In civil law throughout the United Kingdom and the British Crown dependencies,
there is no limit on how many times you can get married providing
you can prove that your previous marriage ended as a result of bereavement
or divorce. The legal requirements and procedures are the same for
second and subsequent civil marriages as for first-time civil marriages.
When you give notice of your marriage, you will have to provide the
registrar with documentary evidence that you previous marriage has
legally ended. For example, if you are divorced, you will have to
show your decree absolute certificate or if you are a widow or widower,
the death certificate of your former spouse.
The Church of England and Church in Wales used to forbid the marriage
of divorced persons in its churches, and many ministers will still
not entertain the idea. This is because of the nature and solemnity
of the vows exchanged during a wedding service (...'till death do
us part). However, ministers are allowed to use their discretion and
often do so if sympathetic, especially if the you are the innocent
party. You should, therefore, consult your minister for guidance.
If either of you are widowed, you will find that there will be no
problem with getting remarried in a church. Both the Church of England
and Church in Wales gives all british Citizens, with no former partner
still living, the right to get married in their or their partner's
parish church. However, if you are a widow, you might feel it is inappropriate
to get married again in formal white dress. If you are a first-time
bride marrying a widower, you may consider this to be perfectly in
order.
A priest will marry you if you are divorced and your previous marriage
was by civil ceremony (civil marriages of Roman Catholics are not
recognised by the Roman Catholic Church). You can also remarry in
a Roman Catholic church if your former partner is no longer living.
If your former partner is still alive and your previous marriage was
before a priest, the Church does not recognise the right of the State
to dissolve a marriage through divorce, and consequently, you will
not be able to remarry. If this is the case, you should both consult
your priest with regard to the possibility of petitioning the Roman
Catholic Church to have a previous marriage declared null and void.
There is a special marriage tribunal that is empowered to do this.
The dispensation of annulment will come from the Pope's office.
In some circumstances, however, the Church will not recognise a previous
religious ceremony thereby allowing you to remarry. For example, if
your marriage was conducted outside the Church's authority, that is,
in a church of another denomination.
In all cases, you both need to arrange to meet with your local priest
to discuss your situation.
If you are a Quaker considering a second marriage, you must put your
circumstances before the monthly meeting for the members to decide
whether you can be married again in front of the meeting. Without
the meeting's permission, your marriage cannot take place.
Free churches such as Methodist, Baptist and United Reformed, take
a more modern approach and will permit you to remarry in their church
even if you are the guilty party in a divorce. You should both approach
the minister of your choice, as the decision will rest with him. There
should be no problem getting married again in a nonconformist church
if either of you are widowed.
The remarriage of divorced people is generally allowed in the Church
of Scotland. However, your marriage can only take place at the discretion
of the minister concerned. You should not experience any problems
if either of you are widowed.
If you feel that permission to get married for a second time in your
church is going to be difficult to obtain, or even refused, you may
as an alternative opt for a civil ceremony followed by a service of
blessing (also known as a service of prayer and dedication) in your
church. Most ministers will agree to this as it provides a satisfactory
compromise for both the church and the couple.
At a service of blessing, the minister will usually give a brief address
and prayers are said to bless the marriage. The questions of what
to wear, the number of guests, flowers and music should be discussed
with the minister.
If you still have any unanswered questions about the legal requirements
of second marriages in the United Kingdom, please post your question on our Wedding
Forum
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