St Mary’s RC Cathedral

Marrying in the Cathedral

Church Requirements

The Diocesan Policy on Preparation for Marriage (1981) of the Archdiocese of Saint Andrews & Edinburgh requires that you give your parish priest at least six months notice of your intention to marry. He will ask you to fill out various forms and ask you for supporting documentation. He will also advise you as to the best means of marriage preparation available to you.

Once all the documentation is in order your priest should forward it on to this parish via the Diocesan Office at Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road, Edinburgh, EH9 1BB (Tel: 0131 623 8900). The Diocesan Office will in turn forward the papers to St Mary’s Cathedral.

Couples who consider the Cathedral as their parish and are intending to be married, are also asked to give at least 6 months notice and to complete an Enrolment for Marriage Preparation form (download in Word document format or Adobe PDF format ).

Civil Requirements

Under the terms of Scots Law, at least 4 to 6 weeks before the proposed marriage, each party must submit a completed Marriage Notice (Form M10) to the Registrar of the district in which the wedding is to take place. If the Registrar is satisfied that there are no legal impediments, he will issue a Marriage Schedule not more than seven days before the wedding: one of the parties must attend personally to receive it. This Schedule must be brought to the priest or deacon before the ceremony.

Immediately after the ceremony, the Marriage Schedule is to be signed by both parties, the witnesses and the celebrant. The parties are responsible for returning the Schedule to the issuing Registrar for registration within three days: failure to do this could lead to prosecution or a fine.

For full civil requirements and Forms M10 please write to or telephone:
Registrar’s Office
2/3 India Buildings
Victoria Street
Edinburgh
SCOTLAND
EH1 2EX
Tel: +44 (0)131-220 0349

Practical Information about Marrying in the Cathedral

Timings
Saturdays from 2:30 pm and before 4:00 pm
Mondays- Fridays from 2:00 pm

Music
Anything regarding music ie organ, piano, singing, please contact Emma Turnbull, the Cathedral Choir Director – +44 (0)7967199483 (mobile) or e-mail choir@stmaryscathedral.co.uk

Flowers
Carol White – +44 (0)131 6695098
If you are arranging your own flowers, please fix a suitable time with the Cathedral Staff for access.

Booking Reception in Hall Complex
David Nettleship, Hall Complex Manager – +44 (0)131 523 0102, e-mail parishcentre@stmaryscathedral.co.uk

Photography & Video
We have not objection to photographs or video being taken in the Cathedral so long as they are discreet & are not a distraction to the ceremony.

General Information
Confetti should not be thrown inside or outside the Cathedral.

Hotels
Edinburgh is rapidly becoming a popular destination for visitors all year round. If you are planning to hold a reception after your wedding, or if you require accommodation during your visit, you can arrange this by contacting:
Edinburgh and Scotland Information Centre
3 Princes Street
Edinburgh
SCOTLAND
EH2 2QP
Tel: +44 (0)131 557 1700 (General Enquiries)
Tel: +44 (0)131 473 3855 (Accommodation)
Fax: +44 (0)131 473 3881 (Accommodation)

Your Wedding Day

Although you may have initially made contact with a priest at St Mary’s Cathedral, due to the demands made on our priests we cannot guarantee that the same priest will conduct your wedding ceremony.
When you arrive in Edinburgh you should contact the Cathedral to arrange a rehearsal for your wedding. You should bring the Marriage Schedule with you to the rehearsal and relinquish it to the priest for safekeeping.
If you are unfamiliar with Edinburgh you may find it confusing to realise that there are two St Mary’s Cathedrals. Please ensure that you ask directions for the right church! This church is in Broughton Street at the East End of the city centre.
We are happy that you have chosen to marry in our church. You may wish to make a donation to the parish to help defray costs. We suggest a donation of £200 Sterling, however, we leave this decision to your discretion.

CATHEDRAL HOUSE
61 York Place, Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 3JD
Telephone: +44 (0)131 556 1798/0027
Fax: +44 (0)131 556 4281
E-mail: cathedralhouse@stmaryscathedral.co.uk