Ceremony in a Registration Office

You will be issued with a ‘ceremony requirements’ form along with the notice forms (M10s) that you require at the time of booking. All your preferred options to the above can be recorded on that form.

You have the option to amend as much of what is said at your ceremony to make it more personal to you both. You may wish to write certain parts of the ceremony yourself or choose from the options given in the ‘Civil Ceremony in Edinburgh’ booklet issued by the registrar.

The couple will be seen privately by the registrar before the ceremony begins; this can be carried out by talking to the parties together or individually according to your request. The interview is simply to ensure that the details about to be entered into the register are correct and the content of the ceremony will be explained to you. The registrar will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding your ceremony and hopefully alleviate any last-minute nerves. Our friendly efficient team are there to help you on the lead up to your ceremony day and the day itself. Please do not hesitate to ask any question or query you may have.

If you chose to arrive separately to the ceremony please make this known to the registrar before the day. Should you choose to do this the groom/first partner will speak to the officiating registrar first then they will join the guests. The registrar will then speak to the bride/second partner and ensure that all the guests and groom/partner are in place. The registrar will then begin the ceremony in accordance to your wishes.

Guest lounge at City Chambers

At your ceremony you must be accompanied by two witnesses who will also sign the schedule with you. They can be related to you, friends or indeed someone you have just met. They must, however, be aged 16 years or over and capable of understanding the ceremony. If you are having a best man and bridesmaid or principal attendants, it is usual to have them act as your witnesses.

Should either of the couple or their chosen witnesses not be able to understand English then it is your responsibility to provide a suitable translator. Please notify the registration staff if this is the case.

Please discuss your requirements for music with the team. If you are having recorded music then it should be handed into the registration office before the date of the ceremony. Bluetooth speakers are in all rooms and can be utilised to play your own music. It is normal to have some background music whilst your guests wait for the ceremony to begin. The registrar will announce the couple/bride or partner’s entrance into the room again to music. Some background music is normally played when the register is being signed and the couple exit the room as a newly married/ civil partnered couple.

Should you wish to have live music please discuss this request with a member of the registration team who will be happy to advise. However, it is not possible to have bagpipes or any live music played in the Quadrangle of the City Chambers Monday – Friday as it is a working building.

Our staff are very happy to incorporate any sand blending, handfasting or consider any other ceremony traditions that you may suggest. However, it is extremely important that these requests are discussed at the time of lodging notice.

The only parts of the ceremony you cannot omit is the confirmation of the couple’s names, the pronunciation by the registrar and the legal vows, however, you can add wording to the vows if you prefer. If you have chosen to personalise your ceremony you should make sure that those amendments are returned to the registration office either when you lodge notice or at least two weeks before your ceremony.

If you have chosen to have readings at your ceremony the registrar will also need to know the names of the people who will be doing the readings in order that she/he can introduce them at the appropriate time. It is helpful if the readers are sitting at the end of a row to make it easy for them to make their way to the front of the room.

Once the ceremony has been concluded you will be given a few minutes to speak to your guests before you are required to vacate the room.