5 Top Tips for Newly Engaged Couples

Other than celebrating your engagement, there are few steps that a newly engaged couple may start to consider. Pavinder Khela provides a checklist on the steps to take after getting engaged. 

Marriage Ceremonies 

You will need to decide whether you are having a religious ceremony, a civil marriage ceremony or a civil partnership. If you would like a religious ceremony, you will need to talk to the church or other places of worship in which you would like to get married, to enquire as to any formalities they may have. Once this has been decided, you will need to register your intention to marry at your local Register Office at least 28 full days preceding the day of your wedding and your notice will be publicly displayed for this time (28 days). You have one year thereafter to get married or register your civil partnership. When you attend at the Register Office to give your notice, you will need to take proof of your name, age and nationality. If you have been divorced before, you will need to take your Final Order (formerly) Decree Absolute. 

Change of Name 

You may wish to change your name to take on your spouse’s surname for various reasons. If you wish to do this, there are many ways you can do this. If you have previously changed your name, you will need to take your Change of Name Deed. There may be a fee for each of you to pay to register your notice. 

Pre-nuptial Agreements 

A pre-nuptial agreement sets out the ownership of two partners' assets and how these will be divided in the event of the breakdown of a marriage. A properly drafted pre-nuptial agreement can help define how the court decides how assets will be divided when a relationship breaks down. Talk to our family law department about protecting your interests before you embark on marriage or civil partnership. 

Finances and Property 

If you choose not to have a prenuptial agreement then all your assets such as property and finances will merge with your spouse's assets to a certain extent including any outstanding debt and tax. In the event of a divorce, you would have to come to an agreement on how these assets will be managed. 

Wills and Marriage

After marriage, you may consider creating a joint Will or individuals Wills now that the majority of your finances and assets will be combined.  If you have an existing will prior to your marriage, this will be revoked unless it was made in during the marriage. Therefore you and your spouse will need to create new wills.