Weddings Hub data note
What does a register office wedding fee actually include?
The famous £62 figure is only one piece of the bill. Our official-page spot check shows why couples should ask for an itemised total.
Checked 3 September 2026. This is a five-source comparison, not a national average.
The quick answer
GOV.UK lists £62 for the registrar at a register office. Councils can also show notice, booking, room and certificate charges.
These labels are not consistent. Never add columns blindly; ask the ceremony office which charges apply to your exact booking.
Published fee menus compared
| Official source | Standard notice | Small ceremony line | Booking line | Certificate line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOV.UK national guidance | Check local office | £62 registrar | Check local office | Check local office |
| Birmingham City Council | £46.50 each | £62 statutory ceremony | Check chosen room | £12.50 |
| Barnsley Council | £46.50 each | £74.50 listed ceremony | £42 provisional fee | £12.50 |
| Manchester City Council | £46.50 each | £74.50 standard ceremony | £50 booking fee | Check package wording |
| Tower Hamlets Council | £46.50 each | £62 statutory room | £156 provisional fee | Check order type |
“Small ceremony line” means the lowest clearly named ceremony option we found. Availability, eligibility and required extras differ.
What the comparison tells us
The same statutory notice price appears across several council pages. The surrounding booking and ceremony charges vary much more.
A headline ceremony price can exclude notice or a booking fee. A more expensive line may include a room, ceremony choices or a certificate.
The useful question is not “Which council looks cheapest?” Ask, “What is our complete payable total for this date?”
Our method
- We used official government and council pages only.
- We recorded the wording and price visible on 3 September 2026.
- We kept components separate because local packages are not like-for-like.
- We did not create a national average from five examples.
- We linked every row so readers can check later changes.
See the wider Weddings Hub research method.