Before the ceremony

Although it is the couple’s responsibility to find out about the legal requirements, couples will often look to you to guide them through the process.

Decisions the couple must make

If the couple wish to include a legal element in their ceremony, they must decide who will solemnise it, and the date and location. This information is required for the M10 or CP10 forms.

Timing

The couple can submit their forms no more than three months before the ceremony and no less than 29 days before it. In some situations this period is extended to 70 days.

The couple must be able to collect the Schedule from the registration office in the 7 days before the ceremony. If the ceremony falls on a Sunday or over a bank holiday, the couple should check the arrangements with the registration office in advance. After the ceremony, the signed Schedule must be returned to the registration office within 3 days.

Documents required

All couples must provide evidence of identity, date of birth and nationality or residence, usually a birth certificate and a passport or driving licence.

Anyone who has previously been married or in a civil partnership must provide documents showing divorce, annulment, dissolution or death. A couple who are already in a civil partnership with each other can change it to a marriage. If the civil partnership was registered in Scotland, they can do this either by a simple administrative process at the registration office, with no ceremony, or by having a marriage ceremony with the usual notice. If it was registered outside Scotland, the change can only be made by a marriage ceremony, and the couple will need to show evidence of the civil partnership when they give notice. Either way, you can conduct the ceremony; the couple should raise it with the registrar when they give notice.

People domiciled outside the UK will be asked for additional documents, which may include a Certificate of No Impediment, a declaration of immigration status, and a Marriage Visitor visa. Some documents may need certified legal translations if they are not in English.

You may find it useful to give or email the couple some notes on the legal aspects, for example:

• applications can be made by post or in person
• they must send their original M10 or CP10 forms; by prior arrangement with the registrar they may be able to send copies of other documents and show the originals when they collect the Schedule
• the Schedule can be collected only by one of them, in person, during the 7 days before the ceremony
• your full legal name and your designation, Minister, OneSpirit Interfaith Foundation, which they need for their forms.