legal/tradition question...

I would ask. Alternatively you could go in normal clothes so it's not special IYSWIM.

As the part at the registry office is effectively where you actually get married then I don;t imagine you will be able to be blindfolded. I'm sure part of the wording is that marriage is something voluntraliy entered into and I'm not sure if being blindfolded might be seen as a contradiction to this!

Enjoy this part! It is a special time when you make your vows to each other! They will be precious moments!

We were going to do something similar and have a separate humanist ceremony, which to us would be the actual wedding part where we dress up, exchange rings and make our vows. The registry office bit we had planned to do the day before and see it literally as just 'the paperwork'. We weren't going to get dressed up or treat it as a ceremonial thing, so we'd be able to reserve the special feeling for the bit we felt was the proper wedding.

This is exactly how we feel SammyJay, a few members of family were annoyed they wouldnt be at the 'wedding' but we wouldnt be booking a whole other venue if we saw it as the wedding itself! The registry office were most unhelpful, and I am having to call back on Friday when the Registrar can talk to me about it, I thought it would be something that had been asked before-It doesnt seem so unusual to me!

My friend has since said that it can be as low key as needed, like you say SammyJay, no rings etc, and just an intent to marry. Didnt think of doing it the day before-would your wedding anniversary be the regisrty date or the weding date?

Getting excited but stressed now lol, what will i be like in june?!!

You choose! The registry office is just the formal part so if you don't want it to your anniversary then don't let it be. No one would ever turn around and say oh your offical wedding was on the 12th so why is the 13th your anniversary!

You can do the registry part whenever you want so you can have that on a Monday and have the big day on a Saturday. That isn't up to the registry office to decide as they won't even care about whether you are having an after do. Sorry that sounds blunt but I don't mean it like that, just mean they won't even ask about your other event.

I'm certain that the registrar will not allow you to be blindfolded. However, the only legal parts of the ceremony are the declaration (where you declare that you are legally free to be married), the contractual words (I take you to be my lawful wedded husband etc) and signing the register, Everything else on your part can be left out. You can wear what you like - jeans and t-shirt if you want.

It is important that the legal part is done before the 'weddingy' part as your registrar will ask if you have previously been through any form of marriage and so it could possibly complicate matters. (This is E&W btw)