Terms & Conditions

Civil Marriage & Civil Partnership Ceremony Bookings  

• Your ceremony booking is accepted on the condition that: 

• No legal impediment to the marriage or civil partnership exists and all legal preliminaries are completed within the statutory time limits.  

• Any foreign divorce/dissolution papers are accepted by the Registrar General where applicable. Couples are advised not to make firm arrangements for their ceremony until General Register Office approval is given.  

Other Ceremony Bookings (Naming, Renewal of Vows, Celebration of Marriage or Commitment   

• These ceremonies do not give any legal status or rights, so do not have the above legal requirements. 

Ceremony Fees  

• The Somerset Registration Service does not impose a booking fee or deposit, and do not charge for amendments to an existing booking. 
• All ceremony fees for legal ceremonies also include one copy of your certificate. 
• The entire ceremony fee is payable 8 weeks before the ceremony date for full ceremonies at register office venues and approved venues.  

• The ceremony fee for a statutory “2+2” ceremony at a registration office is payable in advance or on the day of the ceremony. 
• Fees for giving notice of marriage are payable at the appointment.   
• Fees are reviewed annually and may increase from those stated at the time of booking. You will be required to pay the fee that is applicable on the date of your ceremony. If you have prepaid your fees you will still be liable for the balance following the annual price reviews.
• Payment is accepted by card online or by phone, in cash at register offices, or by cheque in person or by post at least 4 weeks before the ceremony. 

Cancellation of bookings by the Somerset Registration Service  

• Your ceremony may be cancelled by the Somerset Registration Service if legal preliminaries have not or cannot be completed, or if the ceremony fee for a full ceremony has not been paid 24 hours before the ceremony.

Cancellation of booking by the Couple  

• In the event that you need to cancel a ceremony you will be required to notify the Somerset Registration Service in writing by letter or e-mail.   
• The Somerset Registration Service will only accept a cancellation from one of the parties to the ceremony and not from any other person.    
• Where a cancellation notice is sent by post it will be deemed to have been received by the Somerset Registration Service two working days after the date of posting. Where a cancellation notice is sent by e-mail or by fax it will be deemed to have been received by the Somerset Registration Service on the date of sending, provided that the notice is sent on a working day between 9:00 and 17:00. If a notice is sent by e-mail at any other time, it will be deemed to have been received on the next working day.  

Cancellation Charges  

• If written notice of cancellation is received at least 24hrs (one full working day) before the ceremony date the full fee will be refunded in full or transferred to a new booking if requested.  
• If written notice of cancellation is received within 24hrs (one full working day) of the ceremony date no refund will be given. 

Ceremony Content  

• The Somerset Registration Service will provide the statutory ceremony. A choice of declaration, contracting words and ring vows is available in all ceremonies. Full ceremonies may include additional enhancements and every effort will be made to include those choices, provided the content of the ceremony remains seemly, dignified and secular. The Somerset Registration Service will make the final decision on any wording used and will not accept any liability for any amendments to, or omissions from, the ceremony. 

• Wording and musical choices on the Pre Ceremony Check Form, copies of personal vows and readings must be returned to the Somerset Registration Service at least 2 weeks before the ceremony date for approval and inclusion or a standard wording will be used to prepare the ceremony. 
• The Somerset Registration Service shall not be responsible for obtaining copyright licences for any music, readings or other matters permitted at the ceremony.    
• The officiating registrars have the right to cut short any content not previously approved on the Pre Ceremony Check form or that will extend the ceremony time to negatively impact subsequent bookings. 
• Music tracks for guest arrival, wedding party entry, signing and exit must be provided by the wedding party. For approved venues, you must check with your venue which format is appropriate and arrange instructions for operating the music system. For Somerset Registration Office venues you must download your choices to a Bluetooth compatible device and arrange for someone in your party (not yourselves) to operate the device when instructed by the registrars. 

Staff  

• The Somerset Registration Service will allocate suitably qualified staff to attend your ceremony but provides no guarantee that any particular registrar will be in attendance. 
• Our staff have the right to suspend service in the event of verbal or physical abuse, or if they are concerned for their welfare and safety.

Room Capacity  

• For fire, safety and comfort, the number of guests must not exceed the capacity of the room. The capacity of Somerset Registration Service rooms will be advised at the time of booking. The booking fee is for the room and any change to the maximum capacity will not change the fee payable. For other approved venues you are advised to confirm this with the venue. Additional guests will be excluded from the ceremony. 

Liability  

• The Somerset Registration Service will not accept liability for:  

• The failure of any music system provided by the Venue, you or a third party.  
• Any delay or loss caused by your late or non-arrival.  
• Any loss caused by a request from you or your representatives to delay the ceremony.   
• Any loss or compensation where a ceremony is stopped from proceeding because (a) it would be void if it went ahead, (b) an offence under the Marriage or Civil Partnerships Acts would be committed.   
• Any decision to delay the ceremony due to legality or reasons beyond control of the Somerset Registration Service is at the sole discretion of the Somerset Registration Service.  

Lateness  

• The time booked for the ceremony is the time it will commence. If the ceremony should commence late, the Somerset Registration Service reserves the right to amend the ceremony to reduce its duration.  
• Should the ceremony not be ready to proceed within a maximum of 20 minutes of the scheduled time and the Somerset Registration Service is not responsible for the delay then the Somerset Registration Service reserves the right to delay or defer the ceremony if it will have a negative impact on the Registration Service or its staff e.g. staff need to attend a subsequent ceremony elsewhere.

Weather 

• If you have planned to have your ceremony in an outdoor location, the Somerset Registration Service registrars will endeavour to carry out your wishes. However, the registrars reserve the right to move the ceremony to a licensed indoor location if adverse weather conditions render the space unsuitable or pose a health and safety risk to staff or guests. 

General  

• If a “Force Majeure Event” occurs the Somerset Registration Service will endeavour to perform your ceremony on your chosen day but will not accept any liability for the delay or cancellation of a ceremony due to reasons beyond its control. The Somerset Registration Service strongly recommends that you take out ceremony insurance to cover losses or expenses incurred in the case of events outside of the control of the Somerset Registration Service.  
• “Force Majeure Event” means war, civil war, armed conflict, terrorist attack, governmental action, fire, flood, severe weather conditions, pandemic or epidemic or any other act or matter, which notwithstanding the reasonable diligence and foresight of the Somerset Registration Service and its partner providers, is beyond their reasonable control.  
• Approval of Venues is granted only in connection with the provision of ceremonies. The Somerset Registration Service cannot accept liability for the failure or neglect, on behalf of the Venue, in relation to any agreement between you and the Venue for the use or provision of any services and /or facilities.  
• It is the responsibility of the couple to ensure that they have the required number of people at the ceremony to act as legal witnesses to the marriage or civil partnership. The Somerset Registration Service will inform you of the legal requirements for your ceremony.   
• Any references to the Somerset Registration Service shall be deemed to also refer to Somerset County Council.   

• “Marriage or Civil Partnerships Acts” means the Acts of Parliament (and any regulations made under those Acts) covering the legal preliminaries to and the solemnization and registration of a civil marriage/civil partnership either in a register office or other Venue.  
• “Venue” means premises approved by the Somerset Registration Service under the Civil Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005 for the solemnization and registration of civil marriages/civil partnerships.    
• Any reference to “working days” does not include Saturdays, Sundays or bank or public holidays in England.   

Last Updated: August 2022