Disney Themed Wedding Invites

Planning a themed wedding is always a lot of fun, we have chosen to incorporate my favourite Disney film - Beauty and the Beast.

Read more for a sneak preview of our wedding invite menus/poems!

Giving Notice of Marriage

If you are having a civil marriage or civil partnership in England/Wales you will need to book an appointment for both you and your partner to 'give notice' of your intention to marry.

It is a similar thing to have your Banns read in church however slightly different and more involved.

This is what the General Registration Office says about Notice giving:

For most marriages or civil partnerships you must give at least 28 full days’ notice at your local register office. You need to include details of where you intend to get married or form a civil partnership. Your notice will be publicly displayed in the register office for 28 days.
You may also need to give notice here if you plan to marry or form a civil partnership abroad. Ask the overseas authority if you’ll need a ‘certificate of no impediment’.

You will need to take documents to your appointment and many of those are dependant upon your marital status and whether or not you have changed your name in the past.


Here is a list of what you will need:

• Passport (Must be valid and in date.)

                         or

• Your full birth certificate (if you were born after 1st Jan 1983 you will also need to provide your mother's birth certificate. If your biological parents were married at the time you were born you can bring your father's birth certificate instead.)

                       and

• Proof of address (You may use your drivers licence providing it has your correct address and is valid. Bank statements dated within 1 month, Utility Bills dated within 3 months or your most recent Council Tax Statement are also acceptable. 

• If you have been married previously and divorced you will need to take your Decree Absolute. 

• If you have been married and widowed you will need to take in a certified copy of your husband/wife's death certificate.

• If you have changed your name in the past either through marriage or by a change of name deed the Registrar will need to see evidence of this. If you were divorced and reverted back to using your maiden name after receiving your Decree Absolute the Registrar will need to see your marriage certificate. You will be able to obtain a copy of this from the registration district or church in which you were married.

If you are in any doubt about the documents to take with you to your appointment, you should always contact the Registration Office where you are giving notice for clarification.

For more information follow this link to visit the General Registration Office Website: 

General Registration Office

Hope this helps and makes things a little clearer for you.

Good luck!

I'm getting married!

Surprise!!

Thats what we said when I planned a massive 'proposal party' for my other half on leap day this year.

We are now neck deep in wedding planning and with just 3 months to go until we 'tie the knot' I am just so excited. And before you ask, yes its going to be a Disney themed wedding. Eeeek!

I am going to be updating this blog regularly letting you know what we've got planned down to the tiny details and highlighting any challenges we have faced.

I thought I would link my proposal video here for you to enjoy. Firstly, the video asking my fiancé to marry me and secondly, the reaction video.

Proposal Video

The Reaction Video 

(I was really ill on the proposal day so excuse my sick appearance.)

Let me know what you think in the comments below and let me know if you are planning a proposal or have been proposed to recently. I would love to hear from you!

Love Mel x

Look Book | Sultry Bridesmaid Styles

Sultry Bridesmaid Styles

I have picked a sample of bridesmaids dresses that I feel will suit any and every type of ceremony.

They range in price from £13 to £195, proving that you can get gorgeous bridesmaids dresses on a budget. These would not only suit a wide range of shapes and sizes but also could be worn by the mother of the bride/groom. Very trendy.

I would love to see pictures of your bridesmaids dresses, post them below in the comments section.

A Register Office Wedding | The Happily Ever After Chronicles

There are many venues around the country in which you can get married. 

Today I am going to tell you a little more about having a marriage ceremony in a Register Office.

In each registration district there is a Register Office. Usually these types of ceremonies are referred to as '2+2 ceremonies' and are reserved for the bride, groom and two witnesses. (Some councils will allow you to have any children that you and your partner have together in the room also.) These ceremonies usually cost about £50 and are simple, quicker ceremonies that are usually friendly, more informal and intimate.

If you are wanting to have more guests present at your ceremony, but not wanting a huge expense for your wedding day, many registration offices also have a 'Decommissioned Suite' which usually hold up to 50 guests. These ceremonies cost between £150 and £500. These are similar to having a ceremony in an approved venue, for example; you are able to have a photographer or videographer present for these ceremonies also.

Both of these ceremonies are 'civil ceremonies', although they may be smaller, this in no way lessens it's validity or importance as a marriage ceremony. You can arrive in full formal/bridal attire or you can choose to wear something more casual. You can have readings in your ceremony to make it more personal to you and even decide upon your own ring/token words.

It's your wedding day so it's completely up to you.

The prices above are not inclusive of the legal preliminaries that you and your partner will need to do. Giving notice is similar to 'reading the banns' at a church, it is done to get your marriage licence and these usually cost £35 per person.

If you have any questions about getting married in a Registration Office or are planning one for yourself I would love to hear from you.

I'm famous darling! Don't you know who I am?! :P

This year I was given the amazing opportunity to be in our county's marriage magazine.
I'm so excited to be able to share this with you.
Being a registrar wasn't a career that I was planning but I wouldn't change it for the world!

5 Steps to Hosting a Simple Engagement Party

An engagement party is the perfect excuse to get dressed up and see family and friends that you haven't seen for ages. They'll be wanting to congratulate you in person and it gives you an opportunity to introduce everybody before the 'big day'. Here are 5 steps to hosting the perfect party (with a few extra ideas thrown in for good measure.)

Your Engagement | The Happily Ever After Chronicles

So you're engaged?!
Congratulations!

Social norms and expectations can be a little daunting, especially if you are an anxious person like me, so I'm here to guide you through the whole process.