Is a civil partnership better than a marriage?
So, you’ve decided to tie the knot – well congratulations! Making a lasting commitment to the person you love is a huge milestone on our journey through life. But did you know that you can make a legal commitment that doesn’t have to involve the tired tropes of being pronounced “husband and wife,” “husband and husband” or “wife and wife”?
What is a “civil partnership”?
Originally introduced in the UK in 2004 for same-sex couples and extended to all couples in 2019, a civil partnership has an almost identical legal status to marriage and all you have to do is rock up to a Register Office with a couple of friends or relatives and sign a form.
There’s a host of articles on the Internet that explain the differences between civil partnership and marriage, like this one here from Sterling Law. But basically, a civil partnership gives you the same legal protections as a marriage over things like property rights, inheritance and pension benefits.
Do we need to have a ceremony?
Absolutely not, if you’re a private couple that don’t want a public celebration of your union then a civil partnership can be arranged just by doing some paperwork. This means it’s also cheaper and easier to arrange than a marriage. You have to pay the same fees to the Registrar as when you get married (£56 at the time of writing), but because you only have to go to the Register Office to sign a form, rather than have a marriage ceremony, it’s usually easier to get an appointment at a time that suits you. For example, in Nottinghamshire right now (December 2025), simple statutory wedding ceremonies are only available at the Worksop Register Office on Wednesdays and have a months long waiting list. Whereas an appointment can be made to sign a civil partnership schedule at any of the County’s nine Register Offices on any weekday. You can see the details here.
If we do want a ceremony then what choices do we have?
If you’re an independent-minded couple that do want a public celebration of your union, then entering into a civil partnership beforehand gives you a lot more freedom as to how and when you celebrate. You aren’t restricted to specialist wedding venues and suppliers and can go anywhere you fancy, from your parent’s back garden, or your favourite pub, club or restaurant to a castle in Italy. The choice is yours!
Of course, choice can also be confusing and that’s where celebrants like me come in. If you want a public ceremony then I can help you create something that truly expresses your love and your values to the community of people that you care about. I really love working with couples who want to step outside the traditional idea of a marriage and can offer a host of ideas about what to call your ceremony and what to include in it.
Over the years I have helped adventurous couples create ceremonies in all kinds of spaces including: a secluded clearing in a public park; while walking through the centre of small southern Italian town; and wedding venues of all types and to suit all budgets from Peckam to Puglia.
Fancy a without obligation chat to talk about your options – then fill out my contact form, I’d love to hear from you!
