Civil Partnership Legality
The Civil Partnership Signing and Ceremony
Knowing Your Options
On 5th December 2005 Civil Partnerships were introduced in the UK giving you as a same-sex couple the right to have your relationship legally recognised through a formal and legal procedure held by a Registrar.
The Civil Partnership Act gives you pretty much the same rights as opposite-sex couples and in the eyes of the law in the UK you are recognised as spouses.
The main differences to opposite-sex ceremonies are that you're restricted as to where the legal part of your union takes place, your union is still not legally recognised in some countries overseas, and legally your union is not called a marriage (though we could still 'spiritually' call it a marriage if that's the terminology you prefer us to use).
If your day is going to take a lot of planning I highly recommend the book Civil Partnership - A Guide to the Perfect Day by Gino and Mike Meriano (ISBN 978-1-84773-323-8 published by New Holland Publishers priced £6.99). (Central picture above left to right, Mike Meriano, myself Angie Alexandra, Gino Meriano and Paul Sandford fellow Interfaith Minister at the first Designer Civil Partnership Show in London March 2009). If you're planning a simple day I have a copy of the book we can refer to if needs be.
Gino and Mike had their Civil Partnership ceremony shortly after the new legislation came into being, and were one of the first couples to have a Civil Partnership in the UK.
From their own experiences of having a Civil Partnership Signing and Ceremony themselves, and being Wedding Planners for same-sex couples, they write with humour and clarity guiding you through every aspect of your ceremony and celebration.
Making your Civil Partnership Legal in Scotland
The formal requirements of a legal Civil Partnership Union in Scotland are very simple and are as follows.
- You must undergo a Civil Partnership Signing held by a Registrar (this can be separate from your Civil Partnership Ceremony).
- The Civil Partnership Signing part of your union must be held in a Registry Office or a Registered Premises by a Registrar.
- You must apply in advance to have a Civil Partnership Signing by filling in forms to give 'Notice of Intention', giving proof of ID and address, and paying fees to the Registrar at the Registry Office where your Signing will take place, or the Registrar at the Registry Office closest to the Registered Premises where your Civil Partnership Signing will take place.
- The Civil Partnership Signing must be witnessed by two people aged sixteen or over.
Gino and Mike Meriano advise considering the Civil Partnership Signing and Ceremony as two separate parts to your union.
If until now you've been thinking the only option available to you is to have both the Civil Partnership Signing and Ceremony conducted by a Registrar, here we clarify that you're only required to have the Registrar conduct the Civil Partnership Signing.
You can simply sign the Civil Partnership Register in the presence of the Registrar and your two witnesses - it's as quick and simple as that.
Then you're free to have your Civil Partnership Ceremony HOWever, and WHEREever you wish!