for civil marriage are available on our website Your Ceremony Your Choice

Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages can now take place in Cheshire East

A Civil Ceremony in an Approved Premise

There are over 70 approved premises in Cheshire East licensed to hold civil marriages including: hotels, stately homes, restaurants and even a castle. These are listed on our website Your Ceremony Your Choice

You can book your registrars up to three years in advance of your ceremony date. Contact our Your Ceremony Team on 01270 375140 or be emailing ceremonysupport@cheshireeast.gov.uk. When you book with us, we ask you for an administration fee and this is deducted from the fee charged for our team to attend on the day of your ceremony. 

Marriages at approved premises are available every day of the week between 10.00am and 6.00pm.

Ceremonies are available on all Bank Holidays.

A Civil Ceremony in a Register Office

Cheshire East has two attractive statutory ceremony rooms, one in each of our Register Offices situated in Crewe and Macclesfield. There are also two larger ceremony rooms at the Municipal Buildings and Macclesfield Town Hall that can be booked for ceremonies.

A basic legal ceremony is available in our statutory ceremony room. You will exchange legal declarations to each other and have the opportunity to exchange rings if you wish.

For a statutory ceremony you should arrive 15 minutes before the ceremony is due to start. The registrar will speak with you both together before the ceremony to make sure all the details for the registration are correct. You will then enter the room together. The maximum number of people allowed for the statutory ceremony room ceremony is 4, ie the couple and two guests who will act as witnesses.

You can make a booking to have a Register Office ceremony up to one year in advance.

As soon as you have decided on a ceremony date, we suggest you contact our Ceremonies Team, to check availability and make a provisional booking. The full fee for the ceremony will be payable at the time of booking. This is a statutory fee and covers the attendance of two Registrars and the use of the ceremony room.

The Ceremony Team will tell you about giving your legal notice of marriage which must be completed before a ceremony can take place.

Religious Ceremonies

Information on religious ceremonies is available on our religious ceremonies page.

What should I do if I marry overseas?

If you are thinking about getting married abroad, please contact the appropriate embassy or consulate so that they can advise you of the formalities and documentation required by that country. For more information and advice, you can contact the ‘General Register Office’.

How can I book my marriage?

The first step in booking your ceremony is to decide where you would like the ceremony to take place and make a provisional booking. If you choose one of our approved premises, please check that our Ceremony team is available by contacting our Ceremonies Team on 01270 375140 . They will book your ceremony and advise you about giving your notice of marriage.

Notice of marriage

The next step is to arrange to complete the legal notices of marriage in the registration authority where you live. If you need more information about residential qualifications, see the Marriages and civil partnerships in England and Wales or contact the Ceremonies Team.

If you live in Cheshire East, and have already booked your ceremony date and the registrar's attendance, you can telephone 0300 123 5019 to make a notice appointment at one of our offices. A booking fee of £35.00 per person will be taken when the appointment is booked. This fee covers the cost of the statutory notice fee and is non-refundable.

Both parties have to give notice in person.

If you live outside Cheshire East, please contact your local Register Office. If you live in different local authority areas, notices will have to be given in each area.

1. When you call to make your appointment to give notice, ask your Registrar which documents you will need to produce, such as:

  • Evidence of identity, age and nationality, ideally a passport. If you were born before 1 January 1983, a UK birth certificate is also acceptable.
  • Change of name documents.
  • Proof of residence in the form of a utility bill or other official document which shows your home address. A utility bill should be dated no more than 3 months before the date of the notice of marriage; a bank or building society statement should be dated no more than 1 month before the date of the notice of marriage.
  • If appropriate, evidence of how any previous marriage ended, such as a divorce decree absolute or a death certificate.
  • If either of you have a foreign divorce document, there will be a further fee payable for this to be considered by the Superintendent Registrar or, in some cases, by General Register Office. It is important that you let us know about any foreign divorces before making an appointment. Please telephone 0300 123 5019 for further information.
  • Further documents may be required as evidence, eg a previous marriage certificate to link the name on a woman’s birth certificate with the name and her decree absolute.
  • If either of you is subject to immigration control you will need to provide further documents.

2. The booking fee paid when the appointment is booked covers the statutory notice fee. This fee is non-refundable.

3. Marriage cannot take place until after 28 clear days have elapsed from the day of giving notice. During the 28-day waiting period, the notices will be displayed in your local Registration Authority.

4. Once the waiting period of 28 full days has passed, the marriage can only take place at the venue specified on the notices. The notices are valid for 12 months. If you change the venue, or the notices expire, fresh notices will have to be given.

Please contact the Ceremonies Team on 01270 375140 if you have any queries about the documents required.

Are there any restrictions for non-UK citizens?

There are special procedures when either partner is a non-EEA (European Economic Area) national who is subject to immigration control. If this applies to you, please contact your local Register Office for further advice. For further details, see the gov.uk website.

Can I personalise my ceremony?

Our Ceremonies Team will confirm your booking. You will receive our ceremony profile which outlines ideas and suggestions for your ceremony.

If you wish to personalise your ceremony with your own readings and music or if you would like to discuss any aspect of your ceremony contact your Ceremonies Officer who will be happy to discuss your requirements.

Legally we are not allowed to include wording, readings or music which may have religious connotations within our civil marriage ceremonies.

Where can I obtain further information?

Once you have given notice of marriage, remember to visit our website Your Ceremony Your Choice, which contains information to help you plan your day, including advice for the ceremony and suggested readings.

The Cheshire East Registrars team have created a brochure to help you plan your special day, the brochure can be found on the your ceremony planning page

What costs are involved?

All the fees for marriage are shown on our fees page.

Important Note: If you have been living on your own and claiming Single Person Discount on Council Tax, and are now going to be living with your spouse, then notify the relevant authority.

Contact the Register Office

Email creweregisteroffice@cheshireeast.gov.uk or see Gov.UK.

Page last reviewed: 22 January 2024