Civil weddings / partnerships

Civil weddings and civil partnerships can be held at:


Who should I contact?

Who you need to contact depends on where you and your partner live and where you're getting married.

  • if both of you live in GwyneddYou will need make an appointment for both of you to give a formal notice at any of Gwynedd’s registry offices. To arrange an appointment, call 01766 771000
  • 1 of you live in Gwynedd and the other outside Gwynedd
    The person who lives outside Gwynedd needs to contact their local Council’s registration service to give their formal notice whilst the person who lives in Gwynedd should arrange an appointment to give their formal notice at any of Gwynedd’s registry offices. To arrange an appointment, call 01766 771000.
  • both of you live outside of Gwynedd but want to get married in Gwynedd
    You will need to contact Gwynedd Council’s registration service to arrange a date for the ceremony. You will then need to contact your local Council’s registration service to give your formal notice. To contact Gwynedd Council’s registration service, call 01766 771000.

You will also need to arrange with the registration service where the civil wedding/partnership ceremony will be held for a registrar to be present at the ceremony. If the ceremony is to be held in Gwynedd, please call 01766 771000.

Further information can be found in the frequently asked questions – civil wedding/partnership.

 

When should I contact the registration service?

It is possible to contact the registration service to arrange a date for the ceremony as soon as you have made the decision to get married/commit to a civil partnership. However, the formal notice must be given within 12 months of the ceremony.  We strongly advice you to contact us in good time. The date of the ceremony will be confirmed once the formal notice is given.

After you give your formal notice you will need to wait for at least 28 full days before the ceremony can be held. For example – if you give your formal notice on the 1st of the month, the earliest you could hold the ceremony would be the 30th of that month.

To arrange a date to give your formal notice in Gwynedd, call 01766 771000.

 

Urgent request

In special circumstances, for example if a person in critically ill, urgent requests to get married or commit to a civil partnership can be given. It is possible that the fees will vary in these circumstances. For further information please call 01766 771000.

 

Fees

A fee is payable for giving the formal notice, the civil ceremony and the civil wedding/partnership certificate.

Below are the fees payable for giving the formal notice, the civil ceremony, and the civil wedding/partnership certificate from 1 October 2016 onwards. (If you have already paid in full for a wedding which will take place after 1 October 2016 these new fees will not affect you)

  • £35 (each) – formal notice
  • £50/£75 - consideration of a foreign divorce
  • £275* – ceremony and registering at an approved hotel/property (Monday to Thursday)
  • £300* – ceremony and registering at an approved hotel/property (Friday)
  • £320* – ceremony and registering at an approved hotel/property (Saturday)
  • £331* – ceremony and registering at an approved hotel/property (Sunday)
  • £360* – ceremony and registering at an approved hotel/property (bank holiday)
  • £46** – ceremony and registering at a registry office (no readings, no music, 2 guests) 
    • Caernarfon - Tuesday, 09:00 - 12:00
    • Pwllheli - Tuesday, 09:00 - 12:00
    • Dolgellau - Wednesday, 09:00 - 12:00• £180** – ceremony and registering at a registry office in Caernarfon, Dolgellau, Pwllheli at any time except for those noted above (Monday - Friday)
  • £200** – ceremony and registering at a registry office in Caernarfon, Dolgellau, Pwllheli (Saturday)
  • £190* – ceremony and registering at Penrhyn Hall, Bangor (Monday to Friday)
  • £200* – ceremony and registering at Penrhyn Hall, Bangor  (Saturday)
  • £220* – ceremony and registering at Penrhyn Hall, Bangor  (Sunday)
  • £230* – ceremony and registering at Penrhyn Hall, Bangor  (Bank holiday)
  • £50 (additional) – book a wedding slot more than 12 months away
  • £65 – ceremony rehearsals (in approved premises only)
  • £4.00 – civil wedding/partnership certificate

*  A non-refundable deposit of £100 will be payable when booking

** A non-refundable  deposit of £40 will be payable when booking

 

How to pay?

The fee for giving the formal notice will need to be given during the appointment.  The rest of the fee can be paid either when you meet the registrar before hand to discuss the ceremony in detail or over the phone before the big day. You can pay by cash, debit or credit card, postal order or cheque made payable to ‘Gwynedd Council’.

 

Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013

The law to allow same-sex marriage ceremonies comes into effect on Saturday 29 March 2014

The main provisions of the Act:

  • allow same sex couples to marry in a civil ceremony;
  • allow same sex couples to marry in a religious ceremony where the religious organisation has “opted in” to conduct such ceremonies and the minister of religion agrees;
  • enable civil partners to convert their partnership into a marriage, if they wish.

For further information please call 01766 771000

 

Further information

Further information please see the frequently asked questions – civil wedding/partnership or call 01766 771000.

Information about changing your name.

More information can also be found in the attached booklet.