Giving Notice - what questions

Me again.  I'm just wondering if there is any advise out there about giving notice. Jamie and I are doing it on Wednesday and I'm very nervous. Some friends of his just gave theirs and even though they're both English they got a lot of questions - spouse's parents names and occupations, each others birthdates and whatnot. Nothing really tough, but I have to say that Jamie is not the most observant person nor does he have much of a memory. He doesn't even remember his sibling's birthdays let alone mine. And his parents both passed away some 10+ years ago and he's still very touchy about it so doesn't talk about them.... I guess I'm just curious what questions people have had put to them so we can be totally prepared. Did any of you take along extra documentation besides what they require? Think it's a good idea to bring pictures, letters, etc?

Hi Anne

We did this about a year ago - don't worry it is quite informal but the stuff they ask you goes on your marriage certificate so if you get something wrong it just goes on the certificate like that. The info they ask for are your name, date of birth, address, occupation, your ifance's name & DOB & address, the nthey ask you each for your father's name and occupation, ie you don't have to know your fiance's parents names etc  You don't need to take anything extra but it might pay for Jamie to swot up on your name & date of birth because registrars are supposed to look out for bogus immigration marriages and the one we saw got a bit snotty when I corrected Stu's wording of my job title! That might be just the area where we are though (north/central London) - they go through it all again on your wedding day as well - we got married in Swansea and the registrar there was so much nicer!

We did it! Yay! And Liz you were SO right - it was no big deal at all!!!! I feel silly for even being nervous about it now! 

The registrar interviewed me first (though they gave us a choice as to who went first) and just like you said, the only thing they asked me about Jamie was his age and occupation - not his parents names, not his date of birth - nothing! I had heard a couple of stories that made me think it was going to be MUCH more intense so I'm SO glad that your story was the one that came true! They asked Jamie even less.

So now we're on the road toward being married - even my little curmudgeon fiance had a big grin on his face when we left! 

Oh yay!  I'm glad it went smoothly.  I get all worked up about stuff like that too so I'm glad it was easy and painless.     And he's not a curmudgeon!  Heh.  He's more... um...

That's great! I'm glad it went so smoothly (I am going to be nervous too when the time comes...so I'm glad all you're going before me!) When is the date?

that's great Anne, glad it all went smoothly, now on with the wedding!

When is the date?

Well, the wedding was meant to be 2 October, but family and finance issues got the better of us and we gave up that date and we're going to run away together for a romantic w/e in Bath sometime at the beginning of September. We're going to set a date this weekend - Jamie's at Goodwood today with his brothers so I don't expect he'll be able to form coherent sentences until sometime tomorrow night. 

We're giving notice tomorrow in Milton Keynes - anyone doing so recently want to comment?  Have the things they ask you changed or is it just basic stuff like listed above?

Basic stuff from my recollection (over a year ago)...one thing that tripped me up was they asked me how long Steve had lived here (in the town/council where we do now) -- well heck I couldn't remember how many years he'd lived here exactly (if I ever knew?).  I just looked at him & he told me...LOL -- then I told the lady.

Good luck & congrats!

From my experience, I don't know how much they actually care. When we were asked the usual questions for our wedding license, I told the very uptight and unhumorous woman that my father's occupation was "clown". She looked at me for a split-second then duly wrote it in. It's a larf!!

Don't sweat it, you'll be fine! 

...the very uptight and unhumorous woman...

Must be a southern England thing...    Everyone up here in the council office, the registrar at the wedding, her assistant, etc -- EVERYONE -- was super friendly & sweet as pie.

'S good oop north!

Must be a southern England thing...    Everyone up here in the council office, the registrar at the wedding, her assistant, etc -- EVERYONE -- was super friendly & sweet as pie.

'S good oop north!

Aye, dook!