ARGYLL and Bute Council is taking no new bookings for weddings until the end of June due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Advice given on the authority’s website also states that a number of options are open to couples who have to postpone their big day during the current crisis.

Anybody who rearranges their wedding within three months of its original date will not incur any further charges.

If the day has to be postponed to a further away date then they will have to re-submit their fee of £30 per person.

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A statement published by the council said: “We understand this is an extremely worrying time for anyone who has a wedding booked over the coming months whether with the Argyll and Bute registrars or another celebrant.

“We are taking guidance from the UK and Scottish Government and as you will all be aware this is an ongoing situation.

“We will do our best to keep you all updated on any changes that are brought in that affect marriages or other ceremonies over the coming weeks.

“Please be assured that the Argyll and Bute registration team will go out of our way to ensure that your ceremony goes ahead wherever possible.

“If you have booked your wedding with Argyll and Bute registrars then we will certainly try to accommodate a new date for you, working with yourself and your venue or other suppliers to get a date that suits.

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“If your wedding is being conducted by another celebrant then you should check with them what their procedure is for postponement.

“Your marriage notices are valid for three calendar months from the date they are signed so if you are looking to delay the wedding until a date within this period, then they will not need to be re-submitted and the fee you have paid will stand.

“If the new date is out with this period of validity then you will have to re-submit your marriage notices and pay the statutory fee for these (£30 per person) again.

“If you have not yet submitted your paperwork then the date can be changed to any future date and the paperwork should be submitted within the normal three-month timescale.”

However, it also advises that any couples who have had their overseas wedding cancelled cannot book with the council for over three months.

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It said: “We are sorry to hear that so many couples have lost their overseas weddings in recent weeks. Due to the ongoing situation, we have made the decision not to take any new bookings for weddings to be conducted until the end of June.

The statement added: “If your wedding is booked with us then the fees you have paid can be transferred to another date, other than the statutory marriage notice fees which will have to be paid again if the new date of marriage is out with the three-month validity period of your marriage papers.

"If the new date is subject to any annual increases then these will have to be met.

“If your wedding is to be conducted by another celebrant the marriage notice fees you have paid to us can be transferred to another date within the three-month validity period.

“However, if the new date of marriage is out with this then you will have to re-submit the papers and pay this statutory fee again.

“If you are looking to cancel your wedding then the statutory marriage notice fees are non-refundable however any other fees paid to us can be refunded.

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“If you have your ceremony booked with us and have submitted your marriage notices then the location of your marriage can be changed to anywhere within our council area which could be another venue or any other suitable place, as long as you have the permission of the landowner and public liability insurance to cover the event.

“If you are looking to change your booking to another council area then we can return your paperwork and statutory fees to you and you can submit it to the relevant office.

"However, the 29-day notice period will start again before you are legally free to be married.

“If you have not yet submitted your marriage notices then you can choose to submit them to another council area but will lose any deposit you have made to us.

“This information also applies to weddings which are to be conducted by another celebrant.”

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