Legal Issues

There are several things you should consider before getting married in the Highlands of Scotland, especially if you are from abroad. There are two ways of getting married in Scotland, by a religious ceremony or a civil ceremony. A civil ceremony can only be conducted by a registrar authorised by the Registrar General for that purpose. A religious ceremony - Christian or non-Christian - may be conducted only by a minister, priest or other person authorised to do so by the Marriages (Scotland) Act 1977.

Whether you are planning a civil or religious ceremony, you are required to submit notice forms to the registrar in the district where you plan to marry. This must be done in the three months preceeding your chosen date, but no later than 15 days before your date.

Also, if you are coming from abroad, you should obtain a certificate issued by your local civil authority that states there is no obstructing factor to your marriage (for example, documentary evidence that any previous marriages in another country have been ended).

The following information has been provided courtesy of the Registrar's Office in Inverness.

Please note: unfortunately here at highlandwedding.co.uk we cannot answer individual enquiries about marriage in Scotland. Please direct any enquiries you have to the General Registers Office for Scotland at the address below.

Legal Preliminaries to Marriage in Scotland

It is important that persons intending to marry in Scotland make personal contact with the local Registrar for the district in which their proposed marriage is to take place, regardless of whether their wedding ceremony is to be civil or religious. This will ensure that the necessary legal preliminaries to Marriage in Scotland are adhered to, within the statutory time limits required.

Should you choose the Highland Council Area for your wedding, the following are a selection of Registration Offices with which to make contact for help and advice regarding your forthcoming marriage.

Alternatively, to obtain information relevant for Marriage in Scotland, please visit the website of the General Register Office for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, (http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk) where you will find a list of all Registration Offices in Scotland, as well as the facility to download the required explanatory leaflets and prescribed forms.

Margaret Straube, Chief Registrar, Inverness.
January 2001