The law allows people of all religions to have their marriage ceremonies performed with their own religious rites, but it is essential that the law is observed.
Marriage by religious rite
A religious ceremony of marriage without compliance with the law will mean that the marriage will not be recognised as valid in this country and the couple will not be looked in the law as husband and wife. Any children may not then be regarded in law as children of that marriage. For your own protection and for the sake of your future children, therefore, we recommend you attend a legal ceremony before proceeding with your own special religious rites.
If you wish to be married legally by religious ceremony, other than the Church of England or Church in Wales, you will need to do your legal notices at the Register office in the district where you live. We would recommend you contact the register office at least a month before your wedding day.
Religious blessing after a civil marriage or civil formation
If you have been married in a register office or on an Approved Premises in England and Wales - either because you wanted a civil ceremony or because the building in which you wanted to be married by a religious ceremony was not registered for the solemnization of marriages - then the law allows you to add afterwards the religious marriage ceremony of your faith.
It will be necessary to see your religious leader about this and you must produce to him/her the marriage certificate showing that you have already been legally married. Remember that you must have the lawful civil marriage first. A religious ceremony performed in an unregistered building is not a legal marriage.
