Got wedding venue, the date, let down by registrars, HELP.

[Emsman]

Got the dream venue for my wedding organized, along with a date in Feb and a provisional booking for the venue.

I have just phoned the Registrars, to be told that I cant have the wedding on that day due to them not being avaiable.

Can anyone please advise if this would be the case?

ie, do i HAVE to have the registrar from Rugby to get married in Coombe Abbey in Warwickshire, or can I organise my own???

Any help greatly appreciated, as plans have just fallen flat on their arse.

[Puggit]

Sorry, but I believe Registrars are very much tied to their own districts

Maybe a lay registrar is possible...!?

[jesta1865]

normally the venue have a list of people who regularly marry people there, can they not suggest a person.

[Emsman]

Puggit, thanks for a swift response.

Could you let me know what the hell a lay registrar is??

Not too sure about such things im afraid.

[Soft Top]

Get one of your chums to become a vicar and do it for you:

http://www.universalministries.com/doctrine.html

[bigTee]

I ordained myself on the interweb a few weeks ago so as a minister I can marry you.

PM me and I’ll do it for free.

I do can do Barmitzfers too and can arrange karaoke’s with my mate Steve.

[Emsman]

Sense of humour failure from the other (and better half)

Unless you are legit?

Sorry to your mate steve, but we have the disco organised!!!

[Puggit]

Hmmm - looks like a big problem for you.

I don't think lay registrars exist.

I think your options are

1) Change the date or location
2) Get married quietly before/after the event and just have a big party at the location/date of your choice. Sorry

[Emsman]

Cheers Puggit.

Now I am properly pissed off.

[Famous Graham]

I might be missing something obvious here, but if the venue is a provisional booking, can't you change it?

[Emsman]

Famous Graham.

Its called doing things arese about face, it happens a lot for us.

Looks like we will be changing the date then..................

[n1ckm]

We got married in April and your wedding date, unfortuntely, has to be determined by the availability of the registrars in your district. So unless they can find a way of squeezing you in on that day, I think you're going to have to choose a different date

[andyquantum]

My uncle's a Bishop and has married loads of family members outside his diocese.

Must be a Catholic thing


Hmmm. I read that back and it's not quite what I meant

[Bee_Jay]

See the United Kingdom (bottom) here: http://www.openordination.org/state_faq.php

and more officially here: http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/marriages/

[Bee_Jay]

Q5. Can I become a registrar?

Registration officers are appointed by the local authority (e.g. County, Metropolitan district, London borough) in which they will then work. If you are interested in any forthcoming vacancies you should contact your local authority’s registration service manager. Your local register office may be able to advise who best to approach within the local authority.

Q6. Can I conduct a marriage ceremony just for one wedding (e.g. two friends marrying)?

All those conducting marriage ceremonies have to be duly appointed in law to an appropriate post. There are legal responsibilities which come with the duty of conducting a ceremony, and possible legal liabilities should proceedings not be carried out in line with marriage law. It would not be appropriate for someone who had not been fully trained in the necessary requirements to conduct a marriage ceremony, and therefore an appointment for a single marriage is unlikely.

[jeff m]

As this P & P I was going to say "good escape"

But I would not give in so easily, I would go up the ladder.
Whoevers office you call ask to speak to an assitant.
Be polite and businesslike, try to get them to offer a solution.
Worth a try.

[Shaw Tarse]

Speak to Registrars,ask them for advice.Also contact the venue maybe they can help?

[Vesuvius 996]

Bad luck mate.

Case of cart before horse. You're going to get roasted for this one.

[jeff m]

andyquantum said:

My uncle's a Bishop and has married loads of family members outside his diocese.

Must be a Catholic thing


Hmmm. I read that back and it's not quite what I meant

Bishop of Alabama perchance

[prand]

Some lateral thinking needed perhaps...

Why not pick a suitable friend or relative, and get them to carry out the ceremony instead?

Some friends of ours had a similar problem this year, they had an amazing venue, but registrars couldn't make it. The way they got around it was that they went to the registry office the day before and got properly hitched, then on the day got a suitably authoratitive friend to officiate an almost identical ceremony, just without the legal bits.

We were all in a lovely room at the hotel, the bride walked up the aisle, music, vows, rings, "I dos" etc etc. I only realised it wasn't real when I said afterwards "isn't it funny how the registrar has been invited to the min do and is great mates with XXX" and I was told the full story (actually slapped on the head by my OH for being so dumb).

The way the ceremony went, I didn't notice that there was no signing of the register and legal disclaimers you usually get at civil ceremonies. As they hardly told anyone, it all worked really well.

I reckon if you don't make a big song and dance about the fact you can't get a registrar, 90% of the people there won't care or notice it's not a real ceremony! I suppose you might get the grumpy MIL comments, but that's your decision really, they could always come to the day before so they see the actual thing.

Good luck