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We understand arrangements can sometimes go awry, but it is important your ceremony starts at the agreed time. For this to happen, you and your guests are expected to be assembled a minimum of fifteen minutes before the ceremony start time.

The Registrars in attendance will need to conduct a legal interview with both of you, in private, prior to the ceremony. They also need to check your witnesses and any others involved in the ceremony fully understand what is required of them.

The Registrars will have other ceremonies to attend after your own, and these may be in different locations within the borough. If you are running late, you must make contact with us (if your ceremony is being held at Chelsea Old Town Hall) or with the Approved Venue you have chosen as soon as possible to let us know your whereabouts and how late you may be.

To treat all our customers fairly we will not disrupt the timing of a later service because of delays to an earlier one.

Please note we cannot guarantee your ceremony will proceed if you and or your guests are late. We will wait for fifteen minutes after the agreed start time, but after this we reserve the right to leave the premises. Given you are expected to arrive fifteen minutes prior to your ceremony this means the maximum we will wait is fifteen minutes after the agreed start time.

Please make sure all those attending your ceremony are aware of our policy as, if any of your guests are running late, the ceremony may have to start without them.