Marriage and civil partnerships

Give notice of intent

Before getting married or forming a civil partnership, you must both give notice of intent at a register office, usually in the district in which you live. Giving notice involves attending an appointment at a register office where you will declare who you intend to marry or form a civil partnership with, where the ceremony will take place and that you are legally free to get married or form a civil partnership.

The process of giving notice might be different for Anglican Church of England or Church of Wales weddings, please check with the minister of religion at the religious premise you have booked. 

When and where to give notice

The legal requirement states that notice of intent must be completed at least 29 days prior to the ceremony. In certain cases, depending on your immigration status, this may be extended to 71 days. We advise that whenever possible you give notice as soon as possible up to 12-months before your ceremony.

You must give notice in the registration district where you live.

Booking a notice appointment

If you live in Cheshire East, have booked your civil or religious ceremony, and you have made arrangements with the appropriate registrar or minister, you can telephone 01270 375140 option 2  to book a notice appointment.

If both parties are of British or Irish nationality you may be able to book an appointment online.

Complete the Give Notice of Intent online booking form below to check availability and to book a weekday appointment. Premium Saturday appointments are taken by phone only. 

The form will take 15 minutes to complete. 

  Book a notice of intent appointment

If you live in Cheshire East your appointment will be at:

Crewe Register Office
Municipal Buildings
Earle Street
Crewe
CW1 2BJ

If you live outside Cheshire East or in different areas, contact your local Register Office

What it will cost

The fee to give notice of intent is £42.00 per person for a mid-week appointment and £57.00 per person for a Premium Saturday appointment. 

Payment is required at the time of making the appointment and all fees are non-refundable.  Additional fees may be applicable if either party is subject to immigration control or has a foreign divorce.

Fees for marriage are shown on our Marriage fees page.

What to bring to your appointment

You must provide specified evidence of your name, age, nationality, place of residence, and evidence that any previous marriage or civil partnership has ended.  Full details of the documents you must bring to your appointment can be found on Documents you'll need to give notice - GOV.UK

• Name, age and nationality: A current passport. If you do not have a current passport your birth certificate, if you were born before 31/12/1982. If you were born after 1/1/1983 you will need to provide your own birth Certificate and evidence of your parent’s nationalities.
• Marital Status: If previously married or formed a civil partnership – evidence of how the marriage/civil partnership ended, for example, a Death Certificate or a Decree Absolute of Divorce.
• Proof of Address: You will also be asked to provide evidence of your current address; the preferred document is your current council tax bill. Other documents are your driving licence, or a utility bill or bank statement (dated within the last month).

You must provide the name and address of your ceremony venue and any change of name documents

Restrictions for non-UK citizens

There are special procedures when either partner is subject to immigration control. If this applies to you, see the GOV.UK website for further information. 

 If you or your partner are from outside the UK or Ireland GOV.UK

What happens at the appointment

If no legal objections are raised, the authority for your marriage or civil partnership will be issued. The earliest you can be married or have a civil partnership is 29 days after you have both given notice at your local register office. If either of you is subject to immigration control and therefore referred to the Home Office, they may extend the notice period to 71 days. The Home Office will notify you after your notice appointment if they wish to extend your notice period. In rare instances, they may prevent the marriage or civil partnership from proceeding.