Getting married at a registry office

[ComeBackKid]

:wave:

Has anyone out there ever got married at a registry office?? DF and I are thinking about going to the Victorian Marriage Registry and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts/experiences.

TIA

[katybobady]

Dh and I did March this year and I can say I don't regret it for one second. We had been together for eight years and marriage was always on the cards, just not a priority (till I fell pregnant with DD) we had just bought our first house and had no savings to blow on a wedding so registry office was the go. I mainly wanted to get married before DD came along so we'd all have the same last name on her birth certificate etc.
We only had a couple of close friends cone along to witness and afterwards went for a lovely lunch at a nice restaurant.
I think at the end of the day a marriage is about the 2 people getting married, not all the other **** that comes along with weddings these days not to mention pleasing guests and family etc $$$

[ComeBackKid]

Hi thanks for your reply!

That is exactly what I think. It is about us and getting married - not throwinga massive party for everyone else and not enjoying it or even getting to spend time together!! Also money is a huuuuuge issue!! lol.

Can i ask how far you booked in advance? And did you get the date you want? What actually happened at the service? I read that you have 30 mins allocated - what actually happens? And what room were you in?

Thanks again... I am so clueless!!

[katybobady]

Well you have to by law sign the intention to marry 30 days before the date (I believe). We weren't to fussed on what date we wanted but I think we could have had it just about any day around the time we married (march) had it been valentines day etc would have been a different story. They gave us an option on what we wanted in the ceremony. (rings or no rings, make up own vows or the standard vows) etc. It was all over so quickly, the most time was spent signing the certificate 
We had it at the Brisbane registry office. It was ok, nicely furnished etc.
Watching shows like bridezilla and four weddings makes me remember why I chose to do the registry office in the first place. Weddings have become a fricken circus! And you're right, you don't even usually get to enjoy it yourself. You just get left with the hefty bill at the end of the day....

[KimInMellie]

Dh & I got married at the Vic registry office too, like Katy with just a couple of friends as witnesses and then a nice lunch after. Very low key, very low stress, very low cost! You can even hire their photographer if you want. You have the short or long service to choose from and can customize it a bit; can bring your own music on a CD or hire musicians if you like. Here's a link that should tell you everything you need to know: Victorian Marriage Registry (http://online.justice.vic.gov.au/CA2574F700805DE7/page/Marriages-Victorian+Marriage+Registry?OpenDocument&1=20-Marriages%7E&2=20-Victorian+Marriage+Registry%7E&3=%7E)

We got the day we wanted because we wanted a Wednesday. :) Obviously, the longer in advance you book the more likely you are to get the day you want, but they had plenty of non-weekend days available when we went in just 5 weeks before our wedding. I think the minimum, as Katy says, is 30 days in advance. We used the smallest room because it was just 6 of us including the registrar. It's a really lovely old building. :) Best wishes to you and your fiance!

[ComeBackKid]

Thanks for your reply!!!

[kazz84]

Ring around and ask- some celebrants are cheaper and provide more personal ceremonies than the registry office :)

[elleandsam]

We got married in the Brisbane registry office and then went out to lunch afterwards, is what great and just what I wanted. All up our wedding and honeymoon cost under $5,000 so we weren't in debt once we started our actual marriage.

[heeeeerekittykitty]

I did !! And LOVED it !!! Ceremony was really nice and special just my immediate immediate family . We dressed nicely but nothing over the top , came home had a massive party and BBQ with the whole family ( I have a massive family , dad alone has ten siblings!) .

I think you'll love it , i don't regret it , was an awesome day !!