Registry Office Arrival

You are getting married same day as me!
I’ve also been wondering this as we are having a civil ceremony in a registered venue and apparently both need a chat with registrar before the ceremony. When we completed the online booking we had to specify if we wanted a separate meeting which we did. We have a menu tasting and meeting at the venue on 27th of this month so it is on my list of questions.
Have you called the registry office as well as emailed as you might get lucky and have a reply that way.

View quoted message Hey Twinnie!!!


I'm getting conflicting info as one the FAQ page of the registry office, it says they offer separate or together interviews but then on the info guide they've sent, it says the interviews are together, and to wait outside with guests!
I'm half debating arriving super early to the registry office and hiding in the loo lol! But yeah, I'll try and call them this week and see what they say.
Thank you ❤

Before venues were allowed to hold weddings you had no choice but to see the reg together, but now they give you the option.

Every "venue" wedding I have seen has had a procedure for seeing the couple separately. Even in an outside gazebo wedding.

Example

A 1pm wedding the groom will be there about 12.00 and the registrars will turn up at 12.15 and see the groom no later than 12.30. Then they would see the bride at 12.45 around the corner and even in the car if necessary as all the guests will be seated waiting.

In a hotel venue again they will see the groom first about 35 mins before as the guests arrive and make sure that all are seated in the room before the bride arrives who will be whisked away to another room to see the reg.

A busy city centre registrars will not have the facility for you to turn up very early and "hide in the loos" but most manage to get everyone in the room before you arrive but it can be tricky as at peak times it can be one in and one out.

In extreme cases I have seen a wedding having photos out the back while my wedding is in the waiting area while one is being conducted in the room !

I always ask if there is another wedding after theirs so w can plan the photos.

It will depend on your venues layout but in cases where the ceremony room overlooks the entrance it could be just as simple as shutting the curtains when the bride arrives or the car arrives and sweeps around to the back entrance.

That’s really useful Bill and thanks. My venue is a one wedding a day so hopefully they will have a plan for me to see registrar in separate room after they have spoken to my fiancé! My mum was flapping about this as we don’t have experience of a civil ceremony as my sister got married in church years ago. I might send her your words!

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Is it a hotel/ stately home type venue or a one room registrar office.

View quoted message We are getting married in the clubhouse of Brooklands museum- the birthplace of motorsport in Surrey. There are lots of rooms so I’m sure they will have somewhere to hide me!

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In that case you will be fine. Just ask them how they work it. They will have a set procedure of how they will handle it.

The most simple way is that they will make sure everyone is in the room before you arrive.

Hi im getting married in a registry office but we are going in together xx my sister had a separate bit but he other half went in b4 her so she arrived a lit later so she knew everyone would be sat down waiting for her but you still need to speak to them i havent asked this because i dont need to sorry not much help x💗

Thank you everyone! There still seems to be certain rules in place around covid (limited numbers etc) but I'll try to call them this week and see if its something we can work out.


We've got 45 mins I think before the next ceremony, so I am hoping as we're not having readings etc they'll let us start the actual ceremony 5/10 mins later, so everyone can be in and seated as the actual ceremony will probably take 20 mins max but I shall see what they say this week! Xx

View quoted message We haven’t been informed of any Covid regulations actually. Will ask when I go and visit in couple of weeks time. Thanks all

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Timings should still be the same and everyone should be seated 5 mins before you arrive.

There should no longer be any covid number restrictions but they will still be restricted by how many you can have in the room due to normal fire safety ect regs.

Yes your registry office should be able to make it happen. We had our civil ceremony in March and there were almost no covid restrictions in place at that time. The registrars should send you a form to return at least a week before hand, giving your preference for whether to meet them separately or together before the ceremony.


There are usually lots of different rooms in a town hall or or other venue( we looked at the town hall but eventually chose a different Council run venue next door but it was the same situation in both). They'll also ask whether you want to walk in together or come in separately.
It's a very common request to stay separately so i expect everywhere will be able to meet this.