The legal steps for getting married in Northern Ireland, in order. Northern Ireland has its own process: notice to your district registrar, then a marriage schedule.
General guidance, not legal advice. These steps cover Northern Ireland, which has its own marriage law. Confirm specifics, fees and timings with your local registrar or on nidirect.gov.uk.
About 8 months before the wedding
Civil ceremonies are conducted by a registrar at the registrar's office or an approved venue. Religious and belief ceremonies (including humanist ones) need a minister or officiant registered with the Registrar General. Check that your officiant and venue are approved. You'll need two witnesses aged 16 or over.
Religious and belief ceremoniesAbout 14 weeks before the wedding
Each of you needs a long birth or adoption certificate and a passport. If either of you was married before, add the divorce or dissolution certificate or a death certificate. Documents not in English need a certified translation.
About 12 weeks before the wedding
Each of you gives notice (form GRO446) to the registrar for the district where you'll marry, within 12 months before the wedding. The legal minimum is 28 days, but allow 8 weeks, or 10 weeks if either of you was married or in a civil partnership before. The fee is £22 per notice (as of writing).
How and when to give noticeAbout 3 weeks before the wedding
The registrar checks you're both free to marry and prepares your marriage schedule. For civil ceremonies there's a ceremony fee that depends on the day and time, plus any venue fee (as of writing).
About 7 days before the wedding
No marriage can go ahead without a schedule. It can't be issued more than 14 days before the wedding, and it's issued to one of the couple, who signs for it. A friend or relative can't collect it.
On the day
For religious and belief ceremonies, both of you, your officiant and your two witnesses sign the schedule straight after the ceremony. For a civil ceremony the registrar completes the registration.
Within about 2 days after the wedding
Return it to the registrar within 3 days of the ceremony, in person or by post. Without it you can't order a certified copy of your certificate.
Within about 14 days after the wedding
Order certified copies online once the marriage is registered. You'll need them for name changes, passports and banks.
Approved humanist celebrants can conduct legally binding belief ceremonies in Northern Ireland. Check your celebrant is approved by the General Register Office.