By Mairi Gillanders-Newberry | Founder, Glitz | Scotland’s Award-Winning Corporate Showband
Before the dress, the flowers, and the band, there’s paperwork. Scotland has its own legal requirements for marriage, and missing a deadline can mean postponing your wedding. Here’s everything you need to know, clearly explained.
Scotland’s marriage law is governed by the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977. It applies to every couple getting married in Scotland, regardless of whether you’re having a church ceremony, a civil ceremony at a register office, a celebrant-led ceremony in a castle, or a full wedding reception with a live band at one of Aberdeen’s finest venues.
The legal side is not complicated, but it has strict deadlines and specific requirements. Get it right and it runs seamlessly in the background. Miss a step and you risk your wedding date. This guide walks through everything clearly, with the relevant links and contacts for couples getting married in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Important: This guide provides general information only. Always confirm requirements directly with your local registrar. For Aberdeen City weddings contact Aberdeen Register Office. For Aberdeenshire venues (Ardoe House, Gordon Castle) contact Aberdeenshire Council Registrars.
The M10 is the official Marriage Notice form for Scotland. Both people getting married must each complete and submit their own M10 form. You cannot submit a joint form. This is a legal requirement under the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977, and failure to submit it correctly can result in your marriage being postponed or prevented.
The M10 must be submitted no later than 29 days before your wedding date, but do not leave it this late. The recommended window is 10 to 12 weeks before the ceremony. If you are subject to immigration control, allow at least three months.
Do not submit your M10 more than three months before your wedding date. Registrars will not accept forms submitted too far in advance.
The M10 must be sent to the registrar for the local authority district where the wedding will take place, not your home registrar, and not the National Records of Scotland directly.
Download the official M10 form: National Records of Scotland
All documents must be originals. Certified photocopies are not accepted in most cases. Confirm with your registrar before submitting.
Aberdeen Register Office is based at Marischal College, Broad Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1AB. The office operates on an appointment-only basis. Book by phone or email before visiting.
For weddings at Aberdeenshire venues, including Ardoe House Hotel and Gordon Castle, submit your M10 to Aberdeenshire Council Registrars, not Aberdeen City.
Not every venue in Scotland is automatically approved to host a legal wedding ceremony. If you are having a civil ceremony conducted by a registrar, the venue must hold approved premises status granted by the local council. If you are having a religious or celebrant-led ceremony, your officiant must be legally registered.
For a civil ceremony at a venue other than a register office, the venue must hold approved premises status. All the major Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire wedding venues on the Glitz roster, including The Marcliffe, Ardoe House Hotel, Gordon Castle and The Chester Hotel, are experienced wedding venues and will confirm their approved status. Always ask the venue directly before booking.
Scotland legally recognises Humanist ceremonies, one of the few countries in the world to do so. Your officiant must be registered with the National Records of Scotland to conduct a legally valid ceremony.
Check your celebrant is registered: NRS Scotland, Approved Celebrants
Booking a celebrant who is not registered with NRS Scotland means your ceremony will not be legally valid. Always verify registration before confirming.
Once the registrar is satisfied your M10 forms and documents are in order, they will prepare the Marriage Schedule, the legal document that makes your marriage official.
If a registrar is conducting your ceremony, they will bring the Marriage Schedule and handle its return. You do not need to collect or return it yourself.
Tip: Assign a trusted person, your wedding coordinator, best man, or maid of honour, to be responsible for collecting and returning the Marriage Schedule. Missing the 3-day return deadline creates legal complications.
Tick each item off as it is completed.
Getting the legal requirements right is the foundation. But the evening your guests will talk about for years is built on what happens once the formalities are done, when the dancefloor opens and the band starts playing.
Glitz has been Aberdeen’s most trusted wedding band for fourteen years. The band began as an all-female wedding band and has performed at every major wedding venue in the north-east, including The Marcliffe, Ardoe House Hotel, Gordon Castle, The Chester Hotel, and many more. That experience means Glitz understands the rhythm of a wedding evening: the transition from dinner to dancing, the first dance, the moment the room finally lets go.
Glitz is a nine-piece showband. Keys, guitar, brass, and powerful vocals, delivering a full live sound that fills any room. From intimate hotel ballrooms to grand estate marquees, the band scales to the venue and delivers every time.
If you’re planning a wedding in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire and want to talk about entertainment, get in touch. Glitz books up well in advance for peak wedding season, so the earlier you enquire, the better.
Glitz | Scotland’s Award-Winning Wedding & Corporate Showband
Based in Aberdeen. Available across Scotland including Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Five national industry awards. Fourteen years of wedding and corporate event excellence.
For enquiries about live entertainment for your wedding, get in touch with the Glitz team.
This article is for general guidance only. Always confirm legal requirements with your local registrar.
