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HAVE YOUR WEDDING IN SCOTLAND!

Where ever in the world you live, you can be legally married in Scotland, and you are not required to be in residence here before your marriage ceremony takes place. 

In Scotland, you can choose from a diversity of marriage celebrants and ceremonies which are legallly recognised worldwide, such as Civil, Humanist, Pagan, Interfaith, Catholic and Church of Scotland. 

In Scotland, the Registrars will conduct Civil Weddings which are non religious.

All other marriages, including Humanist ceremonies, are considered as religious or belief-based weddings. 

Humanist Weddings are legal in Scotland and recognised worldwide.

South Knapdale Parish Church at Achahoish and St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Lochgilphead are very welcoming to those out with the Parish.

Your marriage ceremony requires two witnesses, each of whom must be aged 16 and over.

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MARRIAGE LICENCE

In Scotland, you are legally required to obtain a Marriage Licence so that you can be married, and this needs to be submitted by post to the Registrar in Lochgilphead, near Crear, up to three months and no less than 29 days before your marriage, irrespective of who conducts your ceremony.  

Take some time to consider if you want a religious, belief or civil ceremony before getting in touch with the Registrar.

 

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DOCUMENTS YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR YOUR MARRIAGE LICENCE

Download forms from the National Records of Scotland

1. Your birth certificates.
2. Evidence of where you live, such as a recent bank statement with your current address.
3. If you were previously married, a divorce certificate.
4. A dissolution certificate, if you or your partner have been in a civil partnership before.
5. If a previous spouse  or civil partner has died, a death certificate.
6. A passport or another document that evidences your nationality.
7. A certificate that demonstrates you are free to marry under the laws of your own country,  if you are not a resident of the UK.

Notify the Registrar as as soon as possible if you do not have any of the required documents; you may be able to use alternative documentation in some instances.

Seven days before your ceremony, The Registrar will issue your Marriage Schedule.

The Marriage Schedule must be collected in person, by one of the people being married.

Within three days of your ceremony, you need to return the signed schedule to the Registrar, in order that the marriage can be registered.

If you don't live in Scotland, you do not need to register your intended marriage with the Registrar in your place of residence.

Your paperwork can be mailed to the Registrar using recorded or registered post, and your documents will be returned using the same mehanism.

click for guidance notes

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A MARRIAGE VISA

You may need a Marriage Visa, confirming the purpose of your visit, in order to enter the UK for non-EU passport holders.

The Marriage Visa must be submitted at the same time as your Notice of Marriage legal paperwork, up to three months and no later than 29 days before the date of your wedding.

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It is crucial that you allow enough time for a Marriage Visa application to be processed. As an alternative, you might consider completing the legal marriage in your home country, and travel to Scotland on a Tourist Visa to enjoy a symbolic ceremony.

For some nationalities, a certificate from your home country which confirms that you are free to marry may be required.

visit the Government website for more information

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CIVIL MARRIAGE

You can have a legally binding civil ceremony for a non-religious marriage, performed by a Registrar. 

All of the Registrars near to Crear will be happy for you to personalise your wedding ceremony. 

 DEVISE YOUR OWN MARRIAGE VOWS 

For Civil and Humanist Weddings, you can compose your own marrige vows that are meaningful, personal and unique to both of you. 

 You can also include poems, readings, music and songs in your ceremony to further personalise your wedding.

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VOW RENEWAL AND MARRIAGE BLESSING

Your celebrant will conduct a symbolic marriage ceremony or blessing and will happily provide a ceremony in which you can renew or reaffirm your  marriage vows.

MARRIAGE BLESSINGS

All celebrants will perform a symbolic marriage ceremony or blessing.

If you don't have a current UK passport, it might be necessary for you to apply for a Marriage Visa before entering the country. As an alternative, you might consider having a legal marriage in your home country, and then travel to Scotland on a Tourist Visa to have a symbolic ceremony.

For instance, some of our couples have chosen to get officially married in their country of origin, before having a wedding ceremony at Crear that may include a traditional Scottish hand fasting.

In this circumstance you can travel to and enter the UK on a Tourist Visa and are not required to obtain the Notice of Marriage.

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PAGAN MARRIAGES IN SCOTLAND 

Pagan marriages are legal in Scotland and recognised worldwide. Since 2004, Pagan ceremonies have been conducted by Approved Celebrants in Scotland. Pagan Celebrants are registered with the The Scottish Pagan Federation.  

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If you would like a Pagan marriage, you can be legally married by an Approved Celebrant in Scotland. 

Ceremonies will be unique and celebrants will work closely with you to create a bespoke experience , including writing your own vows.

visit the Scottish Pagan Society

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LEGALLY RECOGNISED HUMANIST MARRIAGES

Humanism is a non-religious philosophy of life, which is fundamentally based on liberal human values.

Humanist celebrants are permitted to perform legally binding marriage ceremonies in Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Norway, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, in addition to some states in the USA. 

Your Crear Humanist wedding is legally recognised worldwide. 

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COMPOSE YOUR OWN MEANINGFUL MARRIAGE VOWS 

Humanist weddings allow you to devise your own marriage vows which convey your own thoughts, emotions and meaning as a couple. 

In essence, you make your promise to each other  in a totally unique way. You can personalise your ceremony with your favourtie poems, readings, music and songs.

 

"We believe that marriage and civil partnerships are based on mutual love and respect.  We also know that every couple is different and that is why our ceremonies are unique and personal. Humanist Weddings and Civil Partnerships can take place indoors or outdoors, they can be simple or elaborate, traditional or contemporary.  They usually include readings, music and an exchange of rings but can also include symbolic gestures, like hand fasting."

visit the Humanist Society of Scotland

 

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THE GREAT HIGHLAND CATHEDRAL

Most celebrants (with the exception of Catholic priests) will marry you outdoors, in our 'Great Hightland Cathedral'.

The house at Crear is situated in almost 200 acres of beautiful terrain, in which you can choose to get married. You can even make your final plans on the day of your wedding, depending on how the weather is. 

A vehicle track to the beach allows easy access  for everyone.

CHOOSE WHERE YOUR CEREMONY WILL BE ON THE DAY 

The land surrounding Crear House is fully licensed and, on the day of your wedding, you can decide where you want have your ceremony.

We encourage a very flexible and relaxed atmosphere at Crear, so if we have the sun when we don't expect it, we can move outside to have your ceremony; if the clouds appear and your ceremony is scheduled to be outside, we simply move inside.

Please note CREAR as the location of your wedding in your paperwork.

CHRISTIAN CHURCH CEREMONIES

Our local ministers are happy to marry you either outside in the 'Great Highland Cathedral', or inside a church.

Divorcées, of all Christian denominations, are permitted to remarry in the Church of Scotland. 

Same-sex couples may marry in the Scottish Episcopal Church. 

Catholics who are being remarried in a Civil or Church of Scotland ceremony, may invite Father Knop to give their marriage a Catholic blessing.

Catholics can get married in St Margaret's Catholic Church in Lochgilphead. You are required to complete a Wedding Instruction with your local Catholic Priest.

INTERFAITH MARRIAGES

Interfaith Celebrants, who are licenced by the Registrar General in Scotland, may conduct legal marriage ceremonies that are recognised worldwide.

We have links with several Interfaith Celebrants if this is an option you would like to consider. 

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EQUAL MARRIAGE

Equal marriages between couples of the same sex may be conducted by the Registrars, the Humanist Society, the Pagan Society and the Scottish Episcopal Church, in Scotland. 

Marriages registered in Scotland are legally recognised everywhere in the world. 

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If you're from a country where same sex relationships may result in legal prosecution, our local Registrar can offer advice regarding your Marriage Visa application before entering the UK.

If you're interested in changing your Civil Partnership to a Marriage, click the link below for more information.

change your Civil Partnership to a Marriage

DECIDE ON YOUR WEDDING DAY WHERE YOUR CEREMONY TAKES PLACE

 Caisealrag Cottage and Crear House are set in almost 200 acres of land, which is fully licensed, meaning that you can be married outside if you want to. In fact, you can decide on your wedding day where you will be married! 

Our flexible and relaxed ethos at Crear means that we can respond swiftly to the weather conditions, so that you can decide whether to get married inside or outside on the day of your wedding. 

All of our celebrants, apart from celbrants from the Catholic Church, are able to marry you anywhere at Crear.

Please note CREAR as the location for your wedding in your marriage paperwork.

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WEDDINGS AT CREAR HOUSE

You have the option of hosting your marriage ceremony inside the atmospheric Crear House, if there are less than forty guests, where you'll be surrounded by twinkly lights and steeped in history, or your ceremony can take place in our bright, contemporary studio space for larger groups, enjoying stunning views over the sea to the Paps of Jura, and the characterful wibbly wobbly wall which wraps around the studio.

 

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BOOKING A MARRIAGE CELEBRANT 

Before contacting the Registrar, please decide if you want a religious, belief or civil marriage ceremony .

You should liaise directly with your celebrant about the content and choreography of your marriage ceremony.

 

YOUR MARRIAGE PAPERWORK

With a civil marriage, the Registrar will bring your paperwork with them on the day of your wedding.

For religious or belief-based marriages, then you are required to collect the paperwork in person during office hours from Lochgilphead Registration Office, which you drive past on your way to Crear! 

You return the signed Marriage Licence to the Lochgilphead office after the wedding and the marriage certificate will be sent to you by post.

Your Marriage Licence must be signed using an ink fountain pen.