Can you get married on a bank holiday in the UK?

Bank holidays are not automatically closed for weddings. Register offices and approved venues may offer ceremonies on those days, but it depends on local staffing and opening hours. For a religious ceremony, your place of worship must be registered for marriages and have an authorised person present. In Scotland, you can marry almost anywhere agreed with the registrar or celebrant, including on a bank holiday, as long as they are free. In England and Wales, civil ceremonies cannot include religious content, so plan poems, songs and non-religious readings instead. If you want a religious ceremony that is only a blessing, you may need a separate civil ceremony to make the marriage legal. Give notice in plenty of time: at least 28 full days before in England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and at least 29 days in Scotland, though registrars often advise 10 to 12 weeks. Bank holiday dates fill quickly, so contact your venue and registrar as soon as you have a date in mind. Always confirm their holiday opening hours before you send invitations.