Ceremony booking - terms and conditions

Please note, these terms and conditions do not apply to Nationality Checking Service (NCS). See the NCS page for terms and conditions.

Marriage and Civil Partnership ceremonies

Your ceremony booking is accepted on the condition that:

  • No legal impediment to the marriage or civil partnership exists and Legal Preliminaries (both of you must give Notice of Intention) are completed within statutory time limits.
  • Where applicable, any foreign divorce / dissolution papers are accepted by the Registrar General.
  • Home Office Permission is granted where applicable.
  • Payment in full of your ceremony fees is made at the time of booking. All other fees, e.g. notice or other administrative fees, are payable on demand.

Other ceremonies and services

For namings and renewal of vows, your ceremony booking is accepted on the condition that proof of birth registration or prior marriage / civil partnership taking place is provided. You should understand that the ceremony does not give any legal status or rights.

Staff

The RuTRS will allocate staff to attend your ceremony, but is unable to guarantee individual ceremony officers and reserves the right to substitute staff as necessary for operational reasons.

Ceremonies at 1 Spring Terrace, Richmond

There are likely to be a number of ceremonies taking place on the day of your ceremony. Although we do not place restrictions on the time that you and your guests can spend in the garden, parties are asked to be respectful of other groups in order that all ceremony parties are able to make the best use of the garden.

Ceremony parties are also reminded that 1 Spring Terrace is within a residential area, and are requested to be considerate to our neighbours over matters such as noise and parking, particularly at weekends. Following the ceremony there is no re-entry to the ceremony rooms, therefore you must keep your belongings with you at all times. We cannot accept responsibility for storing belongings or equipment at any time during your visit.

For fire regulations, safety, and comfort, if the number of guests exceeds the capacity of the room, some guests may be excluded from the ceremony.

No food, drink (including alcohol) or animals (with the exception of assistance dogs) are permitted in the ceremony rooms, waiting or public areas, or grounds.

Deliveries

We will not accept deliveries of goods or livestock in preparation for your ceremony.

Confetti

Please advise your guests that biodegradable confetti only may be used at 1 Spring Terrace, and can only be used outside in the garden or courtyard: confetti cannot be thrown in the ceremony room.

If your ceremony is taking place at one of our other Approved venues, please check their rules on the use of confetti on their premises.

Children

We recognise that ceremonies are a family event, and you are welcome to bring younger members of the family to the ceremony. However, we would ask that children are supervised by a responsible adult at all times, who can if necessary take them from the ceremony room should they become distressed or are disruptive.

Interpreters

If either yourselves or your guests, especially your witnesses, cannot speak English, you are required to provide an interpreter at your own expense.

Ceremony content

RuTRS will provide the ceremony script. You may make alternative selections which must be notified to us at least 28 days in advance of the ceremony, and every effort will be made to include those choices, provided the ceremony remains seemly and dignified and does not include any religious content in the words, readings or music. RuTRS will make the final decision on any additional content, and will not accept liability for any omission which may be caused by reasons beyond its control.

Ceremony Timings/Lateness

Your ceremony must begin within 15 minutes of the agreed start time otherwise the registration team may not be able to perform your ceremony as they may be required to attend another venue. In such circumstances, the registration team will advise whether it will be possible for the ceremony to take place after they have completed other attendances booked for them that day. If your ceremony has to be postponed to another day, you will be required to pay registrar’s attendance fees for the new date and may need to give fresh notices.

Liability

RuTRS will not accept liability for:

  • Any delay or loss caused by your – or any of your guests' - late or non-arrival: the registrars attending your ceremony have ceremonies to attend throughout the day, and therefore cannot delay the start of the pre-arranged time for the ceremony. If it is necessary for the registration team to leave the venue and proceed to their next ceremony, then every effort will be made to return to conduct your ceremony, however, this may not be possible (the law requires that marriages and civil partnership ceremonies are conducted between the hours of 8am – 6pm) and in such circumstances you would be liable to pay any additional fees incurred if it is necessary for the registration team to return to conduct your ceremony on another day.
  • Any loss caused by a request from you or your representatives to delay the ceremony
  • Any decision to delay the ceremony is entirely at the discretion of the RuTRS
  • Any loss or compensation where a ceremony is stopped from proceeding because it would be void if it went ahead or an offence under the Marriage or Civil Partnership Acts would be committed, if it would not be in the public interest for the ceremony to proceed or all group gatherings had been banned by Parliament (e.g. in a pandemic situation).
  • In the event of an emergency, disaster or extreme weather conditions (including but not limited to war, civil war, armed conflict, terrorist attack, governmental action, fire, flood, snow, pandemic or epidemic) the RuTRS cannot be held responsible and is not liable for any ceremony which has to be cancelled as a result of such events which are outside our control.
  • The failure of any music system provided by the venue, you or a third party or the failure of any compact disc to play on any music system provided by the venue, you or a third party.
  • The failure, neglect, non-compliance or omissions caused by any venue which is not owned by London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames. Approval of the venue is granted only in connection with the provision of ceremonies. The RuTRS cannot accept liability for the failure or neglect on behalf of the venue, of any agreement between you and the venue for the use or provision of any services and / or facilities.

Amendment Fee

If it is necessary to change the date, time or venue of your ceremony once your booking has been accepted, an amendment fee will be payable in accordance with our current schedule of fees.

  • All details that are changed at the same time are only subject to one amendment fee.
  • Subsequent changes will require the payment of another amendment fee.
  • Where applicable, you may also be required to pay an updated or additional ceremony fee.
  • You may also need to give fresh notices, as these are specific to your venue and only valid for one year.
  • If you later cancel your ceremony, these fees are not refundable.

Cancellation

In the event that you need to cancel a ceremony, you will be required to notify us in writing. We will only accept a cancellation from one of the parties to the ceremony, not from any other person. If you have already paid your ceremony fees in full:

  • Cancellation more than 8 weeks before the ceremony – full refund of ceremony fees, minus an administration fee.
  • Cancellation between 4 – 8 weeks before the ceremony – refund of 50% of ceremony fees.
  • Cancellation less than 4 weeks before the ceremony, or failure to cancel – no refund.

General

Any reference to Richmond upon Thames Registration Service will also refer to London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in so far as they relate to its legal responsibilities and obligations. Marriage & Civil Partnerships Acts means the Acts of Parliament (and any regulations made under those Acts) covering the legal preliminaries to, the solemnization and registration of a civil marriage / civil partnership either in a register office or approved premises within England and Wales. Venue means Approved Premises approved by LBRuT under the Civil Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Approved Premises) Regulations 2005 for the solemnization and registration of civil marriages and civil partnerships.

We strongly recommend that you take out ceremony insurance to cover any losses or expenses occurred. RuTRS cannot recommend any particular insurance provider to you.