CIVIL WEDDING CEREMONIES

• Legal Preliminaries.
  A provisional booking should be made for a Superintendent Registrar and a Registrar to attend the marriage by contacting the Hexham Register Office in person or by telephone on 01434 602355. This provisional booking will be secured when the parties to the marriage give a formal "Notice of Marriage" in the Register Office in the district of their residence. If the parties reside in different Registration Districts a separate Notice has to be given in each district. . If you do not live in the district where the marriage is to take place you must also give notice in your local Register Office. When giving the Notice/s the parties will have to produce birth certificates, documents relating to any change of name and, if either has been previously married, proof of how the marriage ended (eg Decree Absolute). A fee is payable for each Notice. It is essential that you check in advance with the Superintendent Registrar before committing yourself to a marriage at a particular time and date at The Otterburn Tower Hotel.
• Advance booking.
  A Notice of Marriage is valid for twelve months; therefore you cannot give Notice more than twelve months in advance of your proposed wedding date. It is also not possible, to provisionally book a wedding date with the Hexham Superintendent Registrar more than twelve months in advance.
• Approved Buildings.
  The Otterburn Tower Hotel is an approved building by the County Council as a venue for civil marriage.
• The Marriage Ceremony.
  A ceremony of marriage in the presence of a Superintendent Registrar cannot, by law, contain any religious aspects. It is a secular event, however to involve family and friends, you may be accompanied by suitable non-religious readings or pieces of music with the agreement of the attending registration officers.
• Photographs and Videos.
  Your guests are very welcome to bring cameras to record the occasion but please ask them not to take photographs during the actual ceremony, as this can be distracting. If you wish to use a video camera to record the marriage ceremony please ask the Superintendent for advice about where the operator should stand for the best vantage point and least distraction.
• Guests.
  There is no upper limit on the number of people you invite to attend your wedding ceremony other than those imposed by the size of the room you intend to use. You will need at least two other people to attend your ceremony who will be prepared to act as witnesses to the marriage and sign the marriage register.
• Alcohol.
  It is not permitted for alcohol to be served in the room where the ceremony is to be held for at least one hour before the time of the ceremony. There is no restriction on serving alcohol immediately afterwards.
• Cost.
  A fee is payable for each Notice of Marriage and for the attendance of the Registrars on the day of your marriage. The Superintendent Registrar will be happy to provide up-to-date information about the level of fees.