Confused on how to get married...

So this is probably a dumb question, but what is the proper order/timeline/cost for getting married in the UK?  I'm so confused on the whole process, but am trying to consider the overall costs involved...I'm currently in the UK as a student, and am considering either the Tier 1-Post Study Work Visa (I will have finished my program before this route closes in 2012) or a Spousal Visa (given the future abolition of CoA's).

From Nottingham's Council Website, I think I've gotten some of the gist of things, but I would greatly appreciate if someone can help me out/point out any errors/clarify some points.

1. Make Provisional Appointment. --I'm guessing this means to basically hire a venue for the wedding? The Council House has one room for £75, but are there any places to have a wedding that are free? Our short but sweet wedding would just be the two of us and our 2 witnesses.

2. Give Notice to Marry in person (£67.00/ or £33.50 each), including details of wedding location, and other legal mumbo-jumbo?

3. Wait at least 15 days.

4. Hold ceremony at previously booked place.

I also saw that there were fees for a) registration of the marriage, b) attendance of the registration officers, and c) the marriage certificate, but that these details wouldn't be fully spelled out until my provisional appointment.... I'm just wondering if anyone can give me a ballpark estimate of what the costs are for these items as well.

I also wanted to double check that I can actually get married whilst here on a Tier 4- Student Visa, and that I would be able to switch into a Spousal Visa afterwards. But if so, when would I switch into the Spouse category/file a Set(M)? Do I wait until my student visa runs out (Jan. 2012), or apply as soon as I meet all the requirements for the spousal visa?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Sounds right enough. I'm not familiar with the requirements in England, maybe someone else can weigh in? I do know that if you get married in an Anglican church you don't have to worry about the Certificate of Approval, though if you're planning to get married after 9 May it shouldn't be a problem either way.

Assuming you get married before your student visa runs out, you would apply for Further Leave to Remain-Married (FLR(M)).  You have to be married and apply for FLR(M) before your current visa runs out or you have to leave. The Spousal visa is for married people applying from another country, eg if you don't apply before your current visa runs out and you have to leave.

As for fees, I believe they're assessed county by county. Your best bet is probably to call and ask for a round estimate or ask friends/classmates/random strangers looking at wedding magazines.

I also saw that there were fees for a) registration of the marriage, b) attendance of the registration officers, and c) the marriage certificate, but that these details wouldn't be fully spelled out until my provisional appointment.... I'm just wondering if anyone can give me a ballpark estimate of what the costs are for these items as well.

Nationally it is £33.50 per person to give notice of marriage, £40.00 to get married in the basic room at the registrar office (In Norwich, it costs  £55.00 to reserve any room no matter the size, I can't see on the Nottingham site if they charge a similar fee), and £3.50 per marriage ceritificate on the day of the wedding (£9.00 each after). So for the absolute basic room it would be £110.50/£165.50 if the charge the booking fee. A lot of these fees are standard so I wouldn't be surprised if the booking fee is included.

Off the top of my head to get married in a C of E church the basic fee is £262.00, but that isn't with any add ons like an organist.

It really stinks, but in the England you have to pay every step of the way. If you get married in Scotland you can have humanist wedding practically anywhere you can get an officiant to marry you!

If you scroll all the way down you'll get the room rates (which include the registrar fee) in Nottingham: http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=13503.

Edited to include total cost and C of E fees.

Edited - I misread the info (Hey, I DID say I could be wrong  ) You definitely do need to check with your the UK Border Agency to understand if you can marry under your current Visa or if you need a Fiance Visa (or if one can be switched to the other).  From what I understand (I may be wrong here) even if you are here on a Work Visa -as in no longer a student - you might still not be able to marry under that Work Visa.  

However! I can help you out on the rest.

You are correct with the rest of the costs if you are getting married at the Registrar office (I got married in Nottinghamshire and had to go to Nottingham to give Notice).  The "fee" that you pay on the day of the wedding is about £45.  They joke that this is usually the groom's duty to pay  

However, if you decide to have the wedding elsewhere, there is more of a cost to get the clerks to the venue.  If it is just you and two witnesses (or even if its not), really do look at the Registrar Office to have the ceremony instead of a venue.  Some Registrar Offices are quite lovely (I liked ours) and I am almost positive you don't have to get married in  your own City's Registrar Office if you don't want to.  You can marry elsewhere in their RO, you would need to make the Provisional Appointment as well as Giving Notice at your appointed Immigration Registry Office.

You definitely do need to check with your the UK Border Agency to understand if you can marry under your current Visa or if you need a Fiance Visa (or if one can be switched to the other).  From what I understand (I may be wrong here) even if you are here on a Work Visa -as in no longer a student - you might still not be able to marry under that Work Visa.  

I'm afraid you are wrong.  Fiance visas are only necessary for people seeking leave to enter for the purpose of marriage then settlement.  People who are legally in the UK on another type of visa are free to marry and certainly don't need to ask UKBA for permission.

People who are legally in the UK on another type of visa are free to marry and certainly don't need to ask UKBA for permission.

Well, not after today we don't, but before today we did- that's what the CoA was for!

Well, not after today we don't, but before today we did- that's what the CoA was for!

Ha ha, I checked the date before posting!  Tho, technically that was for the Home Office .

Aha - this is what confused me until I re-read it a few times:

If you are already inside the UK
If you are currently in the UK with temporary permission to stay in a different immigration category (for example, as a student), you cannot switch into this category.

If you are already here in this category and you have got married or registered a civil partnership, you can switch into the category of husband, wife or civil partner.

So not only can you just go ahead and get married, you no longer need a CoA or other marriage clearance, or settled status in the UK.

However, anyone not already in the UK under a temporary Visa in a different category must get the appropriate entry clearance in order to come to the UK to get married/register civil partnership.

So not only can you just go ahead and get married, you no longer need a CoA or other marriage clearance, or settled status in the UK.

However, anyone not already in the UK under a temporary Visa in a different category must get the appropriate entry clearance in order to come to the UK to get married/register civil partnership.

You never needed settled status in the UK. 

The key is understanding the different types of visas as well as the difference between an entry clearance and a leave to remain.  Once you've got that down, the rest falls into place.

You never needed settled status in the UK. 

I'm just quoting the UK Border Agency Website on the three requirements no longer needed based on getting Rid of CoA.    If you didn't need it then I can't imagine why they'd add it as a change.

You're right, previously the only people who didn't need CoA were those already with ILR or with a marriage visa.