Electronic marriage register

Registering your marriage

From 4 May 2021, electronic marriage registers will be introduced and paper marriage registers will no longer be used for the registration of marriages.

This applies to all marriages, both civil ceremonies and ceremonies taking place at churches and places of worship. It does not apply to civil partnerships.

At your marriage ceremony, you will be asked to sign a marriage schedule/document. The details on the schedule/document will be used to enter your marriage onto the electronic marriage register.

If your ceremony is taking place with Registrars in attendance, then they will return the marriage schedule to the office. Where we are not in attendance at the ceremony, for example at most church ceremonies, Church Officials are responsible for ensuring the marriage schedule/document is returned to Croydon Register Office.

For further information, download our guide to changes to marriage law from 4 May 2021 (PDF, 761 KB).

How you will receive your marriage certificate

You will no longer receive a handwritten marriage certificate at your ceremony. All certificates will need to be ordered online.

You can order a copy of your certificate here.

Once we have entered your marriage into the electronic register, we will attend to your order and post your certificate(s) to you. We aim to complete this process within 7 working days on receipt of the marriage schedule/document. If you require a marriage certificate urgently, please contact us at contact@example.com

Why the process is changing

The introduction of the electronic register on 4 May gives the couple the opportunity to add parents (mother/father/parent) to their marriage certificate, instead of only their fathers’ names, which is currently the case.

The Marriages, Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Act 2019 modernises how marriages are registered for the first time since 1837, through the issue of a marriage schedule system and registration in an electronic register.