Civil partnership is a new legal relationship giving same sex couples the same legal rights and responsibilities as married couples. Couples may give their "Notice of Intention" at their Local Register Office. The partnership itself can be registered in any Register Office of the couple's choice in England or Wales.
By law, all Register Offices have to offer civil partnership registration but it is optional whether they offer a ceremony to go with this. We can offer you a ceremony at a time and place of your choice. This may include an exchange of rings or other symbolic ways to celebrate your commitment to each other. It will not be a religious ceremony, but you may like to include spiritual elements.
The one I laugh and cry with,
The one I have learned from and shared with.
This one I have chosen to support,
Encourage and give myself to,
Through all the days given to us to share
Today I show you the one I love."
Our ceremony provides the symbolic aspect of your union. You will still need to make arrangements with the Register Office to fulfil legal requirements. The beauty of having a separate, personalised ceremony is that it can take place without time restraints and at a date and place to suit you and your guests. For example, we provided a ceremony at the Priesthouse Hotel, Castle Donington for a couple who signed the register in Nottingham.
" Our grateful thanks for making last Friday's Civil Partnership Celebrations such a very special day for us. The proceedings were brilliantly presented and fitting to the occasion, your attention to detail was very impressive and commented on by our guests afterwards. You took time to listen and understand, you made our Day and it showed."
Life-Ceremonies will help you to create the atmosphere you want and write a script to express whatever is most important to you. After the ceremony, you will receive a certificate in honour of the occasion and a copy of the ceremony script.
