Marriage notice fees waived for couples

Marriage notice fees for couples who have had to reschedule their big day due to coronavirus will be waived at Bridgend Register Office.

 

Around 200 weddings booked to have taken place in the county borough in churches, hotels, the register office and other venues during the pandemic have been affected with all ceremonies currently suspended.

 

Couples intending to marry or form a civil partnership must give formal notice and pay a £35 fee per person.

 

They faced having to pay their fees again to reschedule but Bridgend County Borough Council has agreed to waive the notice fee for all couples who have had their ceremony postponed due to the pandemic.

It’s been a very uncertain time for everyone over the last few months and as part of the pandemic, many couples have been unable to celebrate their big day.

We don’t think it’s right to expect couples who have already paid once to have to pay another £70 for something which was out of their control. For this reason, we have decided to cover the cost of the notice fees. Our registrars have been working closely with couples to rearrange wedding services to new dates and have informed all those affected.

Where the licence has expired couples will still need to come in when the register office opens and give notice again but they will not have to pay again. Where couples have paid a separate fee for a registrar to attend a ceremony outside of the register office, the fee is being transferred to the rescheduled date.

The council’s cabinet member for wellbeing and future generations Dhanisha Patel

The register office is in the process of relocating from Ty’r Ardd to the civic offices.

 

Due to have taken place at the end of April, it is now expected to take place by the end of August.