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About Jersey
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| Getting Married in Jersey |
If you are looking for a romantic island setting for your wedding Jersey should definitely be on your list.
No need to travel as far a field as the Caribbean or the Seychelles – here is an island within easy reach of the UK and mainland Europe with beautiful beaches, quiet country lanes, good food and more sunshine hours than anywhere else in the British Isles.
It is the ideal venue for the ‘away-from-it-all’ wedding just for the two of you, or if you want to celebrate with family and friends.
The changes in the island’s marriage laws mean that it is much easier for couples to marry in Jersey. Wedding applications can be made by post and once the paperwork is completed you need only to arrive three working days before the planned wedding date to complete formalities and collect the marriage licence.
Even if you arrive without having made a postal application you can get married just ten days after presenting all your documentation to the Superintendent Registrar.
After the wedding you can relax and enjoy your honeymoon without having to spend precious time travelling to another destination. You will feel really ‘away from it all’ as the beauty of Jersey unfolds before you. You can drive from beach to beach, following the rosy glow of the setting sun before taking your pick of the island’s superb restaurants for a special romantic dinner. Hire a bike or stroll along the picturesque green lanes, taking time to discover the historic castles and natural beauty of the island. You can, of course, make your own arrangements by contacting the Superintendent Registrar in St Helier.
Getting married in Jersey
The wedding licence has to be obtained from the Office of the Superintendent Registrar who will provide information on all the documentation needed with details of fees and charges.
You must both be over sixteen, but if you are under the age of twenty you will need written consent from parents or a guardian.
Visitors to Jersey can marry at either the Office of the Superintendent Registrar in the Royal Square, or in a non-Anglican Church.
Couples can also get married at ‘premises’ approved by the Constable of each of the island’s 12 parishes. These premises include Jersey’s magnificent medieval castles, other heritage sites, manor houses and many of the island’s larger hotels. For further information contact Jersey Tourism or the Superintendent Registrar.
Do remember that the date and time you choose for your wedding will depend on the availability of the Registrar. As a general rule, marriages of non-residents take place on Mondays to Fridays between 1100 and 1300. The ceremony takes approximately 20 minutes.
Superintendent Registrar
10 Royal Square, St Helier,
JE2 4WA.
Tel: +44 (0)1534 502335
Fees
Where notice is given in person, the fees and charges payable in respect of a civil marriage in the Register Office are £175 and £185 for a marriage in approved premises for a marriage in a non-Anglican Church the cost will be £115. Additionl charges may be made by the Church or the Approved Premises.
Where application is made by post the total fees and charges amount to £255 for a civil marriage in the Register Office and £265 for a civil marriage in Approved Premises. For a marriage in a non-Anglican Church the cost will be £195. Again additional charges may be made by the Church or the Approved Premises.
All fees and charges are subject to regular increases. Cheques should be made payable to 'The Treasurer of the States' and be in pounds Sterling drawn on a British Bank.
Frequently asked questions concerning the introduction of Civil Marriages in approved premises.
Will civil marriages be able to take place anywhere?
No. Civil marriages will only be able to take place in an easily identifiable building that has been approved by the Connetable of the parish as a suitable venue for civil marriages. It will not be possible to marry in the open air (i.e. on beaches, cliff tops, parks or gardens), on moving vehicles or other forms of transport and in temporary structures apart from marquees erected adjacent to the approved premises.
What sort of premises have been approved?
Premises such as leading hotels, heritage sites, manor houses, parish halls and other such similar premises providing that the nature of the premises is secular and does not detract from the solemnity or dignity of the ceremony or compromise the fundamental principles of the marriage law.
It will be possible for a private home to apply for approval for a one off marriage for a family member.
What are the criteria for approving premises?
The Marriage and Civil Status (Approved Premises)(Jersey) Order contains the criteria and procedures to be followed for applying and granting of approval. Approved Premises must have permanent and immoveable structures that will be seemly and dignified venues for civil marriages. Apart from a private home an approved premises must be regularly available to the public for that use and must have no recent or continuing connection with religious practice.
What are the procedures for approving premises?
The owners or trustees of a premises may apply to the connetable of the parish in which their building is located for approval. An application form can be obtained from any parish hall or from the Register Office. The application must be accompanied by a plan of the premises showing which room or rooms will be used for marriages. To support the application any literature showing the facilities provided on the premises should also be included.
The Connetable or his representative will visit the premises to ensure that the room or rooms are of a suitable standard in terms of décor, lighting, heating, ventilation and meet basic fire and health and safety standards. Other facilities such as toilets, disabled access, parking and changing rooms for the bride and groom and for the celebrant will also be taken into account. Consideration may be given to possible annoyances such as noise and the clearance of confetti.
Once satisfied that the premises is suitable for civil marriages the connetable with notify the applicant and send a certificate of approval. In the case where an application is refused the applicant will be notified in writing giving the reasons for refusal. Unsuccessful applicants may appeal to the Etat Civil Committee for a review of the application.
When will marriages be able to take place in approved premises?
Marriages may not take place in approved premises until they have been granted approval by the connetables.
How do I go about arranging a marriage in approved premises?
Couples wishing to marry in approved premises will need to make their own arrangements with the management of the premises concerned. Having agreed on the date and time of the marriage with the management of the approved premises the couple must call on the Superintendent Registrar at the Register Office in the Royal Square, St Helier to arrange for their marriage license. Couples will have to produce their full birth certificates and if previously married their divorce decree absolute or if widowed the death certificate of their late spouse. Couples will be expected to give formal notice of their intention to marry approximately one month before the date of their marriage. They will be required to collect their marriage licence three working days before their marriage.
Can an approval once granted be revoked?
Yes. If the terms and conditions of the approval are not complied with or if the format of the marriage ceremony braches the requirements of Article 20 of the law or if changes are made to the premises so as to make it unsuitable as a venue for marriages, the connetable of the parish may revoke the approval.
How do couples wishing to marry know which premises are approved?
The Superintendent Registrar keeps a register of approved premises at the Register Office in the Royal Square, St Helier, which is available to members of the public.
Who performs marriage ceremonies in approved premises?
Marriages in approved premises will be celebrated either by the Superintendent Registrar, his deputies or his delegates. Approved premises celebrating marriages on a regular basis will be encouraged to have a delegate of their own to celebrate marriages on their premises. It will be the responsibility of the management of the approved premises to ensure that there is a delegate available to celebrate the marriage. Couples may request a particular delegate to celebrate their marriage with the agreement of the Superintendent Registrar and the management of the approved premises.
Can couples have a marriage ceremony of their choice?
Yes. Provided that at some stage of the ceremony they make the declarations stipulated in Article 20 of the law and that no religious service is being used during the civil marriage. Couples may have music of their choice and any non-religious readings such as love poems. Couples such consult the Superintendent Registrar on the desired format of their marriage and on the music and readings that would be available.
PTGH wish to thank Jersey Tourism for their help in providing the above information. 22/11/05
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