Allow faith celebrants to issue emergency marriage schedules
Allow faith and belief celebrants to collect Notice to Marry information while the registration service is closed.
Registrars are unable to process Notice to Marry forms while council offices are closed, and so marriages are unable to take place at all.
Celebrants are already key workers and could quite easily collect all the forms required for a legal marriage, in the same way as registrars, on behalf of the registrar, and could issue an emergency marriage schedule, to be verified at a later date when the registration service opens and a marriage certificate issued.
Most celebrants would be delighted to perform this service and conduct marriages with appropriate safeguards.
Registrars are unable to process Notice to Marry forms while council offices are closed, and so marriages are unable to take place at all.
Celebrants are already key workers and could quite easily collect all the forms required for a legal marriage, in the same way as registrars, on behalf of the registrar, and could issue an emergency marriage schedule, to be verified at a later date when the registration service opens and a marriage certificate issued.
Most celebrants would be delighted to perform this service and conduct marriages with appropriate safeguards.
Why the contribution is important
The complete prevention of any form of marriage during lockdown causes great distress for those for whom it is essential to get married immediately and who would be happy to do so with the minimum of people in attendance.
Consider
-Couples affected by terminal illness in either themselves or a family member, for whom timing is critical
-Couples affected by timescales involving visas and employment
-Couples who have a strong desire to be married on a particular date
-Couples expecting a child that they wish to be born to married parents
-Couples who in conscience do not wish to live together until they are married.
Couples with faith are disproportionately affected by the shutdown of marriage registrations since they may feel unable to live together before they are legally married, and may feel that they are being discriminated against because of their faith. Marriage is a necessity to these couples, whereas to others it is simply a delay. Many faith celebrants would make themselves available to any couple who would be happy with a very simple ceremony, regardless of their faith.
The government has compassionately recognised the need for small funerals to take place with proper shielding, and celebrants are already designated key workers to facilitate this. Weddings could similarly take place with just close family or friends as witnesses, possibly outdoors, and every precaution would be taken to maintain social distancing.
Please allow faith celebrants to collect Notice to Marry forms and issue emergency marriage schedules to be ratified by the registration service at a later date, and allow small marriage ceremonies to take place with social distancing.
Consider
-Couples affected by terminal illness in either themselves or a family member, for whom timing is critical
-Couples affected by timescales involving visas and employment
-Couples who have a strong desire to be married on a particular date
-Couples expecting a child that they wish to be born to married parents
-Couples who in conscience do not wish to live together until they are married.
Couples with faith are disproportionately affected by the shutdown of marriage registrations since they may feel unable to live together before they are legally married, and may feel that they are being discriminated against because of their faith. Marriage is a necessity to these couples, whereas to others it is simply a delay. Many faith celebrants would make themselves available to any couple who would be happy with a very simple ceremony, regardless of their faith.
The government has compassionately recognised the need for small funerals to take place with proper shielding, and celebrants are already designated key workers to facilitate this. Weddings could similarly take place with just close family or friends as witnesses, possibly outdoors, and every precaution would be taken to maintain social distancing.
Please allow faith celebrants to collect Notice to Marry forms and issue emergency marriage schedules to be ratified by the registration service at a later date, and allow small marriage ceremonies to take place with social distancing.
by ceremonycentral on May 08, 2020 at 02:35PM
Posted by LM94645 May 08, 2020 at 21:51
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Posted by SineadB May 08, 2020 at 22:27
They don’t have the same implications on people/staff needed as civil services in big hotels/venues.
Clearer info/guidance needed as to when religious services/marriages can take places.
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