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Published: 02/16/2018
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When planning a wedding celebration, the question often arises: is the presence of witnesses necessary or can you do without them? The legislator gives an unequivocal answer to this.
- Are witnesses needed?
- What is the role of witnesses?
Marriage registration is the recognition by the state of the union of a man and a woman, registered with the civil registry office by recording the corresponding civil status record. On this basis, a certificate of marriage is subsequently issued. Registration of marriage relations is regulated by Art. 11 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation.
What is needed to register a marriage at the registry office?
The basic legal conditions for registering a marriage are prescribed in the Family Code of the Russian Federation and in the Federal Law “On Acts of Civil Status” dated November 15, 1997 No. 143-FZ.
The mutual desire of the bride and groom is necessary: it is impossible to cement a relationship against the will of at least one of them. The second fundamental point is reaching marriageable age. Those entering into marriage must be at least 18 years of age. In exceptional cases, marriage of young people under this age is possible.
Future newlyweds submit an application for marriage to the registry office. They can choose any department, regardless of their place of residence.
If desired, an application may be submitted:
- through the public services portal, in electronic form;
- through the multifunctional center.
The future spouses fill out and sign one joint application for two, each of them fills out their part and personally signs it.
The following must be attached to the application:
- passports;
- a certificate of divorce from a previous marriage, for those remarrying, if the application is submitted to the registry office where the divorce was filed, then the certificate is not provided;
- marriage license for minors;
- a receipt for payment of the state fee, which as of June 2020 is 350 rubles, and when paying through the public services portal it will cost 245 rubles, taking into account a 30% discount;
- a bride or groom with foreign citizenship provides a certificate from the embassy (consulate) stating that they are not married.
It happens that it is impossible for the two of you to come to the registry office, then two separate forms are filled out. Those who cannot appear fill out their document in advance, confirming the signature with a notary. The second spouse fills out an application at the registry office and at the same time transfers there the document of his “half”.
The union is sealed no earlier than one month after the application is submitted. With the permission of the head of the registry office, during the pregnancy of the bride or at the birth of a child, registration can be carried out on the day the application is submitted.
Both spouses must be present at the wedding. Most newlyweds want to spend this day in a festive atmosphere, so a solemn marriage ceremony is held for them with special beauty.
If you have thought through a non-standard holiday scenario, you can agree to organize an outdoor wedding ritual, but the basis for this must be a good reason.
The state fee is not refunded, and the application is canceled if the “young” refused to sign and did not come to the registry office at the appointed time.
Wedding without toastmaster
The role of the toastmaster at a wedding is determined not only by the fact that he must entertain the guests, but also establish relaxed communication between relatives. After all, it is the wedding that brings together relatives who rarely see each other. In addition, guests who either don’t know each other well or don’t know each other gather here. It is the toastmaster who can establish this external contact.
But modern youth are increasingly striving for unification, and they are satisfied with the scale of a small wedding, where there is no place for the toastmaster. But even in this case, the celebration can be organized cheerfully and in such a way that it will be remembered forever.
To organize such a wedding well, you need to do the following:
- find a presenter among your friends who has a sociable character, a healthy sense of humor and some artistic abilities;
- the presenter needs to select a team of 2-3 people, one of whom will take on the role of a DJ;
- you should draw up a plan for the event itself, which includes registration at the registry office, photography and video filming, dancing, toasting, and competitions.
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It is very important to time everything so that all stages of the wedding celebration can be accommodated within reasonable limits. Because while time lasts forever for guests, the newlyweds want to be alone as quickly as possible.
What is an obstacle to marriage according to the law?
Marriage legislation is designed to protect respectable citizens from all kinds of swindlers and swindlers; in addition, it is aimed at ensuring the ethical standards traditionally established in our state and at preserving the health of the nation. For this purpose, a number of restrictions have been identified that do not allow formalizing family relationships.
Marriage registration will be refused if the bride or groom:
- are already married to another person, this prohibition applies even if one of the intended spouses is a foreigner and, according to the laws of his country, polygamous relationships are allowed;
- are close relatives “by blood”, this includes: brothers and sisters, including steps, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren;
- are an adoptive parent and an adopted child;
- have a mental illness and have been declared incompetent by the court.
The young age of the couple in love can also become an obstacle. But this taboo can be circumvented. Young people who decide to get married before the age of 18 receive consent to marriage from local authorities.
There is no exhaustive list of circumstances that allow obtaining permission, but the determining factor may be:
- pregnancy of the bride (confirmed by a medical certificate);
- birth of a child to minors;
- threat to the life of one of the future spouses.
The procedure for obtaining permission in different regions of our country may differ, as it is regulated by laws at the subject level.
For example, in the Moscow region there is the Law of the Moscow Region “On the procedure and conditions for marriage in the Moscow region of persons under the age of sixteen” No. 61/2008-OZ dated April 30, 2008. According to this document, an application for permission to marry is submitted by minors and their parents to the Governor of the region.
In cases where the parents’ opinions on the possibility of early marriage between minor children do not coincide, they should contact the guardianship authorities to resolve the issue.
Signs for a wedding
You should not pay serious attention to the signs that have developed among people about weddings, but still this is some centuries-old experience that is worth taking into account.
- Wedding rings are worn by young people; no one needs to try them on.
- It is necessary to give the bride some kind of family heirloom before marriage.
- During the celebration, the newlyweds must dance - this will symbolize their long union.
- It is a good custom to meet parents at the doorstep with bread and salt.
- Let there be guests at the wedding whom the newlyweds do not know. This is a sure sign of their well-being; according to the Gospel parable, everyone is called to the wedding.
- After the wedding, it is worth giving good gifts to the poor, who will always remember for the health of the newlyweds.
You should not take some signs of external life, which are called omens, as a guide to life. But some of them are worth listening to and taking into account.
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Are witnesses needed when registering a marriage in Russia?
Wedding traditions are passed down from generation to generation. Among them there is one that is often perceived as an indispensable condition for any marriage, but in fact it is not. Many will be surprised, but the participation of witnesses in the registration of marriage has become such a tradition. Once upon a time, it was a vital necessity; witnesses vouched for the bride and groom, and in the event of loss of church registers, they became eyewitnesses and could confirm that the marital union was indeed concluded.
Now it has become irrelevant. The current legislation does not require marriage registration with the participation of witnesses, and the registration books no longer include columns for their signatures.
Whether or not to appoint witnesses at a wedding is now decided only by the future spouses, and their role in the ceremony has become a symbolic tribute to tradition. According to it, the witness and witness are the first assistants of the newlyweds.
They help organize the festive event, actively participate in the bride price, look after the rings and make sure that the celebration is a success.
Popular signs advise choosing unmarried friends as witnesses. It is believed that married or divorced assistants will bring misfortune to the young family.
Life experience recommends taking as witnesses energetic, positive and cheerful people who joyfully perceive their mission. And of course, we should not forget about the ribbons of honor that distinguish the witnesses from other guests.
Is it possible at the registry office...
The recently fashionable on-site registration of marriages is legal only in one case: if the ceremony is performed by authorized representatives of the registry office. In Moscow, such registrations are officially permitted, but in St. Petersburg they are not. To arrange an on-site registration here, you must first formalize the relationship in one of the city registry offices, going through the usual, non-celebratory registration, and only then plan a celebration for any convenient day: such a ceremony will be only symbolic in nature.
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Is it necessary to have witnesses present when registering a marriage in a civil registry office?
A wedding is a significant, unique event.
In Soviet times, the Code on Marriage and Family directly stated that marriages were held in a solemn atmosphere. Mendelssohn's march, witnesses with ribbons, photographs, many guests, bouquets of flowers and inspiring speeches were indispensable attributes of the wedding.
Nowadays, the bride and groom can refuse all this and formalize their relationship modestly, without a pompous ceremony. And of course, no one can force them to invite witnesses to the registry office.
When submitting an application for a non-celebratory wedding ceremony, it is necessary to clarify the possibility of witnesses being present at it.
