Neighbourhood Services

LIBRARY, REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION SERVICES

Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages

ARRANGING YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY

Arranging the Date and Time

Where possible, you should try to make early arrangements for the date and time of your marriage. This is particularly important in some of the more popular locations where large numbers of people want to be married at certain times of the year. Please make advance arrangements with the Registrar.

Viewing the Marriage Rooms

You are invited to view any of our civil marriage rooms before you book your wedding – please contact the local Registrar

The Civil Marriage Ceremony

On the day of your wedding the Registrar will check the details on your marriage schedule with you to ensure that the information is correct. The Registrar will accompany you into the marriage room where your guests will already be assembled.

Vows

The law requires that both parties should make a declaration before two witnesses confirming that they are the persons named on the marriage schedule, that they know of no legal impediment to their marrying and that they accept each other as husband and wife, to the exclusion of all others.

The Registrar will ask you, in the presence of your witnesses, to make such a declaration during your marriage ceremony. The giving and/or receiving of a ring is made during the marriage ceremony. This is a personal choice however, rather than a requirement.

The Registrar will then declare you husband and wife and you will be required, together with your two witnesses and the Registrar, to sign the marriage schedule.

You may wish to discuss the full content of the civil marriage ceremony with the Registrar in advance.

You are welcome to personalise your marriage ceremony by adding a few words, having a member of your party read a piece of poetry or prose or having music at appropriate times during the ceremony. Please remember, however, that there must be no religious content to anything which is added to the ceremony. Please discuss any additions to the ceremony with the Registrar before the day of your marriage.

It cannot be over emphasised that the marriage ceremony creates a solemn and binding contract between two parties and it is essential that attention should not be distracted in any way from the meaning and dignity of the occasion. Be sure to let the Registrar know if you change your arrangements or decide to postpone your marriage.

Witnesses

You will need to arrange for two persons to be present to act as witnesses to your marriage (usually the best man and bridesmaid). The two witnesses must be aged 16 or over and must be capable of fully understanding the proceedings. The Registrar must be notified of the full names and addresses of both witnesses. If for any reason you wish to change the names of the witnesses, please tell the Registrar as soon as you can.

Music

All Registration Offices offer a selection of background music for your marriage. Alternatively, by prior arrangement with the Registrar, you can provide your own favourite piece of music, or arrange for musical accompaniment.

Floral Arrangements

All of our civil marriage rooms have silk floral arrangements on display. You may wish however, to provide your own fresh floral displays – please make prior arrangements with the Registrar.

Photography

To observe the dignity of the occasion, photographers should not take photographs during the marriage ceremony. There will of course be an opportunity for photographs once the marriage ceremony has been conducted.

Video Recording

• Video recording is allowed at the discretion of the Registrar.
• Only one video camera may be used during a marriage ceremony.
• The provision of all equipment is the responsibility of the operator.
• Power for the equipment must be self contained, and the registrar will not be able to provide any power source for the operation of any video equipment. The camera must have no trailing wires.
• Only the normal lighting in the registration office may be used and no additional lighting can be introduced.
• The operator must not leave the camera unattended and must undertake to remain stationary throughout the ceremony.
• The instructions of the registrar must be complied with at all times.
• Neither East Ayrshire Council nor the registrar will accept any responsibility for damage or loss to any equipment or accessories or any damage caused to the video recording at the registration office.
  

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in any of our registration offices or civil marriage rooms.

Mobile Phones

Guests will be asked to turn off mobile phones on entry to the marriage suite.

Room Capacities

Please do not exceed the number of guests allowed in each room. Any guests not able to be seated may be asked to wait outside.