Secret wedding
Question
If my partner and I get married, is there anyone we have to inform other than the church or registry office?
Answer
If you're over 18 you don't need to specifically inform anyone about your marriage other than the church or registry office. However, marriage is a public act. In the case of a civil ceremony your names will be placed in the marriage book indicating where and when you intend to marry. In the case of a church wedding you will have the banns read over several weeks at one of the main Sunday services.
Under-18s must gain their parent's or guardian's written consent to marry, otherwise it's a criminal offence, although the marriage would still be valid. Marriages involving under-16s are not recognised by law.
Once the wedding has taken place the wedding will be registered and a certificate issued.
You don't need to tell anybody that you are married, neither do you have to change your names. The marriage will be officially registered, but the registrar does not publish this information.
If you want to keep your marriage secret one option is to get married abroad. That would mean you wouldn't need to register the marriage in the UK at all. One of the easiest places to get married and for it to be valid in the UK is Las Vegas.
For the marriage to be valid in the UK you will need to meet two conditions:
- The marriage must be valid according to the law of the country in which it took place;
- Both parties to the marriage must have been free to enter into the marriage under the laws of the country in which they were domiciled at the time.
Updated: 30/11/2006
Question answered by CAB
