Order a marriage certificate after a religious wedding

Marriage laws changed in May 2021. This means that the way a marriage is registered is different.

At your ceremony you and your witnesses will sign a marriage schedule, rather than signing a register as previously.

Getting your marriage schedule

Church of England and Church of Wales venues

If you marry in a Church of England or Church of Wales church, the church will produce the marriage schedule for you to sign at the ceremony.

Other religious venues

If you marry in another religious venue, you will need to arrange to get the schedule before your ceremony.

You can:

• ask your registrar to post you the schedule during your notice of marriage appointment
• collect the schedule from Central Registration Officers, Essex Registration Service, County Hall, Market Road, Chelmsford, CM1 1QH

Civil venues

If you marry in a civil venue, the registration service will bring the schedule to your ceremony for you to sign.

Returning the signed schedule

After a religious ceremony you have 21 days to return the signed schedule to the registration service. This is the responsibility of the clergy or authorised person at the church, but they may ask you to arrange it.

If your ceremony was at a civil venue, the registrar will bring the schedule back to the registration service.

Getting your marriage certificate

Within 7 days of receiving your schedule or document we will create the legal record of your marriage and then we can print a marriage certificate.

Certificates cost £11 each and will be posted to you within 7 days of your legal marriage record being created. You will need to allow additional time to receive your certificates in the post.

If you have a religious ceremony, you can only order your certificate after your ceremony has taken place.

Order and pay for your marriage certificate

If you have a civil ceremony, you will pay for your certificate when you pay for your registrar.