Marriage Certs to show both parents names

[Guest]

The names of both parents, and not just the father, will now be included on marriage certificates in England and Wales, following new changes to the registration system by the Home Office.

A new electronic system – which goes live on May 4 – will be introduced to modernise and speed up the process, helping to support the backlog of marriages.

[cbcarolyn]

My friend is super excited as she will be on her son's certificate.

[Guest]

Hadn't thought of that? my two aren't and probably will never marry, so it wont happen for me.

[kylejustin]

It's about time really. You guys are the odd ones out.

[AntonyM]

It isn't a new computer system - it's been in use for years. The first job on a Monday morning, as a registrar, was to enter the details of all the weekend marriages onto the computer.

The big change isn't the addition of mother's names (although very welcome and long overdue), it is that there will no longer be a written marriage register at all.

The couple, the celebrant and the witnesses will sign a piece of paper, called a schedule, at the ceremony, confirming the marriage took place. Afterwards this will then be sent to the registration office who will enter the details onto the computer and that computer entry will be the official record of the marriage. At that point the certificates can be printed out. It is essentially the same registration process that has been in use for Civil Partnerships since they were introduced years ago.

What will happen to the signed schedules I don't know, but I don't expect they will be easily available for future researchers to look at ( even if they are kept, which I doubt).

[cbcarolyn]

from my friend I understand you will need to go to register office to pick up the cert a few days later, not sure if this is new? she had offered to collect as originally they were due to go on honeymoon. I assume that they could be posted.

[AntonyM]

Certificates were previously handwritten and handed over at the end of the ceremony ( I've done loads myself), but now they will be issued later, after the marriage schedule has been deposited at the registration office and the computer registration has been done.

I don't see any reason why they can't be posted though .....depends on how quickly you want them probably.

Maybe check with the relevant office.

[GallowayLass]

Sitting up here feeling rather smug Glad to see you have caught up with us
Hopefully it won't be too long before Northern Ireland falls into line.