Can I get married quickly in the UK?
No, not in ordinary circumstances. The 28-day notice period is a fixed legal minimum and cannot be paid or requested away. The only exception is the Registrar General's licence, available when one of you is seriously ill and not expected to recover.
Why the notice period exists
The waiting period gives the public and the authorities an opportunity to raise an objection, and gives the Home Office time to check cases referred to it. It applies equally whatever your reason for wanting to marry quickly.
What does not shorten it
Paying more, marrying at a register office instead of a venue, or explaining an urgent personal reason does not reduce the 28 days. Some couples confuse a fast wedding (a short, simple ceremony) with a fast legal process — the ceremony can be quick, but the notice period cannot.
The genuine exception
A Registrar General's licence allows marriage without the usual notice period where one person is seriously ill and not expected to recover, and cannot be moved to a register office. It is granted case by case and needs medical evidence.
What this means for you
- Treat 28 days as fixed and plan your ceremony date around it rather than hoping to shorten it.
- If urgency is due to serious illness, ask your register office about a Registrar General's licence straight away.
Official sources
- GOV.UK — Give notice at your local register office
- GOV.UK — Marriages and civil partnerships in the UK
Last reviewed: 17 August 2026 · Next review due 17 November 2026
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Simply Married is an independent planning service, not a register office or government department. Confirm current requirements and fees with your own register office and on GOV.UK.