Marriages

Arranging your day

We can help you organise your special day. If you plan to get married in Belfast, it is important that you read all of the information on this page. 

Please fill out our marriage and civil partnership enquiry form if you would like to speak to us about your arrangements.

Marriage notice

You must give at least 28 days’ notice to get married. If you don't give this in time, you may need to postpone your marriage. 

You can give notice up to a year before the date of your marriage. We recommend a period of 10 to 12 weeks’ notice for a religious or humanist marriage.

How do I give notice?

• The best way is to make an appointment (link opens in new window) and we will see you in person.
• You can also post your original completed marriage notice forms along with relevant documents, to: Registration, Belfast City Hall, Belfast BT1 5GS. Make sure you have the correct postage for your documents, or we may not receive them.

Please don’t post your original passport and birth certificate as we can accept photocopies. However, we will need to see the originals before your ceremony takes place and you can bring these when you collect your schedule. Call us on 028 9027 0455 to discuss and make your payment. You can also send a cheque, made payable to Belfast City Council. 

Religious marriages

The ceremony may, with the agreement of the Officiant, take place anywhere in Northern Ireland. Services are conducted by authorised people, according to the relevant tradition.

You still need to give notice at the Registrar’s office in Belfast City Hall if you are having a religious ceremony. 

If you are getting married in a different district, for example Newtownabbey, you will give notice in Mossley Mill. You can contact us for advice. 

Once you have given notice, we’ll let you know when you can collect the schedule. The bride or groom can collect the schedule and give it to the marriage conductor.

Collecting and returning your marriage schedule

You will need separate appointments to collect and return your marriage schedule from City Hall. We cannot issue the schedule more than 14 days before the marriage and only you or your partner can collect it.

Please select the ‘short appointments’ option on the form when booking. 

Book an appointment

Once you have completed your booking, you will receive a confirmation email with further information about your appointment. If you don’t receive this, please check your junk mail folder.

If you have any issues booking online, please call us on 028 9027 0290.

You can also return your marriage schedule within three working days of your ceremony by post to:
Registration, 
Belfast City Hall
Belfast BT1 5GS. 

Your marriage certificate will be posted out to you.

Civil marriages

A civil marriage ceremony can be conducted by a registrar or deputy registrar for the district in which it is to take place.

If you decide to have your ceremony at our Registrar’s office in City Hall, or at one of our approved venues, please contact us for availability and advice.

Presenting your original documents

You will need an appointment to present your original documents and wedding day information form before your ceremony. There will be an opportunity to talk with one of the registrars and ask any questions about your day.

Appointments are available from Monday to Friday, 11am to 12.20pm, at City Hall. Please select the ‘short appointments’ option on the form and then 'civil ceremony final appointment' from the list when booking.

Book an appointment

Once you have completed your booking, you will receive a confirmation email with further information about your appointment. If you don’t receive this, please check your junk mail folder.

If you have any issues booking online, please call us on 028 9027 0290.

If you are unable to come into City Hall, you can still present the documents on the day of your ceremony.

Humanist marriages

Humanist ceremonies are conducted by a Humanist celebrant. 

You still need to give notice at the Registration Office in Belfast City Hall if you are having a humanist ceremony in the Belfast district. Once you have given notice, we’ll let you know when you can collect the schedule.

The bride or groom can collect the schedule and give it to the humanist celebrant.

Collecting and returning your marriage schedule

You will need separate appointments to collect and return your marriage schedule from City Hall. We cannot issue the schedule more than 14 days before the marriage and only you or your partner can collect it.

Please select the ‘short appointments’ option on the form when booking.

Book an appointment

Once you have completed your booking, you will receive a confirmation email with further information about your appointment. If you don’t receive this, please check your junk mail folder.

If you have any issues booking online, please call us on 028 9027 0290.

You can also return your marriage schedule within three working days of your ceremony by post to:
Registration, 
Belfast City Hall
Belfast BT1 5GS. 

Your marriage certificate will be posted out to you.

Documents needed

Before you can get married in Belfast, you and your partner will need to complete a marriage notice form and produce other essential documents. You will need a separate form for each person.

This still applies if you are having a religious or humanist ceremony. The marriage notice forms must be signed by the religious conductor. You can give notice up to one year in advance of your wedding but must be at least 28 days’ before you get married.

• Visit nidirect to download the marriage notice form

The following documents must be provided by both you and your partner when returning your marriage notice forms:

• your full (long version) birth or adoption certificate  
• your passport or national identity card - the Registrar can advise on alternatives if you do not hold either of these
• a consent form (if you are 16 or 17 years old)
• if you have been married before and the marriage was dissolved, a certificate of divorce or annulment or a certified copy decree (decrees must be absolute or final)
• if you have entered into a civil partnership before, a court order of dissolution for that partnership
• if you are a widow, widower or surviving civil partner, the death certificate of your former spouse or civil partner.

If you're a non-EEA citizen, please read nidirect's information (link opens in new window) on getting married in Northern Ireland.

Once the marriage has taken place, the schedule should be returned to the Registration office within three working days for the marriage to be registered. You can then purchase a copy of the marriage certificate for £8. 

Marriage fees

Convert marriage to civil partnership

From 7 December 2020 to 6 December 2023, couples in a same sex civil partnership or opposite sex marriage can change their civil partnership to a marriage or marriage into a civil partnership.

Read more and book an appointment.

Getting married outside of Northern Ireland

If you live in Northern Ireland and want to get married outside of NI, you may need to provide a document showing that you are free to marry.

In this case, you will need to complete a marriage notice application form to apply for a certificate of legal capacity to marry (Certificate of non-impediment).

You must submit your application in the district of your home address and proof of home address is required before the application will be accepted. The usual supporting documents for a marriage application are also required. A fee of £22 per certificate is payable on submission of the application.

When the marriage notice form has been submitted, the certificate of legal capacity to marry will be issued after at least 28 days have passed. 

You will then need to book an appointment with us to collect your certificate. Appointments are available from Monday to Friday. Please select the ‘short appointments’ option on the form to book your appointment.

Book an appointment

Once you have completed your booking, you will receive a confirmation email with further information about your appointment. If you don’t receive this, please check your junk mail folder.

If you have any issues booking online, please call us on 028 9027 0290.

Couples can also choose to have their legal ceremony in Belfast, or other districts in Northern Ireland, and then have a symbolic ceremony abroad.

For more information on getting married outside of Northern Ireland, visit nidirect’s website (link opens in new window).

More information

Please visit nidirect's website for more guidance on marriage procedures.