Licensed venues
All ceremonies must take place in a building or approved outdoor area to which a licence has been granted for the solemnisation of marriages and civil partnerships. They must be separate from any other activity on the premises at the time of the ceremony.
Approval of the venue is granted only in connection with the provision of ceremonies. The Surrey Registration Service cannot accept liability for the failure or neglect on behalf of the venue, of any agreement between you and the venue and for the use or provision of any services and/or facilities.
Ceremonies in approved outdoor areas
Approved Premises wedding venues will need to consult, in advance, with Surrey Registration Service before arranging any ceremonies in outdoor areas, to obtain prior confirmation that the outdoor location fulfils the legal requirement to be seemly and dignified and that all health and safety requirements can be met.
- Ceremonies can only take place in approved outdoor areas during British summer time (last Sunday in March to last Saturday in October).
- The decision regarding the suitability of the weather for an outside ceremony will be made no later than one hour prior to the ceremony start time by the responsible person on duty at the venue.
- The main reasons a ceremony will not take place outdoors will be because of inclement weather or health and safety concerns. Inclement weather can include wet, cold, heat and other extreme conditions. Health and safety considerations include but are not limited to, the safety of electrical equipment, the conditions underfoot and the safety of the registration documents.
- Should the weather be unsuitable on the day, the venue must have an alternative licensed room or approved dry area set up accordingly, to avoid a delay to the start of the ceremony.
- Should the alternative licensed room or approved dry area not be set up, the ceremony will go ahead but the Surrey Registration Service will not accept responsibility for failure of the venue to comply.
- The maximum number of guests attending at an outdoor ceremony must not exceed the maximum number of guests permitted in the alternative licensed room or approved dry area.
- If there is a risk to either the registration staff or the legal documents, the Surrey Registration Service reserve the right to override the venue's decision to hold the ceremony outside.
Schedules are legal documents and must always be protected from the elements, and registrars have a statutory duty to ensure that this requirement is complied with.
Civil marriage and civil partnership bookings and fees
Your booking is accepted on the condition that:
- No legal impediment to the marriage or civil partnership exists and legal preliminaries are completed within statutory time limits.
- Any foreign divorce/dissolution papers are accepted by the Registrar General where applicable.
Marriage or civil partnership ceremony
- The ceremony fees are payable in full at the time of booking. The ceremony fee includes a non-refundable administration fee of £100.
- Fees are subject to change on the 1 April each year. You will be required to pay the fee that is applicable for the date of your ceremony.
Civil partnership without a ceremony
- Fees are payable in full at the time of booking.
- Fees are subject to change on the 1 April each year. You will be required to pay the fee that is applicable for the date of your ceremony.
Other ceremony bookings (naming, renewal of vows and civil partnership conversion)
Your ceremony booking is accepted on the condition that:
- Proof of marriage or civil partnership (for civil partnership conversions) is provided.
- A ceremony fee is paid.
Please note, the ceremony does not give any legal status or rights.
Cooling off period
You are entitled to a 14 day cooling off period whereby you must consider the terms and your position. During this period, you are entitled to cancel the booking without loss of prepayments (including the booking fee); however changes to the date, time or venue of a ceremony cannot be made until after the end of this period. You are automatically entitled to the cooling off period if the booking was made online, over the phone or by mail.
Amendment fee
An amendment fee of £60 is payable whenever details of a booking are changed and includes changing the time, date or venue of a ceremony. Where applicable, this may require an updated or additional ceremony fee to be paid. The amendment fee is non-refundable and not included within the cancellation policy. This fee becomes applicable after the 14 day cooling off period.
Cancellation of bookings by the Surrey Registration Service
Your ceremony may be cancelled by the Surrey Registration Service if:
- The total fees have not been paid
- Legal preliminaries have not or cannot be completed.
Cancellation of bookings by the customer
To exercise the right to cancel, you must inform Surrey ceremonies office of your decision to cancel this contract by a clear statement (e.g. email or a letter sent by post ). Alternatively, we can send you our cancellation form.
- Telephone: 0300 200 1002
- Email: registration.ceremonies@surreycc.gov.uk
Surrey Ceremonies Office
Leatherhead Register Office
The Mansion
70 Church Street
Leatherhead
Surrey KT22 8DP
To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right to cancel before the cancellation period has expired.
If you cancel this contract within 14 days of booking, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you.
If you cancel after 14 days of booking we will reimburse payments received from you as follows:
- More than twelve weeks before the ceremony date you will receive a full refund of the balance fee (excluding £100 non-refundable administration fees).
- Between four and twelve weeks before the ceremony date you will receive 50% refund of the balance fee (excluding £100 non-refundable administration fees).
- Less than four weeks before the ceremony date (or failure to cancel), there will be no refund.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to cancel this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of the reimbursement. If you requested to begin the performance of services during the cancellation period, you shall pay us an amount which is in proportion to what has been performed until you have communicated to us your cancellation from this contract, in comparison with the full coverage of the contract.
Ceremony content
- The Surrey Registration Service will provide the scripts for the ceremony. These ceremonies cannot be altered or interchanged and we will not use scripts provided by anyone else. However, you may want to include some additional vows/promises and every effort will be made to include those choices, provided the content remains seemly and dignified and does not contain any religious content.
- The Surrey Registration Service will make the final decision on any wording used, and will not accept liability for any omission, which may be caused by reasons beyond its control.
- All ceremonies must be of a dignified nature, to reflect the solemnity of the occasion.
- Religious blessings will not be included in the ceremony and any further ceremony or blessing must be separate, after the registrars have left the building.
- The registrars will not be responsible for obtaining copyright licence for music, reading or other matters permitted at the ceremony.
Code of conduct
- Smoking (including vaping) is not permitted at any point during the ceremony.
- The consumption of food or alcohol is not permitted in the ceremony room or outside area, for one hour prior to or during the ceremony.
- Anyone obviously under the influence of alcohol or drugs or who is abusive will be asked to leave the ceremony.
Staff
The Surrey Registration Service will allocate staff to attend your ceremony and reserves the right to substitute other experienced and qualified staff in case of sickness or other unforeseen circumstances on the day.
Room capacity
For fire, health and safety, the number of guests (including children and babies) must not exceed the capacity of the room, which is stipulated in the licence of the venue. Additional guests will be excluded from the ceremony.
Timing
- You and your guests must arrive at the venue promptly to enable the ceremony to commence on time. Failure to do so may mean it may not be possible to complete the ceremony as planned. This may result in the registrar having to leave due to the need to attend other ceremonies. A reduction to content of your ceremony may be necessary, for example, omissions of readings.
- Each ceremony should not exceed 30 minutes duration as this will affect the time-tabling of other ceremonies.
Animals
Animals, including birds, reptiles, fish and insects, and including your own pets, are not allowed to be present or participate in any part of the ceremony at any of the register office venues. The only exception to this rule are trained assistance dogs, who, of course, may attend with their owners.
Candles
Please be aware that candles and/or naked flames are not permitted at any of the register office venues.
Liability
The Surrey Registration Service will not accept liability for:
- The failure of any music system provided by the venue, you or a third party
- The failure of any CD provided by the venue, you or a third party
- Any delay or loss caused by your late or non-arrival
- Any loss caused by a request from you or your representatives to delay the ceremony
- Any loss or compensation where a ceremony is stopped from proceeding because (a) it would be void if it went ahead, (b) an offence under the Marriage or Civil Partnership Acts would be committed, and (c) it would be against the public interest
- Any decision to delay the ceremony is at the discretion of the Surrey Registration Service.
General
Force Majeure
In the event of a 'Force Majeure', the Surrey Registration Service will endeavour to perform your ceremony on your chosen day.
We strongly recommend that you take out ceremony insurance to cover losses or expenses incurred in the case of events outside our control.
A 'Force Majeure' means war, civil war, armed conflict, terrorist attack, governmental action, fire, flood, severe weather conditions, pandemic or epidemic or any other act or matter which notwithstanding the reasonable diligence and foresight of Surrey County Council and its partner providers, is beyond their reasonable control.
Working days
Any reference to working days does not include Saturday, Sunday, Bank or Public holidays.
Complaints
Any complaint or claim must be made in writing to the Surrey Registration Service within 21 working days of the ceremony.
Marriage and Civil Partnership Acts
Marriage and Civil Partnership Acts - means the Acts of Parliament (and any regulations made under those Acts) covering the legal preliminaries to, the solemnization and registration of a civil marriage/civil partnership either in a register office or approved premises within England and Wales.
Venue - means Approved Premises approved by the Surrey Registration Service under the Civil Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005 for the solemnization and registration of civil marriages and civil partnerships.