This will depend on the type of ceremony and where you wish to marry.
If you wish to marry by civil ceremony, that is at a register office or other building approved for civil marriage, you should first contact the superintendent registrar of the district where you wish to marry. You may marry at any register office or approved premises of your choice in England or Wales. However, for a marriage in an approved premises, you will also need to make arrangements at the venue in question. In addition you will both need to personally give a formal notice of marriage to the superintendent registrar of the district(s) where you live.
If you wish to be married in the Church of England or Church in Wales - and generally you will be able to do so only if you or your partner live in the parish - you should first speak to the Vicar. If he is able to marry you he will arrange for the Banns to be called on three Sundays before the day of your ceremony or for a common licence to be issued. The marriage will also be registered by the Vicar and there is generally no need to involve the local superintendent registrar.
If you wish to marry by religious ceremony other than in the Church of England or Church in Wales you should first arrange to see the minister or other person in charge of marriages at the building. However, the Church or religious building in question must normally be in the registration district where you or your partner live. It will also be necessary for both of you to give formal notice of marriage to the superintendent registrar of the district(s) where you live. A registrar may also need to be booked.
Unless you are marrying in the Church of England or Church in Wales by Banns or Common Licence, notice of marriage has to be given personally to your local superintendent registrar(s).
Notice of marriage must be given by Superintendent Registrars Certificate.
Both of you must have lived in a registration district in England or Wales for at least seven days immediately before giving notice at the register office. If you both live in the same district, you should both attend your local register office together to give your notices of marriage. If you live in different registration districts then each of you will need to give notice separately in your own area.
After giving notice you must wait a further fifteen clear days before the marriage can take place, (for example, if notice is given on 1st July the marriage may take place on or after 17th July).
A notice of marriage is valid for twelve months. You may therefore not give notice of marriage to the superintendent registrar more than twelve months before the date of your marriage. However you may be able to make an advance (provisional) booking with the superintendent registrar of the district where you wish to marry. The superintendent registrar will be able to give you more precise information in this respect.
When you attend before the superintendent registrar or Vicar to make the formal arrangements, you will need to produce certain documents. You will need to produce evidence of your name, age, marital status and nationality.
A current valid full passport would be the preferred document, (or where appropriate a Home Office Travel Document, a Standard Acknowledgement letter or a national identity card). If this is not available, two documents such as a birth certificate issued at or near the time of the registration of your birth, a cheque book, cheque guarantee card, utility bill etc may be acceptable. If you have been married before you will need to produce documents to confirm that you are now free to marry. These could include either a decree absolute bearing the court's original stamp, or the death certificate of your former spouse.
Depending on your individual circumstances, other documents may be required. Your local superintendent registrar will be able to advise you. However, you should be aware that photocopies are unlikely to be accepted.
Your marriage cannot go ahead unless the legal formalities have been completed.
Notices of marriage must be given in person to the superintendent registrar by you and your partner. No one else can do so on your behalf.
Where an advance booking for a marriage has been made, it is essential that a formal notice is given to the superintendent registrar, once you are legally able to do so. Registration officers have a statutory duty to report any marriage they suspect has been arranged for the sole purpose of evading the statutory immigration controls.
There are nationally set fees for giving notice to the superintendent registrar and for the registrar's attendance at a marriage at a register office or religious building. However. the fee for the attendance of the superintendent registrar and registrar at a marriage in an approved premises (for example at a hotel) is set by the local authority. The superintendent registrar of the district where you wish to marry will be able to provide you with details of the fees payable.
On the day of the wedding you will need to bring with you at least two other people who are prepared to witness the marriage and sign the marriage register.
If you wish to know more about marriage ceremonies at register offices or at approved premises please ask the superintendent registrar for details. While a ceremony of marriage in the presence of a superintendent registrar cannot, by law, contain any religious aspects, it is possible with the agreement of the registration officers attending the ceremony, for you to include non-religious music and / or poetry readings and for the wedding to be videoed.
This information is issued for general guidance and is not a complete statement of the law. For further information on any aspect of the formalities to, or the ceremony of marriage, please seek the advice of the superintendent registrar at the local register office. Newcastle City Council Telephone 0191 232 8520.
If the Bride and Groom who intend to hold their wedding at Newcastle Racecourse do not live within Newcastle Upon Tyne, they must notify their local registry office of their attention to be married.
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/marriages/registration/
