Neighbourhood Services

LIBRARY, REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION SERVICES

Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages

CIVIL MARRIAGES AT APPROVED VENUES

The Marriage (Scotland) Act 2002 permits Civil Marriage to be solemnised at locations other than Registration Offices and authorises East Ayrshire Council to approve locations for that purpose.

• In East Ayrshire, couples who wish to have a Civil Marriage in a place of their choosing should contact one of the local Registration Offices in the first instance.
  
• Venues or couples who wish to apply to have places Approved for Civil Marriages should contact the Senior Registrar, Kilmarnock Registration Office, Civic Centre, John Dickie Street, Kilmarnock. KA1 1HW (Tel. 01563 576695) for details of the approval procedures and relevant charges.
  

Guidance for those who wish to be married at an Approved Venue

• As soon as you have made provisional arrangements for your marriage at an Approved Venue, you should contact the Registrar for the district in which the venue is situated.
  
• It is essential that you make an advance booking with the Registrar to check that he/she will be available to conduct your marriage on your proposed date. A non-returnable booking fee must be paid to secure your booking; however this will be deducted from your final account.
  
• You must give formal notice of your intention to marry at the Registration Office in the district where the marriage is to take place. This must be not less than 15 days and not more than 3 months before the wedding.
  
• Only a civil, non-religious ceremony can be conducted by the Registrar. Anything which forms part of the ceremony must be non-religious. The content must be agreed in advance of the wedding with the Registrar who will be conducting your marriage.
  
• Any rights of copyright for music, recitals, etc permitted at the ceremony are a matter for the bride and groom and the holder of the approval.

Availability

Civil Marriages at Approved Venues and Registration Offices can be conducted on any day except the Easter holiday weekend and the East Ayrshire Council Christmas holiday period. Weddings can be conducted in the morning, afternoon or evening. Check with the Registrar for available times.