Our Wedding Checklist

What to remember for your wedding service at The Old Chapel Centre

1. Provisional booking

Make a provisional booking to hold the date that you require with our Bookings Secretary. Provide details of start and finish times and allow time for setting up and clearing up afterwards.

2. Contact our Wedding Planner

The Bookings Secretary will put you in touch with our Wedding Planner who can meet you at the venue, give you a tour and discuss the suitability of The Old Chapel for your day.

3. Meet our Minister

Our Wedding Planner will put you in touch with our Minister who will support you with planning your service. There are a number of books and websites with useful ideas and information.

green card saying we are getting married

4. Sign the booking form & return to the Booking Secretary, transfer the deposit and book key suppliers

Once you’ve signed the booking form, ensure you have made all your bookings for the big day including the Minister, organist, flowers, catering, photographer etc.

5. Contact the Registrar in your local area to start the registration process

  • Step 1
    A minimum of 35 days before the wedding date (and no more than 12 months beforehand) you will need to arrange an appointment with the Registrar to “Give Notice of Marriage”. Please note that Registrars are often very busy and we recommend that you allow at least two months in advance of the wedding day. This can be done, either where you live or in our own registration district of East Sussex (If you do not live in East Sussex, at least one of you will need to have resided in the registration district for a minimum of 7 nights before you can register here).

  • Step 2
    Attend the meeting with the Registrar who will complete a “MARRIAGE DOCUMENT”. This will cost £42 per person payable at that time. Then 28 days from giving notice the “MARRIAGE DOCUMENT” will be sent to you at an address agreed at your meeting with the Registrar.
    PLEASE NOTE the “MARRIAGE DOCUMENT” must be brought to the church on the wedding day. We would suggest that it be brought on the day of your “wedding rehearsal” with the Minister. This will enable the Minister to check and confirm that the detail on the Marriage Document is correct. Please note ;- The wedding cannot progress without the “Marriage Document” being present on the wedding day.

  • Step 3
    Following the wedding the Marriage Document will need to be completed with names (printed) and signatures of;

    The married couple; The witnesses – a maximum 2 people; Name and designation of the Minister.

  • Step 4
    Once the Marriage Document is signed the “Authorised Person” retains the signed document. The Document will be sent to the Registrar’s office. On receipt of the document at the Registrar’s Office, the Marriage Certificate will be issued 14 days after receipt.

  • Step 5
    Once the marriage has taken place you can apply on-line for a copy of the Wedding Certificate. The cost of the Certificate is £12.50 per copy. This will need to be paid on-line at time of requesting the Certificate.

    Not essential but you may want to take a photo of the Marriage Document once step three above is completed. This may be helpful if you are on Honeymoon to prove, if requested, proof of marriage.

    You can also apply for a special certificate if you need evidence before the certificate is ready.

This is an outline of the new process that came into effect on 4 May 2021.

NB: The Old Chapel Centre cannot be used as a venue for civil ceremonies. These must not take place in a building which is occasionally used as a place of worship or has other associations with religious practice.

Get in Touch

If you are searching for a venue for a wedding, another special occasion or need a space for a community event, please do get in touch. We are always ready to find a bespoke solution that meets individual needs.