Introduction of the Marriage Schedule System

The Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019

The Act will modernise how marriages are registered for the first time since 1837, through issue of a marriage schedule system and registration in an electronic register. It will move away from the current paper register creating a more secure system for keeping marriage records, that is also more efficient and far simpler to administer and amend, if necessary, in the future.

The electronic register will also allow for the names of parents of the couple (mother / father / parent) to be included in the marriage entry and on marriage certificates, instead of only their fathers’ names as is currently the case.

This will be implemented from 4 May 2021.

What will change?

Ceremonies at Our Venues and Approved Marriage and Civil Partnership Venues

• Couples will not be invited to sign a marriage register but will be invited to sign a marriage schedule which is an A4 document.
• Couples will have the option to include up to four parents (for example their Mother, Father, Parent or Step-Parent) in the schedule and subsequently on their marriage certificate.
• Couples will not receive marriage certificates on the day of the marriage, instead these will be sent after the ceremony by tracked post.

Marriages in Religious Buildings (not Church of England)

• From the date of implementation, if they have already collected their Certificates for Marriage (blue paperwork) couples will need to arrange to collect the marriage schedule for their ceremony to take place. The Registration Team can be contacted by sending an email to [email protected] in order to make arrangements for this.
• On the day of the ceremony, couples will not be invited to sign a marriage register but will be invited to sign a marriage schedule which is an A4 document.
• Couples will have the option to include up to four parents (for example their Mother, Father, Parent or Step-Parent) in the schedule and subsequently on their marriage certificate.
• Couples will not receive marriage certificates on the day of the marriage.
• Couples are expected to return the signed schedule to the Register Office in the District where the marriage took place within 21 days. On return they will be advis ed as to how to order marriage certificates.

Church of England Marriages

• On the day of the ceremony, couples will not be invited to sign a marriage register but will be invited to sign a marriage document which is an A4 document.
• Couples will have the option to include up to four parents (or example their Mother, Father, Parent or Step-Parent) in the schedule and subsequently on their marriage certificate.
• Couples will not receive marriage certificates on the day of the marriage.
• Couples are expected to return the signed marriage document to the Register Office in the District where the marriage took place within 21 days. On return they will be advised as to how to order marriage certificates.

Read our simplified guide for changes to marriage law