Civil Partnerships

Home > Services > Community and Living > Life Events > Civil partnerships

Civil Partnerships

The information shown below is designed to help you plan your civil partnership registration or ceremony. Contact details for registrars are provided in the related content area on the right hand side of this page.

Booking

• Civil partnership registrations or ceremonies may take place Monday to Sunday.
• You can book up to one year in advance, and you must pay a non-refundable booking fee.
• For civil partnership registrations or ceremonies planned within three calendar months, we must receive all relevant documents and fees when you make the booking.
• Civil partnership registrations or ceremonies may now be conducted at approved venues of your choice (outwith registration offices) upon application. A list of approved venues in Renfrewshire is available in the related content area on the right hand side of this page.

Witnesses

• By law you only need two witnesses
• Witnesses must be 16 years of age or older

Ceremony

• If a civil partner wants to be escorted into the marriage suite, you should tell the registrar at least one day before the ceremony. The registrar will then give advice when the couple and guests should arrive.
• If a civil partner does not want to be escorted into the marriage suite, the couple and the witnesses should arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled time and the guests should arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled time.
• In either circumstances the person carrying out your civil partnership ceremony will be available to direct the couple to the appropriate waiting area.

Video cameras and photographs

• You can, if you want, have your civil partnership ceremony video recorded (you will be issued with guidelines regarding photographs and video use).
• You should tell the registrar before the ceremony.
• After the ceremony you can have photographs taken within the marriage suite.
• You must arrange the video and photographer yourself.

Car parking

• There is a car park at the back of the Johnstone registration office but there are no car parking facilities at the Renfrew registration office. Parking is freely available at the weekend at the Paisley registration office but visitor spaces are currently limited due to car park reconstruction work at Renfrewshire House. Please discuss any requirements with the local Registration staff. only available at weekends at the Paisley Registration Office.

Accommodation

• Paisley Town Hall - (Alexander Wilson Suite or Loggia Suite) - Please contact the Paisley registration office for information.
• Paisley Registration Office - A new purpose built suite has been been developed at Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley and is adjacent to the Customer Service Centre. The suite seats 64 (including the civil partnership party)
• Johnstone Registration Office - The entrance to the suite is through the front side entrance. The suite seats 48 (including the civil partnership party)
• Renfrew Registration Office - The entrance to the suite is through the front entrance. The marriage suite seats 12 (including the civil partnership party). If you expect more guests (maximum 50), you can ask to book the committee room in the Town Hall.
• Please note, all our premises are smoke free.
• Approved venues - There are a number of Renfrewshire hotels which already have approved status for the conduct of civil partnership ceremonies or registrations. You can see a list of approved venues in Renfrewshire by using the link on the right hand side of this page. Alternatively, you can apply to have the venue of your choice approved specially for the occasion. Contact the council's licensing section on 0141 840 3498 to discuss the application process.
• We provide music and silk flowers at all registration offices. If you wish your own music you should discuss this with the registrar before the day of your civil partnership ceremony or registration. You can arrange to see each marriage suite and at this stage you can receive further details about the ceremony or registration.
  Disabled Facilities
• Paisley Town Hall, Paisley, Johnstone and Renfrew registration offices have disabled access and toilets. If disabled guests are coming to the ceremony or registration you should tell the registrar beforehand so that seating arrangements can be made.
  

back to top