General Chat

From tomorrow, marriage certificates will no longer be issued at the time of the marriage. A Marriage Document will be completed by the person conducting the ceremony. This will include space for up to 4 parents, or step parents, including the mothers name and occupation. It will be signed after the ceremony as now, then it has to be lodged at the local Register Office within 21 days, where it will be entered online. They recommend hand delivery for this rather than post.
If the couple require a certificate, it can only be produced after 5 working days.

Good news for us genealogist then, it is about time that the Mothers information is included.

But I don't think doing away with paper certificates is good. Think of all those certs we excitedly perused. I am pleased I still have them all to look at. Won't be the same getting a digital print out.

It was only in August 2014 that, as a result of a petition, David Cameron instructed the civil service to investigate implementing the addition of the mother's name.

I take it that one will no longer be asked to show their marriage certificate for various things, like they do now.

The new one are unlikely to show all the original signatures.

No more jetting straight off on a long honeymoon. I wonder whether everyone will bother drooping off their marriage ‘receipt’ at the registrars office.

Thanks franny.

Does it say anything about which 'persons' will be permitted to be the marriage celebrant or has that not changed at all?

It will be easier for future research - more information, in similar vein to Scottish Certificates.

https://www.familylaw.co.uk/news_and_comment/reforms-set-to-bring-marriage-formalities-into-the-21st-century

As far as I can tell from all the paperwork I've been sent, the celebrants are the same as before.

The banns or notice of intent go ahead are as usual, but the Register Office will need to be informed beforehand if it's a Church wedding. Then if they don't get the marriage document, they'll send an email reminder out.

I'm not sure why they think it'll be less work, well, maybe for some.
At the mo', the Church has 4 documents signed at a wedding, 2 registers, a paper copy, and a cert.
Every 3 months, the Church admin send either the paper copies or a 'Nil Bill' if none, to the local Register Office. I presume this is when the RO enter the details again somehow.
But the intent to marriage has to be sent off beforehand, the Marriage Document still has to be filled in on the wedding day, then that has to be delivered to the RO, 'preferably by hand'. The staff there enter the details online. And if the couple want a certificate that presumably will be printed out.
From today, the current registers are to be sealed and signed off, and may not even be photographed. 1 register remains in the Church archives, the rest goes off to the RO next month.

I read somewhere tjhis morning was that the advise was to 'hand deliver' the document. Which is probably safer to do it yourself then expect the drunk family member to remember it is their pocket/handbag.

I gave my brother an enevelope of money (at the wedding) as requested by the happy couple ( his son).

I never knew if the bride & groom got it. I know my brother and his wife never made their children acknowledge presents but it seems a shame if the bride has the same views.