Where can ceremonies be held?

The venue may be either Newham Register Office or Newham approved Venues. All venues will conform to health and Safety regulations.

Couples who wish to have a religious Ceremony should contact their local church or religious community.

Who can arrange a ceremony?

Any married couple, of any age and married for any length of time can arrange a Renewal of Marriage Vows Ceremony.

There is no restriction with regards to area and it does not matter if you do not live in the area where you would like to hold your ceremony.

The Renewal of Marriage Vows Ceremony is also a perfect opportunity for couples who have been married abroad to share their celebration with family and friends in the UK.

What does the ceremony contain?

The Renewal of Marriage Vows Ceremony has a range of sections available with choices to make within those sections, helping you to create your own Ceremony.

According to your preferences, the Ceremony can contain the following sections: Introduction and welcome, Acknowledgement of any children of the marriage, Reading, Renewal of Vows, Re-dedication of ring(s), Giving and receiving of new rings or gifts, Words from a previous wedding guest, Further reading(s), Signing of Certificate, Witnesses, Closing words.

A souvenir Certificate is signed during the ceremony by the couple and two witnesses.

A Renewal of Vows Ceremony is normally 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes depending on the number of options and readings chosen.

Your unique ceremony

The Renewal of Marriage Vows Ceremony is as individual as the couple arranging the celebration.

The couple with the help of the Celebrant creates the ceremony, and just as no two marriage unions are the same, no two Renewal of Marriage Vows ceremonies will be the same.

Take the time to consider which options are appropriate and have special meaning.

As you consider the choices and make your selections, you will be creating a unique ceremony reflecting your commitment to one another that will be fondly remembered by you and your guests.

Special people in your lives can take part in your ceremony, your children, guests who were at the wedding and any friends and relatives.

You will also need to ask two people to witness the signing of the Certificate of the event.

A 'Celebrant' conducts your ceremony but will not be acting in any official capacity, even if the Celebrant also works as a Registrar:
Celebrants are trained and experienced in conducting many different ceremonies so do ask their advice on anything you are unsure about.

Important information

The Renewal of Vows Ceremony has no legal effect and is not legally binding on those who participate.

If the Ceremony is held in the Register Office itself, please note that the Register Office is classified as a 'private venue' during the Ceremony.

Members of staff who are also Registrars are designated as 'Celebrants' when conducting the Ceremony.

It is possible for a couple who are already married to each other to marry again in accordance with the law. They may wish to do this because they have reason to doubt the validity of their first marriage or simply because they wish to fulfil the legal preliminaries and requirements of another marriage ceremony.

If you think that this is more appropriate to your needs then you can obtain further advice from the Superintendent Registrar.
Please note that your Marriage Certificate will need to be shown before a Renewal of Vows Ceremony can be booked.

More help
For further information please contact us on 020 8430 3617 or email us - see Get in Touch for contact details and opening times.