Planning your special day - a step by step guide
This guide explains how to plan your marriage or civil partnership ceremony in Swindon, from choosing your venue to what happens on the day.
Step 1: Choose your venue
The first decision is where you would like to hold your ceremony and exchange your vows and promises.
Whether you choose a stately home, a grand hotel, one of our dedicated ceremony rooms or our more bespoke option 'your day, your way', we'll make sure your day runs smoothly.
You can view:
- our ceremony rooms at Swindon Register Office
- all approved and licensed venues in Swindon Borough
- our 'your day, your way' option
Step 2: Set a date
Once you’ve chosen your venue, you will need to confirm a date. Many venues take bookings several years in advance, so we recommend securing your date as soon as possible.
At Swindon Register Office and Ceremony Rooms, you can make a provisional booking up to three years in advance. To check availability, complete our wedding enquiry form.
Step 3: Book the Celebrant and Registrar
You must have a Celebrant and a Registrar for your legal ceremony.
- The Celebrant will conduct the ceremony
- The Registrar will complete the legal signing of your marriage or civil partnership schedule
If you are marrying in one of our ceremony rooms at Swindon Register Office and Ceremony Rooms, your booking includes the Celebrant, Registrar and one marriage or civil partnership certificate.
If you are marrying at an approved or licensed venue in Swindon, you will need to contact us to book the Celebrant and Registrar to attend your ceremony. The fee includes one marriage or civil partnership certificate.
To check availability and fees, view our marriage and civil partnership fees and complete the online enquiry form.
Step 4: Give notice of marriage or civil partnership
Giving notice is a legal requirement. It means both partners are formally declaring their intention to marry or form a civil partnership.
- You must each give notice in the registration district where you live
- If either of you is a foreign national, you may be required to give notice together in one of the districts in which you live
- You can give notice up to 12 months before your ceremony, but we recommend doing this at least six months in advance
- You cannot be legally married or form a civil partnership until your notice has been given
- Your notice will be displayed publicly for 28 days
- Your legal document will then be released in time for your ceremony
- If either of you is a foreign national, the notice period may be extended to 70 days. Read our notice of marriage or civil partnership guidance for more information.
If you live in Swindon, you must give notice at Swindon Register Office and Ceremony Rooms. You can book your appointment online. If you live outside Swindon, you must give notice through your own local registration service.
Step 5: Plan your ceremony
After you have given notice, we will send you a ceremony choices information pack by email. This is for an approved or licenced venue or the Garden room or Juno room only. You will be able to select:
- your preferred ceremony script
- vows and promises
- readings and music
- personal vows
- streaming and recording options
This allows us to create a ceremony that reflects you as a couple. You must return your completed ceremony selections at least 14 days before your ceremony.
Step 6: Pay your fees
You will need to pay any remaining balance for your ceremony in full two months before the date. You can:
- pay in person at Swindon Register Office and Ceremony Rooms
- pay by phone on 01793 522738
Step 7: The day of your ceremony
When the day arrives, relax and enjoy the moment. You don’t need to bring any documents or paperwork with you.
If your ceremony is in one of our ceremony rooms at Swindon Register Office and Ceremony Rooms
We recommend the following arrival times to allow for the legal pre-ceremony interview:
Juno and Garden ceremony rooms
- The groom and guests should arrive 30 minutes before your ceremony time
- The bride should arrive 15 minutes before to be kept separate before the ceremony
- If you wish to arrive together, please arrive 20 to 30 minutes before the start time
Courtyard and Statutory Ceremony rooms
- The couple, guests and witnesses should arrive 10 minutes before your ceremony time
Your ceremony must begin on time. The Celebrant and Registrar may have other ceremonies scheduled, so strict timekeeping is essential. Please make sure all guests are aware of the start time to avoid missing the ceremony.
Your ceremony will last between 15 and 30 minutes, followed by the legal signing of the marriage schedule. You will have the opportunity for photos at the signing table, except the Statutory Ceremony room, and afterwards you will be formally announced as husband and wife, wife and wife, husband and husband or civil partners.
You will then be invited into the Rose Garden, where you can celebrate with confetti and take additional photographs if you wish.
If your ceremony is at an approved venue or licensed premises
The Celebrant and Registrar will arrive at the venue 30 minutes before the ceremony to:
- complete your pre-ceremony interviews, if you are being kept separate before the ceremony then you will be interviewed approximately 15 minutes apart
- confirm the ceremony order
- meet anyone taking part in the ceremony (for example, readers or ring bearers)
- brief your photographer or videographer on how to discreetly capture important moments
After your ceremony, the Registrar will guide you through signing the marriage or civil partnership schedule. You must check all the information carefully at this stage. Errors spotted later will require a formal correction process and a fee will apply. Corrections can also take several weeks to process, so it’s important to check everything is accurate on the day.
Marriage or civil partnership certificate
Your certificate will not be issued on the day. It can take up to 10 working days to be produced. You can choose to:
- collect it from Swindon Register Office and Ceremony Rooms
- have it posted to you