We use cookies to understand how you use our website, to remember your settings and improve our services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. If you accept the cookies and then change your mind, you can remove them in your browser settings.

Types of ceremony

We register civil marriages and partnerships in North Somerset. Ceremonies can take place at one of our register offices or at any of our other approved venues.

Civil marriages

If you are having a civil wedding ceremony, you will need to give notice of your marriage.

On the day of the wedding, you will need to bring at least two people as witnesses to sign the marriage register. Witnesses should be capable of understanding the meaning of the ceremony before being asked to sign the register.

Ceremonies are conducted in English. Anyone who doesn’t speak or understand English sufficiently will need an interpreter.

Civil partnerships

A civil partnership is made legal by the signing of a schedule in front of a civil partnership registrar and two witnesses. There are no legal requirements to have a ceremony, or exchange rings or vows.

Couples in a civil partnership can now legally convert this to a marriage. This is a paper process with the option to have a celebratory ceremony.