Article 19 Solemnisation of civil marriage

Northern Ireland

(1)

A person shall not solemnise a civil marriage unless—

(a)

he has available to him at the time of the ceremony the marriage schedule and the prescribed fee for the marriage has been paid;

(b)

both parties to the marriage are present; and

(c)

two persons professing to be 16 or over are present as witnesses.

(2)

A person shall not solemnise a civil marriage except in accordance with a form of ceremony which—

(a)

is of a secular nature; and

(b)

includes an appropriate declaration.

(3)

In paragraph (2)(b) an “appropriate declaration” means a declaration by the parties, in the presence of—

(a)

each other;

(b)

the person solemnising the marriage; and

(c)

two witnesses,

that they accept each other as husband and wife F1or as husband and husband or as wife and wife .

Annotations

F1: Words in art. 19(3) inserted (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 4 (with regs. 6-9)