Genealogy Forum UK

Posted: **Sat Jan 08, 2011 12:43 pm**

Hi there,
not sure if anyone would know this but worth asking.
I have an ancestor that was married in July 1901 but the ceremony was carried out in the Register Office and not a church.
is this usual for 1901? Or is it likely that it was a bit of a rush ceremony?
Any comments or answers greatly appreciated.

Sue

Posted: **Sat Jan 08, 2011 12:50 pm**

I've got both,
Church weddings for couples who have kids very soon afterwards, and civil weddings where there doesn't seem any reason to hurry! One of my church weddings took place about seven years after the birth of the first child - by that time they had three kids and on the birth certificates I have, she's using his name as though they were already married. They had the kids christened about three months before their wedding - I wonder if the vicar bullied them into that! :wink:

I don't know if there was a difference in the cost of a civil versus church wedding, that might affect peoples choice. I suppose divorced people might have had a problem getting married in church - not all vicars will marry divorced people today.