Introduction
The Bradford and Keighley Registration District serves the whole of the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council within the boundaries of which are:
- Haworth, home of the Brontes and the Worth Valley Steam Railway, which has been featured in several films, including the Railway Children
- Ilkley, which was originally the Roman Spa Town of Olicana and famously immortalised in song
- Bingley, where the unique five rise locks raise the Leeds/Liverpool canal by some 60 feet.
- Shipley, which has the model village of Saltaire built in the mid 19th century by Sir Titus Salt, for his textile mill workers, lately awarded World Heritage Site status.
- Esholt, where for many years the filming for Emmerdale was located.
- All are close by the Dales National Park Area.
The following will act as a guide to the facilities for civil marriages available within the Registration District which are open to you whether you are a resident of the District or not. It will also help you with the legal formalities, which are necessary to enable your marriage to take place, whether it is a civil marriage or a religious marriage.
If you wish to discuss any of the matters outlined on this site, the staff at the Bradford and Keighley Register Office will be more than happy to talk to you about your individual requirements. Please telephone or call in to see us in person.
Bradford and Keighley Register Office, Bradford
The elegant three storey Victorian building which houses the Register Office had its foundation stone laid on 26th September 1876. The building was commissioned by the Board of Guardians of the Bradford Poor Law Union as their administrative headquarters. As their Clerk also held the appointment of Superintendent Registrar, accommodation for the District Register Office was incorporated into the plans for the building. The building was extended in 1905 and in the 1970s the Registration Service became the sole occupant. Internal alterations were made in the 1980s bringing all three floors into use for the provision of the Registration Service.
The ground floor is devoted to marriage suites. There is level access to the building via the front door in Manor Row. There are currently two marriage suites in use. The Appleton suite seats 35 and has standing room for approximately 10 more. This room has the benefit of air conditioning and has a centre aisle if the bride wishes to make an entrance.
The Priestley suite is one of the original marriage rooms used at the office and is oak panelled with stained glass windows showing the coat of arms of Bradford. This room will seat 25 and again has standing room for a further 10 people.
Each suite has a waiting area with full-length mirror for last minute checks on appearance and there is a private waiting room for brides who wish to make an entrance into the Appleton suite. There are flower arrangements in each of the marriage rooms and hearing loops are in operation. For the comfort and safety of all there is a no smoking policy within the Register Office. A commissionaire is on duty to help organise your wedding party on the day. In order to ensure the proceedings run smoothly, you and your party are asked to arrive approximately 10 minutes before the appointed time of the ceremony.
Background music is played before and after the marriage ceremony and couples can supply their own music by prior arrangement with the Superintendent Registrar. We are happy to consider any music as long as it does not have religious connections. If you wish to add any extra words or a reading to enhance your ceremony this is also possible by arrangement with the Superintendent Registrar, again there must be no religious connections to your selection.
Once you have given notice of marriage you will be provided with an appointment pack, which explains the choices available to you for personalising your ceremony. If you would like to know more about the content of the ceremony before giving your notices of marriage, the Register Office staff will be happy to discuss this with you.
A video camera may be used during the ceremony for which guidelines are available and there is the opportunity to take photographs after the signing of the marriage register.
Marriage ceremonies take place on Monday to Friday between 9.30 am and 12.00 noon and 2.15 pm and 3.45 pm and on Saturdays between 9.00 am and 12.00 noon and 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm.
There is an outdoor photography area with shrubbery adjacent to the Register Office car park. Extra parking is available to the rear of this area in Stone Street on Saturdays only.
Telephone 01274 432151.
Town Hall, Keighley
The Registrar’s Office is located in the Town Hall on the corner of Bow Street. This is a Victorian building completed in 1901.
Ceremonies take place on Mondays to Fridays from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm. On Saturdays ceremonies take place from 9.15 am to 11.45 am. There is a permanent staff of three registrars who generate a personal and friendly approach.
The ceremony suite is on the ground floor of the building. It is a light, airy and elegant room with seating for approximately 30 people. There is level access directly on to Town Hall Square where couples may wish to take outside photographs. The grounds of nearby Cliffe Castle may also be used for outside photographs. A video camera may be used during the ceremony for which guidelines are available and there is the opportunity to take photographs after the signing of the register.
Whilst the proceedings have to meet the legal requirements and cannot incorporate anything with religious connections, couples can tailor their wedding to include a favourite reading or poem and have their own choice of music to personalise their special day.
Once you have given your notice you will be provided with a pack, which explains the choices available to you for personalising your ceremony. If you would like to know more about the content of the ceremony before giving your notices, the staff will be happy to discuss this with you.
Making the arrangements - Who do I contact?
First of all you must decide what sort of marriage ceremony you wish to have. In England and Wales you may marry either by civil ceremony or religious ceremony.
A civil ceremony can take place at a Register Office or other buildings which have been approved by the Local Authority for marriages. These buildings are called Approved Premises.
A religious ceremony can take place at a Church or Chapel of the Church of England or at any other place of worship, which has been registered for marriages by the Registrar General.
Civil marriage at a register office
If you wish to marry by civil ceremony at a Register Office, you should first contact the Superintendent Registrar of the District where you wish to marry.
Register Offices can make a booking for a date and time for your marriage up to 12 months in advance. It will then be necessary to confirm your arrangements by giving formal notices of marriage to the Superintendent Registrar(s) of the District(s) where you live.
Church of England
If you wish to marry in the Church of England you should contact the Vicar of the Church in which you wish to marry, with whom you will generally make all your arrangements.
Other places of religious worship
If you are getting married in any other building which has been registered for marriages (e.g. Methodist, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Sikh etc) you should first of all contact the minister, or other person in charge of the building, to make provisional arrangements with him/her. It is only possible to marry in a Religious Building in the Registration District where one or both of you live, or in a building outside your district(s) of residence providing it is where either of you usually worship. You may also marry in another district if there is no building of your religion in the district(s) in which you or your partner resides. Register Office staff will be happy to offer advice in these cases.
It will be necessary to give formal notices of your intention to marry to the Superintendent Registrar(s) of the District(s) where you live.
If the Church or Religious Building requires the presence of a registrar to register your marriage you can make a booking with the Register Office up to 12 months in advance.
Civil marriages at approved premises
Civil marriages can take place in buildings which have been approved by Local Authorities. You can choose to have your civil ceremony at any Approved Premises throughout England and Wales. These premises include hotels, civic and historic buildings etc. You are not restricted to the District(s) in which you live. Marriages may not take place outdoors or in moveable structures such as marquees or hot air balloons.
If you wish to marry by civil ceremony at an Approved Premises you should first contact the venue of your choice to make provisional arrangements and then contact the Register Office of the District where the venue is located to ensure that registration officers are available for your choice of date and time.
A maximum of 12 months before the date of your ceremony, it will be necessary to confirm your arrangements with the Register Office by giving formal notices of marriage to the Superintendent Registrar(s) of the District(s) where you live.
The fees for marrying in Approved Premises are set by each Local Authority and vary throughout the country.
The following is a list of the Approved Premises within the Bradford and Keighley Registration Districts, however as buildings continue to apply to the Local Authority to be approved, it is advisable to contact the appropriate Register Office for any additions to the list.
Approved Premises in Bradford and Keighley
The following is a list of the Approved Premises within the Bradford and Keighley Registration District, however as buildings continue to apply to the Local Authority to be approved, it is advisable to contact the Register Office for any additions to the list.
Best Western Guide Post Hotel
Common Road, Low Moor, Bradford.
Telephone: 0845 409 1366
Email: gary.brown@guideposthotel.net
www.guideposthotel.net
Bradford Bulls Odsal Stadium
Rooley Avenue
Bradford
BD6 1BS
Telephone 01274 762312
Bradford City FC Ltd
Valley Parade
Bradford
BD8 7DY
01274 720336
Cartwright Hall,
Lister Park
Bradford.
Telephone: 01274 431212
www.bradford.gov.uk
Cedar Court Hotel
Mayo Avenue, off Rooley Lane
Bradford.
Telephone: 01274 406606
www.cedarcourthotels.co.uk/hotel.asp?pageID=4
City Hall
Bradford.
Telephone: 01274 434759
www.bradford.gov.uk
East Riddlesden Hall,
Bradford Road, Keighley.
Telephone: 01535 607075
E-mail: eastriddlesden@nationaltrust.org.uk
Hilton Hotel
Hall Ings
Bradford.
Telephone: 01274 734734
www.hilton.co.uk
Holiday Inn Leeds-Bradford
The Pastures
Tong Lane
Bradford
Telephone: 0113 2854646
Hoyle Court,
Otley Road
Baildon.
Telephone: 01274 584110
Kings Hall/Winter Gardens,
Station Road
Ilkley.
Telephone: 01943 607168 or 01274 431576
www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/kings_hall_gardens.asp
Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel and Country Club,
Hollins Hill
Baildon.
Telephone: 01274 530053
www.marriotthotels.com/lbags
Midland Hotel,
Cheapside
Bradford.
Telephone: 01274 735735
www.midland-hotel-bradford.com
Newsholme Manor,
Slack Side, Oakworth.
Telephone: 01535 642964
www.smoothhound.co.uk
Oakwood Hall Hotel,
Lady Lane
Bingley
Telephone: 01274 564123
www.oakwoodhall.co.uk
Queens Hall,
Main Street
Burley-in-Wharfedale.
Telephone: 01274 431576
www.bradford-theatres.co.uk
Ramada Jarvis Bradford/Bingley,
Bradford Road
Bingley.
Telephone: 01274 567123
www.ramadajarvis.com
Rombalds Hotel and Restaurant,
West View
Wells Road
Ilkley.
Telephone: 01943 603201.
www.rombalds.co.uk
Steeton Hall,
Station Road, Steeton. 01535 655676
www.steetonhall.co.uk
The Craiglands Hotel
Cowpasture Road
Ilkley.
Telephone: 01943 607676 or 01943 430001.
www.craiglands.co.uk
The Great Victoria
Bridge Street
Bradford
BD1 1JX
Telephone: 01274 728706
www.brook-hotels.co.uk
The Sporting Lodge Inn,
Five Lane Ends, Highfield Road, Idle, Bradford.
Telephone: 01274 611111.
www.sportinglodgeinns.co.uk
Victoria Hall
Victoria Road
Saltaire
BD18 3JS
Telephone: 01274 327305
The legal formalities
Unless you are marrying in the Church of England by Banns or Common Licence, you must give notice of your intention to marry. Each party to the marriage must give their own notice of marriage in person to the Superintendent Registrar in the district in which he/she lives. A notice is valid for 12 months and therefore you cannot give your notice until you are within 12 months of the date of your marriage.
You must each have lived in any District in England or Wales for seven CLEAR days before the date you give notice of marriage (this means the notice is given on the ninth day).
If you choose to marry outside the area of your residence, you should contact the Register Office where you want the marriage to take place, to ensure you can be married on the date that you would like. You must then give notice of marriage to the Superintendent Registrar of the district(s) where you live.
After you have both given your notices of marriages you must wait at least fifteen clear days, whilst the notices are displayed in the Register Office(s) before the Superintendent Registrar's certificate(s) can be issued. This is the authority for your marriage to take place. If you are marrying outside your district(s) of residence you must give the certificate(s) to the Superintendent Registrar of the district where your marriage is to take place or to the person officiating at your marriage.
Each of you will pay a fee for giving notice of marriage. Please check the current amount by contacting the Register Office, who you should telephone to make an appointment to give your notice(s) of marriage.
You can only give notice of marriage at the Bradford and Keighley Register office if you are either: - A British Citizen, a national of EEA countries or Switzerland, have been granted permanent rite of abode in the United Kingdom, or are a member of visiting forces or certain international organisations. People subject to immigration control must give a notice of marriage to the Superintendent Registrar at a Designated Register Office. The nearest one to Bradford and Keighley is Leeds. In order to give notice at a Designated Register Office you will need to have either: - A visa for marriage or entry clearance as a fiancé(e), a Home Office Certificate of Marriage Approval, or settled status in the UK (such as indefinite leave to remain).
Documents you need to show
When you give your notices of marriage you will be required to produce certain documents, these include:
- Your passport/other official travel document or birth certificate, together with another form of identification with your address on, e.g. a driving licence, bank statement, utility bill, rent or council tax book etc.
- If either of you have been married before, evidence of your freedom to marry. This will be either the death certificate of your late husband or wife or a decree of divorce or annulment. If the divorce/annulment took place in this country, it will need to be a court stamped decree absolute, which is the final paper. If you were divorced abroad or your marriage was annulled abroad, it will need to be the original divorce document issued by that country, together with a translation if the document is in a foreign language.
- A deed poll or statutory declaration, if you have changed your name by formal means.
If you are under the age of 18 years you will need written evidence of your parents' or guardians' consent to your marriage. The Superintendent Registrar can give you a form specifically for this purpose. Depending on family circumstances it may also be necessary to produce custody, residence, care or other court orders or agreements. The Superintendent Registrar will be pleased to advise on individual cases.
- If you have married each other in a foreign country you only need to get married here if there is doubt about the legality of your marriage. However, if you do decide to marry here you will need to produce any marriage documents issued in that country, when you give notice of marriage.
If any of the documents you are required to produce are written in a foreign language you may need to produce a translation as well. The Superintendent Registrar will give you advice on these matters.
All documents must be original - photocopies are not acceptable.
