The Ceremony Room for Civil Partnerships

The formalities, both before and during the formation of a civil partnership are straightforward. There are a number of points that you will need to know, especially those relating to legal requirements.

Civil Partnership Schedule

When the 28-day waiting period following your notice has expired we will print and issue your Civil Partnership Schedule at Torbay Register Office. This is the legal document needed in order for you to form the civil partnership which you will sign.

The Ceremony (if you would like one)

There is no legal requirement to have a ceremony to form a Civil Partnership. If, however you would like to have a ceremony please email us and we will send you a sample ceremony. If you would like to include any personalised vows or readings, please email us your request.

There is no need to be nervous or worried about the Ceremony if you decide to have one. It is quite simple. Don’t forget, we are there to help and guide you through all you say and do.

Registering your Civil Partnership

The Registrar will ask you to sign the Civil Partnership Schedule followed by your witnesses. You sign in the name by which you were known before the Ceremony.

Witnesses

You will need to ask two people who may be friends or relatives if they will witness your civil partnership formation. They should be over the age of sixteen and be able to understand that you are forming a civil partnership. There is no need for them to be worried about this. All they must do is sign the Civil Partnership Schedule.

Please also ensure that you have booked and paid for the correct number of guests prior to the day.

Arrival

Please arrive in good time for your appointment, ideally twenty minutes before. This helps us and any other couples who are attending on the same day.

If you arrive late your appointment will be delayed. We may need to reschedule your appointment to take place at a later time. This may inconvenience you and your guests. It could also spoil other arrangements you may have made for the day.

All guests must access Cockington Court through the Rose Garden at the rear of the building. The entrance to the ceremony room is accessed across the wooden bridge. You will see a bell on the wall. Please ring for the Registrar.

Please note the lanes approaching Cockington Court are very narrow. They are unsuitable for stretch limousines or similar vehicles.

When your party has arrived, the Registrar will see you in private to check the details on the Schedule. We will show your guests through to the Ceremony room to await your arrival.

We will ask you to give the details of your natural or adopted parents’ full names and occupations. We record this in the Schedule and on your Certificate.

We will add the details on the schedule to the electronic register. Your certificate can then be issued. We may ask you to wait for the registration to be completed and the certificate issued. If this is not possible, we will post your certificate to you as soon as possible.

Photographs and videos

Your guests are very welcome to bring cameras to record the occasion.

If you are having a ceremony and wish to video it, please let us know before we start. We can then direct the person filming to the most suitable position.

Music

There is a Bluetooth speaker which can be used with a smart device if you wish. We recommend downloading rather than streaming. You will need to ask one of your guests to press play and stop at the appropriate time. Please note no music with religious content may be played.

Flowers

The room is always decorated with silk flowers, so you don’t have to supply your own.

Confetti

Please no confetti in the Rose Garden under any circumstances.

The Gardens

The office has attractive gardens which make an ideal backdrop for your photographs. Please show consideration for other visitors by not blocking access to paths, gates or doors.

Getting to Cockington Court

From Cockington Village, turn up towards the Drum Inn and follow the lane to the right of the building. Please follow the brown signs for Cockington Court Craft Centre. There is a pay-and-display car park at the rear of Cockington Court for you and your guests to use.

The Register Office is on the first floor of the Court. From the car park go past the sea change craft studios towards the main building. Turn left into the Rode Garden and enter the first floor over the footbridge at the lower end of the garden.