How to plan your legal marriage timeline over 12 months
With 12 months to plan, you have plenty of room around the legal minimums — the tightest requirement is giving notice at least 28 days before your ceremony, and possibly 70 days if either of you needs the referral process. A year lets you book your date early and deal with documents at an easy pace rather than under time pressure.
Months 12 to 6: book and check documents
Early on, book your ceremony date with the register office or approved venue, since popular dates and Saturdays can fill up well in advance. Use this stretch to check you have, or can get, every document you'll need — passports, any decree absolute, and proof of address.
Months 6 to 3: sort anything missing
If any document needs replacing, translating or legalising, this window gives you time to do it without rushing. It's also worth checking whether either of you will need the 70-day referral process rather than the standard 28 days, so you don't leave notice too late.
Months 3 to 0: give notice and confirm
Give notice within the window that ends at least 28 (or 70, if applicable) days before your ceremony — notice is valid for 12 months, so giving it slightly early rather than at the last moment reduces stress. Confirm ceremony details, certificate pre-orders and witnesses in the final weeks.
- Book your date as early as possible within the 12 months
- Resolve any document, translation or legalisation issues in the middle months
- Give notice with a comfortable margin before your minimum required window
What this means for you
- A 12-month runway removes almost all time pressure from the legal process — use it to book early rather than leave things late.
- The only genuinely fixed deadline is giving notice within the correct window before your ceremony.
- Check the 70-day referral question early, since it changes how late you can leave notice.
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.