Religious marriage
There are different rules for getting married in a Church of England or other religious building
Religious marriage in England and Wales is divided into two types with different rules attached to each. These are:
- Church of England marriages
- all other religious marriages.
Please contact the Register Office by emailing registrars@islington.gov.uk if you need to book an appointment to give notice for a religious marriage, as the requirements can be complex.
Church of England marriages
You should contact the vicar of the parish where you wish to be married. If they are able to marry you, they will arrange for Banns to be called on three Sundays before the day of your ceremony, or for a common licence to be issued.
However if either you or your partner is not a British or Irish national, and the vicar is not prepared to call Banns, you may need to give notice at the register office for the district one or both of you live in. The vicar will need to complete this letter for you to bring with you to your appointment. Please see this page for more information on giving notice of marriage.
All other religious marriages
If you are planning a religious marriage you should first seek the permission of the Minister or governing body before you make any other arrangements.
The religious building must be licensed for both worship and marriage.
You will be required to give notice at the register office for the district one or both of you live, even if you are having a religious marriage. Please see this page for more information on giving notice of marriage.
Some religious buildings require the attendance of a registrar at a wedding, whereas others have their own Authorised Person who will register your marriage.
If you need a registrar to attend your ceremony you should book this with us by emailing registrars@islington.gov.uk as far in advance as possible.
Who can get married in a religious building?
The law requires that you must have a connection to the religious building where you would like to marry. It must be either:
- situated in the district/local borough where one or both of you live
- the nearest religious building of your religious denomination (e.g. for Christian this could be Anglican), if there is not one within the district where either of you live
- the usual place of worship for one or both of you.
If you are giving notice at Islington Register Office please bring with you the name and address of the Church Incumbent or Authorised Person for the religious building so we have their contact details.
Once the notice period is complete, you will need to collect your schedule of marriage and deliver it to your religious building. This is the document you will sign on your ceremony day to make your union legal.