Derry City Council - City Secretary and Solicitor's Department



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City Secretary and Solicitor's Department

Marriage Regulations

View Marriage Fees

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Notice Form

The Marriage (NI) Order 2003

The Marriage (NI) Regulations 2003

Civil Marriages Outside Registration Offices

Permits civil marriages to be solemised at locations other than the District Registrar’s Office;
Authorises District Councils to approve locations for that purpose and to charge fees to meet related costs and for connected purposes.

In the Derry City Council area, couples who wish to have a civil marriage in a place of their choosing should in the first instance contact the
District Registrar,
The Guildhall,
Derry,
BT48 6DQ.
Tel: 02871 268 439 – Fax 02871 377 946
Email: registrarsoffice@derrycity.gov.uk.

Venues or couples who wish to apply to have places approved for civil marriages should contact the
City Inspector,
Council Offices,
98 Strand Road,
Derry BT48 7NN.
Tel: 02871 365151 – Fax: 02871 368 536 of
Email: Charlie.Morrison@derrycity.gov.uk for details of the approval procedures and relevant charges.

Download Derry Registers Office Wedding Guide

Guidance for those who wish to marry at an Approved Place/Venue

As soon as you have made provisional arrangements for your marriage at an approved Place/Venue, you should contact the Registrar’s Office.
Without the presence of the Registrar there can be no marriage and any arrangements for the use of the place/venue depend entirely on the Registrar’s availability. It is, therefore, essential that you make an advance booking with the Registrar’s Office for his or her attendance at the proposed marriage.
Both the bride and the groom will have to complete a formal notice of marriage and lodge it with the Registrar no more than one year or less than fourteen days before the wedding.
It should be noted that any arrangements made for a marriage to take place at the approved Place/Venue are dependant on:

(a) the availability of the Registrar; and

(b) the issue of a schedule for marriage by the Registrar to whom notice of marriage was given.

Only a civil non-religious ceremony can be permitted by the Registrar. Any music, reading, words or performance, which forms part of ceremony, must be secular. The content of the ceremony must be agreed in advance with the Registrar who will be attending the ceremony.
Any right of copyright for music, reading, etc. permitted at the ceremony are matters for the bride and groom and the holder of the approval.