Office details
- Capacity: Yourselves and two witnesses. No guests
- Address: Southampton Register Office, 6a Bugle Street, Southampton, SO14 2AJ
Cost
Bookings made for ceremonies to take place in the Statutory Register Office Room will incur full payment at the time of booking. The full fee taken will include:
- A non-refundable deposit: £82
- The notice fee (if notice is being given in Southampton): £42 per person
- Any associated referral or document fees: from £83
- The remainder of the ceremony fee: £56
- Two certificates: £25
These fees are subject to our cancellation policy and refund conditions stated for notice of marriage/civil partnership. The ceremony fee includes two marriage or civil partnership certificates.
Location
Located in Bugle Street, Southampton Register Office is a working office, without any facility for music, readings or photographs.
Why choose the Statutory Office?
You may feel that you simply want to get married and want the most straightforward option with little or no fuss. A ceremony in the statutory room only allows you to bring your two witnesses to be present. Following a basic ceremony with no options for photographs or enhancements, you just sign the legal paperwork. Although we offer this option, dates are extremely limited as the office room is often booked out for other appointments such as birth registrations many months ahead.
For more flexibility with dates, you may find that the Magnolia Room is a better choice for you. Choosing the Magnolia Room allows you to invite up to six guests and your two witnesses, add some enhancements to the ceremony and be able to take photographs to remember the occasion.
A further option would be to book our new Essentials 4 ceremony in our Golden Jubilee Room. Again, like the Magnolia Room there is much more availability for this room. With our price tier options now available for the Golden Jubilee Room, you have up to two weeks before the ceremony date to pay for a higher tier that would allow you to invite more guests as your ceremony plans develop.
Please read our terms and conditions before selecting this option or make a ceremony enquiry and our team of ceremony coordinators will be happy to help.
FAQs
What is a statutory office ceremony?
SHOW
A statutory office ceremony is a simple administrative process in order for you to be legally married or to form a civil partnership. It is a basic procedure that takes place in our office with yourselves and two witnesses.
How many guests can I have at my statutory room ceremony?
SHOW
The statutory ceremony office is for the couple and two witnesses only, due to the licensing restrictions. There is no room for any other guests in the office or standing in the doorway. This also includes any babies or children.
If this is too restrictive for you, please take a look at The Magnolia Room which holds up to 8 guests. This pretty little room is still intimate but allows you more flexibility to invite other guests.
What happens if I arrive late?
SHOW
It is important that you are on time, otherwise you will need to re-book your ceremony or civil partnership (new fees will need to be paid). The registrars will have other appointments that day to consider which also need to run to time. Therefore, you and your 2 witnesses should allow extra time to travel into the City and find appropriate parking.
How does the parking work?
SHOW
We are unable to offer parking at the Register Office, However, there is one disabled bay inside the Register Office gates and one just outside on the street. If they are both taken, you will need to find alternative parking.
Who can be my witnesses?
SHOW
You need two witnesses to sign the marriage paperwork and they can be friends or family members. Although there is no legal upper or lower age limit, they need to understand the nature of marriage and understand English. If you have used a translator during your ceremony they must sign as one of the witnesses.
Can we have any music?
SHOW
The statutory office is designed for couples who just want to sign the paperwork, therefore there is no facility for music. Your ceremony will be simple and straight forward and we cannot add any readings to your ceremony.
What days can I get married in the Statutory Room?
SHOW
The statutory office facility fits in with the register office working diary. This means that your booking is likely to be at a quieter time of the week, perhaps first thing in the morning. Please contact us for availability.
Can I take photographs or video at my ceremony?
SHOW
There is no photography or videography allowed in the statutory office, but you are welcome to take any photos you would like outside in our lovely courtyard.
What about certificates?
SHOW
Your certificate is your way of proving that you are married or now in a civil partnership. The ceremony fee you pay includes two certificates, which may be sent to you in the post at a later date. You can always order additional certificates afterwards and these are done online.
What if I would like more flexibility?
SHOW
The statutory office is designed to be straightforward and simple. If this is not quite what you had in mind, try the Magnolia Room (8 guests), Golden Jubilee Room (55 guests) or Westgate Hall (74 guests). Choosing one of these venues is more likely to give you a more popular time slot. It also means that you can have music and readings to add a little bit more celebration into the occasion.
And don’t worry ….. a larger venue can still be as intimate as you choose it to be. There are no rules about how many people you can invite. As long as there are 2 credible witnesses there, you can keep the guest list as small as you wish!
