Frequently Asked Questions
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Why choose Scotland?
 Scotland
is at the top of the A list for Celebrity Wedding locations, one
of the most romantic countries in the world.
How can we help you?
By listening to want you want and helping you choose
the most romantic venue for the biggest day of your life. Choose
from enchanting castles to stunning historic houses, 5 star luxury
hotels to small intimate ancestral homes.
The Marriage Laws in Scotland- What do we need to
know?
 Choose
the type of service you would like, religious or civil ceremony.
Select the type of venue you would like – we will find it
for you.
Submit your documents according to Scottish Law
If your preference is for a Religious ceremony,
some individual clergymen will have their own views on marrying
couples who are not from their parish and on performing ceremonies
in locations other than in a Church. However, most services can
be celebrated almost anywhere within reason and with the consent
of the clergy. We can give you advice relevant to the area you will
be married in.
Civil ceremonies are conducted by a Registrar and
with the introduction of a new Scottish bill; you can have a civil
ceremony in a range of licensed venues, opening up many locations
not previously allowed.
You will have to provide two witnesses for either
a religious or civil ceremony.
Whatever your choice, we will be pleased to help
and advise you all the way on what is required by Law.
What are the Legal Requirements for getting married
in Scotland?
A basic outline of the current law is given below.
Full details and answers to any queries you may have can be obtained
from the General
Register Office for Scotland. Website: www.gro-scotland.gov.uk
The Essential Requirements
 Prior
residence in Scotland is not a pre-requisite to marriage.- The minimum age of both parties must be at least 16.
- Both parties must be free to marry (i.e. any previous marriage
must have been terminated by divorce, death or annulment).
- They must not be related to each other in any way that may impede
them from marrying. Details of forbidden degrees of relationship
are listed in the leaflet RM1 (Marriage in Scotland) that is available
from any registrar of births, deaths and marriages in Scotland
or from the General Register Office for Scotland in Edinburgh.
- Both parties must be capable of understanding the nature of
the ceremony and of giving free consent.
- The marriage would be regarded as valid in any foreign country
to which either party belongs.
Documentation
Before a couple can marry; there are a number of items of paperwork
that need to be completed.
Visas and Certificates of Approval
From 1st February 2005, if you are visiting the
UK to be married and you are a citizen of a country that is not
a member of the European Economic Area, you will need to apply for
a visa before you travel (this only applies if your marriage notice
is received by the registrar on or after 1st February 2005). If
you do not get a visa the registrar will not be able to accept your
notice of marriage and you will not be able to marry in the UK.
Obtaining a visa should be straight forward. For more information
visit the UK Visas website or contact your nearest
British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission for advice.
The Marriage Notice
Both parties must submit a marriage notice along with the appropriate
fee to the registrar for the district in which the marriage is to
take place. Marriage notice forms are available from any local registrar
in Scotland or from the General Register Office for Scotland in
Edinburgh where one can also download a copy of the form. They must
be submitted a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of three months
before the ceremony, although four weeks is the recommended period
(or six weeks if either party has been married before).
Along with the forms, the registrar must also be supplied with
the following documents:
- Birth certificates.
- Divorce certificates (where relevant). A decree of divorce granted
outside Scotland must be absolute or final - a decree nisi is
not acceptable.
- Death certificate of the former spouse if either party is a
widow or widower.
- Certificate issued by a competent authority of the country of
residence (usually the civil authority) if either party is a national
of a country other than the UK to the effect that there is no
impediment to the proposed marriage. This certificate is not necessary
if the party has been resident in the UK for two years.
- Certified translation of the any documents in a language other
than English.
The Marriage Schedule
 The
registrar will check all documentation to be satisfied that the
parties are free to marry and then will prepare the marriage schedule.
In the case of a civil wedding, the registrar retains the schedule
until the date of the wedding. However, if a religious marriage
is intended, the schedule is issued to the parties, one or other
of who must collect it in person not more than seven days before
the wedding.
The schedule must be produced before the ceremony for the person
performing the marriage who is then required to sign it with the
couple and two witnesses over the age of 16. The registrar then
retains the schedule or must have it returned to them within three
days so that they can register the marriage. Where one of the parties
lives in England or Wales and the other in Scotland, the former,
if she or he wishes, may apply to the English or Welsh Superintendent
Registrar for a certificate which the Scottish registrar will accept
in lieu of notice - this certificate should then be forwarded to
them as soon as possible.
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