Organizing on-site registration: some useful tips

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Registering a marriage at the registry office is the most solemn, important and at the same time exciting moment of the entire wedding. During registration, newlyweds receive their first family document - a marriage certificate.

All videos from the registry office are compressed 40 times compared to the original for easy viewing. You can watch the wedding video in full quality during a personal meeting with the videographer.

Photos from the registry office can be viewed here.

Section “Everything for a wedding”.

Official and theatrical outdoor marriage registration ceremony

Official on-site marriage registration is the transfer of the event from the usual wedding palace to another place located on the territory of the historical and cultural sites of the city.
Since 2006, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, a wedding celebration can take place not only within the walls of the wedding palace, but also on the territory of cultural and historical sites. The list of these places where it is allowed to hold a wedding ceremony in a solemn atmosphere should be clarified with the employees of the registry office, each of whom supervises a specific site. Such registration is absolutely legal, valid, has legal force and does not differ from ordinary registration in anything except the location. Standard package of services that complement the official outdoor ceremony:

Marriage registration;
photo shoot or video filming;
musical accompaniment (live music);
excursion;
cost of official on-site registration – from 20,000 rubles.

Theatrical or unofficial off-site registration is similar to the official ceremony in that it takes place outside the walls of a government agency. Such registration in itself has no legal force and is just a beautiful statement.

To organize a staged outdoor ceremony, you need to submit documents to the wedding palace in advance and officially sign in a normal setting without guests or witnesses. It is important to obtain a marriage certificate. This document will subsequently be involved in setting up on-site registration.

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The main advantage is the ability to choose a place to your liking, bypassing the lists of cultural and historical monuments approved by law.

It could be an abandoned church, a forest clearing, a pier above the foaming sea waves, the roof of a skyscraper, or even a hang glider where lovers will exchange rings and vows of eternal love.

Theatrical registration can be carried out by anyone - a friend, acquaintance or a hired actor.

The registration itself can be entrusted to a holiday agency, leaving pre-holiday preparations and efforts on the shoulders of specialists. Or organize the ceremony yourself:

determine the venue and ensure its rental for the required time;
find an actor who will play the role of a receptionist, a priest or any other character;
write the vows that the newlyweds will exchange at the ceremony;
organize a buffet table, musical accompaniment, think over decorations, decor and accessories.

Preparation for the event

Place

The choice of venues for outdoor weddings is huge. In fact, absolutely any space outside the registry office will do.

The only exception will be the case when you seek official registration with the departure of a government agency employee. Then you will have to stop at those cultural sites that are offered by the registry office. If you are satisfied with staged registration, then the choice of location depends largely on your desires and finances.

Do you prefer unity with nature? Choose a picturesque corner of a park, square, a charming clearing in the forest or a place on the river bank;
Do you want to plunge into the atmosphere of the past? Ancient estates, palaces, museums are at your disposal;
Do you value comfort and convenience? Pay attention to the cozy terraces of the restaurants;
If you are lovers of the water element, then on-site registration is possible even on a boat;

The possibility of on-site registration at the site of your choice (in most cases) must be agreed upon with the administration .

If the territory is state-owned (city park, square, embankment, square), then you need to apply for permission from the administration of the city district in whose department this territory is located.
To coordinate on-site registration on the territory of historical and cultural sites, it will be necessary to conclude an agreement for the provision of paid services with their administration;
The most problem-free areas in terms of approval are the vast areas of forest parks located remotely from the city. No one here will require special permission to hold a wedding ceremony. The same is the case with country houses and terraces of restaurants and cafes.

Time

The main advantage of an outdoor ceremony is relative freedom in time , i.e.
You yourself plan the start time of the event, and if unforeseen circumstances arise, you can slightly shift the time frame. When is it better to hold a celebration: in the morning, afternoon or evening?

Morning. The final preparations for the holiday (decorations, arrangement of attributes), taking care of the appearance of the bride and groom will require a lot of time, so you should not schedule off-site registration for the morning, even if you are an early bird;
Day. Usually the hottest hours are between noon and before 14-15.00. Outdoor weddings are especially popular in the summer, so holding a celebration in scorching heat is not the best option. The optimal time to start is 15-16 hours. After registration, you will easily have time for a banquet in a restaurant or cafe;
Evening. You can arrange a holiday in the evening in a very romantic way. The beginning of twilight will be shaded by the soft light of miniature lanterns. If you decide to limit yourself to just an outdoor buffet, then the evening will be ideal. But if a restaurant is also planned, then the event risks being crumpled.

Attention! You may also need to visit the registry office on this day to sign documents and receive a marriage certificate. This must be taken into account when choosing a time for the ceremony.

Selecting a recorder and music

How to conduct a ceremony without problems? For this you will need a registrar. This could be a registry office employee, a wedding host, an actor, or one of your friends with artistic abilities.

What should you pay attention to when choosing such an important figure for your holiday?

Reviews from previous clients;
Portfolio with photo and video materials
Appearance
Communication skills, competent speech
Artistry
Resourcefulness, ability to control the situation.

musical accompaniment to help . You can order live music (saxophone, violin, harp) or use the services of a DJ who will select appropriate compositions. A DJ is a budget option and will organically complement the event.

Live music will cost more, but it sounds more impressive and evokes more vivid emotions among those present.

Accessories

An unusual wedding requires a set of certain accessories.

The main decoration of the holiday will be the arch, under the arch of which you will pronounce your vows to each other. Usually it is decorated with flowers and ribbons, draped with beautiful fabric or lace;
A carpet runs between the rows of chairs for guests and leads to the arch;
Chairs for visitors, decorated with fabric and flowers;
A gazebo will be very appropriate for an open-air celebration. You can hide in it from sudden bad weather and arrange tables for a buffet.

Buffet

It is also better to plan the preparation of the buffet in advance . You can organize it yourself or rely on the services of a catering company.

The buffet usually becomes the final part of the wedding ceremony, therefore, if everything is thought out correctly, then it is not so difficult to arrange it yourself. It is necessary to take care of the arrangement of tables for refreshments and food. What can you offer your guests? Wine or champagne, fruits, vegetables, for example, arranged in the form of canapés, light sandwiches. Remember that products should not be perishable. In nature, it is not always possible to connect to electricity and take a refrigerator with you;
A catering company can take care of preparing the buffet. That is, you simply order certain dishes and snacks, and they will be delivered at the right time and the tables will be beautifully set;
Many couples do not refuse a traditional banquet in a restaurant or cafe. It is advisable to choose a location for further celebrations close to the site where the registration itself is done. This way you will save time and effort for yourself and your guests. You should not schedule the banquet too late; it is preferable to go to a restaurant immediately after the formal part.

Oath

The culmination of the ceremony is the oath of the bride and groom , with which they seal their union. You should take care of the text of the oath in advance.

It can be chosen from the options offered by the registrar or agency, written on an individual order, or written by the newlyweds themselves. The text should be concise and express the sincere feelings of the young people.

Read more about how to write an oath here.

Preparing the script

You can try to develop a scenario for the event on your own, involving friends and family to help. But in this case, with all your troubles, you risk losing the spirit of celebration, the festive mood. Experienced presenters will present you with a script created just for you, taking into account all your wishes.

Pros and cons of on-site registration

Advantages of on-site registration:

Date of. You can choose any date and time that is convenient. A wedding can be held not only on any day, but also at any time of the day, for example, in the evening or even at night by candlelight.
Place. If this is a theatrical registration, you can choose the place that you like best.
Guests. Unlimited number of guests you can invite to your wedding.
Flexibility. If one of the guests is late, the ceremony can be delayed a little, which cannot be said about the traditional option at the registry office.
Scenario. Your own and unique wedding scenario, which you can develop yourself or with the help of the organizer.
Music and decor. The opportunity to choose the musical accompaniment and aesthetic design of the holiday to your liking and in accordance with individual ideas about the ideal wedding.

Disadvantages of an outdoor wedding ceremony:

Limited selection. The opportunity to carry out official on-site registration is not available in all cities, which must be clarified in advance with the registry office staff.
Coordination. Even if the newlyweds are able to organize an off-site official ceremony, the musical accompaniment, design, and time will need to be coordinated with other couples.
Price. A significant registration price, which includes the services of actors, renting a place for registration (castle, ancient estate, yacht), a trip to another city or even country.
Complex organization. Significant hassle is associated with organizing on-site registration (searching for and renting the required location, developing a script and distributing responsibilities, selecting actors).

How much does it cost to do a ceremony?

Prices for unusual marriage registration vary depending on the region of Russia and the wishes of the bride and groom.

Organizing independently will cost much less. If you rent the main accessories or make them yourself, and also involve friends, then you can easily spend 10-15 thousand rubles;
In addition to this, you can use the services of a presenter or actor, which cost from 5-10 thousand rubles and more, depending on the demand and competence of this person;
The price list for wedding agency services starts from 20-30 thousand (excluding decor) and ends in sky-high amounts;
Inviting a civil registry office employee in those regions where this is possible will cost about 5 thousand rubles.

Host of an unofficial outdoor ceremony: selecting a great registrar

The host at the outdoor ceremony will “marry” the newlyweds. He will be in plain sight, and guests will carefully watch all his actions and words. This is why it is so important to find a suitable candidate for the role of presenter. This could be an actor or a professional wedding celebrant who has the following qualities :

Communication skills. During the wedding, the host will have to communicate with the newlyweds and guests, so it is important to be able to win them over and interest them. Sullenness, stiffness, indecisiveness are traits that are unacceptable when working as a registrar or wedding officiant.
Literacy. The presenter must correctly express his thoughts, have good diction, an impressive vocabulary, avoid tongue-tiedness, the use of phraseological units and surzhik.
Ingenuity and intelligence. No matter how carefully a wedding is planned, something can go wrong. Even the most organized and thoughtful registration ceremony is not immune to unpredictable moments. To avoid excesses, the registrar must be smart, resourceful, and creative.
Presentable appearance. The appearance of the presenter must correspond to the festive event. Correctly selected clothes, shoes, hairstyle, well-groomed manicure are important points that together contribute to the overall impression of the registrar. No matter how expert the presenter is in his field, oil stains on clothes or hair somehow collected into a hairstyle will distract attention and spoil the impression.

When choosing a person who will “register” your marriage, you should ask about reviews from previous clients: have there been any difficulties, what is worth paying attention to. But even if the track record is not great, and the person made a good impression and satisfied the above requirements, then you can cooperate with him. Moreover, an actor, still little-known, can work with even greater dedication than a famous and well-known wedding host in the city.

Video operator errors

If you use all the tips in this article, your wedding video will be high-quality and exciting. But as often happens, theory alone is not enough; practice is necessary. Therefore, in addition to theoretical advice, we will consider the real practical mistakes of wedding operators:

The cameraman begins filming without knowing where to end it. This mistake is made at the very beginning of the filming process. If there is no clear structure and understanding of what the final part of the video should be, it will not be possible to finish it impromptu, without many years of experience.
The camera is constantly moving, there are no transitions . Even 10 years ago, this shooting was considered professional, since there was no modern arsenal of equipment and programs. Today, high-quality video should be 95% static.
The cameraman films everything, indiscriminately. It is important to remember that all episodes must be sequential. Don't shoot everything. Typically, 10 seconds of video is equal to one hour of real life.
Objects are photographed at the same angle, from one point . When photographing the bride’s jewelry and groom’s accessories, it is important not to shoot long, static scenes. Remember that for the 5 seconds of footage you will be using, 30-35 seconds of real time will be filmed.
Moving with the camera while shooting . This error can occur in both an experienced operator and a novice. A varifocal lens is provided just for such shooting.
After moving the camera, it returns to its previous position and in the opposite direction. For example, the operator moves the camera to the left and then returns it back to the right. Change your position, stop shooting, but never return the camera continuously.
When photographing a wedding car, the main emphasis is on decorations . Don't be afraid to capture the entire car, shoot correctly from the lowest point.
When filming dances, the cameraman often films in fragments . When editing the video begins, it turns out that there is not a single long episode. To avoid this situation, be sure to film a long dance sequence.
Some operators film the movement of young people in the registry office and restaurant from the top point. This is a common mistake. It is better to shoot the pair from the lowest point, thereby emphasizing the solemnity of the moment.
During shooting, only one eye is used, which watches the camera display. Professional camera operators are required to master the technique of shooting with both eyes, since one eye must be directed at the display, and the other at the shooting scene.
Passively film what others dictate . Only you must lead the process, do not listen to the advice of photographers and guests. Remember - you are a professional in your field!
Zoom abuse . Please note that moving the camera closer always creates shake in the frame. Therefore, it is important to understand where it is appropriate to use zoom.

Catering: we organize an outdoor banquet

In an old castle, in a garden, in a forest or on the seashore, there is no way to connect to the power grid to prepare treats on the spot.
If the ceremony does not take place in the form of a picnic with a fire or camp stove, then it will be difficult to arrange a banquet for the guests. But catering or an outdoor restaurant is the best option for an outdoor ceremony. This service is very convenient: professional chefs will prepare treats for guests, loaders will deliver as quickly as possible, and the bartender and waiters will skillfully serve to guests. An off-site restaurant allows the newlyweds themselves to forget about fussing with the kitchen and cooking, and leave all the necessary troubles to the catering agency.

Some tips on how to choose the right catering for a wedding in this video:

The most popular at a destination wedding ceremony is a buffet . The menu will be developed in accordance with the client's wishes for the choice of dishes and drinks. The dishes will be prepared in the kitchen of the agency's restaurant in order to be delivered to the place of registration as soon as possible.

The advantage of buffet service is the ability for guests to communicate while moving freely between tables with snacks and drinks.

How the ceremony goes step by step

We have looked at the main points of preparation, and now about how the ceremony itself takes place step by step.

Site preparation. Decoration of the site should not be done on the eve of the ceremony, since decorative components (flowers on the arch, balls) can be damaged by wind or bad weather. It is better to register your place an hour or two before registration starts. This can be done either by friends of the newlyweds or by employees of the wedding agency;
Guests are collected and instructed by the registrar. To seat guests, you can use special nameplates that can be easily attached to chairs;
The role of the registrar. The registrar at a destination wedding is the most important person after the newlyweds. At the preparation stage, he will help you figure out how the ceremony is carried out, help you write an oath speech, and on the day of registration, he will direct the course of the ceremony and “combine” you in marriage;
Recently, the function of bridesmaids and groomsmen has become more aesthetic. Smart, identically dressed young people look very impressive, and the dominant color of their clothes guarantees original photographs. Best men are also appointed according to tradition, but they can carry out individual instructions for the newlyweds, help with seating guests, organizing a buffet table;
The order of appearance of the groomsmen and bridesmaids. You can make the ceremony brighter by having young friends appear. First the groom's friends walk along the path, then the bridesmaids. They stop along the path, forming a living corridor of people closest to the newlyweds;
This is followed by the ceremonial exit of the young people and their procession to the arch;
The registrar's speech may include introducing the newlyweds to the guests, voicing the reason for the celebration, inviting the newlyweds to say vows prepared in advance and, of course, the most important question to the bride and groom (“Do you agree...?);
As soon as the “yes” is heard, the newlyweds seal their union with rings and/or sign the marriage certificate;
Registration usually ends with a buffet, during which pleasant music plays, and those present can congratulate the newly-made spouses. Newlyweds can also devote some time to a photo shoot.

What you need for off-site wedding registration: basic accessories

Alcove. The wedding ceremony will take place in the gazebo. You need to make it such a size that it can easily accommodate all the guests of the holiday. The supports can be made of wood, and the edges can be made of wire. The gazebo is draped with light fabric and decorated with flowers.
Arch. Young people stand under it while exchanging marriage vows. It can be decorated with fresh or artificial flowers, balloons, ribbons, draped with fabric and lace.
Track. It passes between the rows of chairs on which guests sit and leads to the arch. The path can be made in the form of a photo collage with images of the newlyweds and memorable moments in their lives. Or lay out the carpet in a color that will harmonize with the bride’s dress and the rest of the wedding decor.
Chairs for guests. This can be special furniture for special occasions or ordinary chairs, completely covered with beautiful fabric covers.

Limitations on the possibility of marriage

The ideal situation, when there are no obstacles to marriage, does not always occur. There are no obstacles for two persons wishing to officially become husband and wife if they:

are not persons of the same sex;
have reached the age of majority;
none of them is in a registered marriage;
are not close relatives;
capable.

According to the Family Code, close relatives are considered:

Children and parents. Adopted children have the same legal status as their own children.
Brothers and sisters. They can be full-born, i.e. by both parents, and step-parents, having only one common parent. If a woman and a man get married, each of whom has children, then they are not considered relatives.
Grandchildren in relation to their grandparents. This also applies to adopted children.

First and second cousins can easily marry because there is no blood relationship between them.

An important point is the age of the people applying for marriage. By law, he must reach the age of 18. But the law also allows for a smaller deviation under various life circumstances. For example, if a girl is pregnant, or if a child has already been born, then, while respecting the interests of the unborn child, it is possible to reduce the bride’s age to 16 years.

In order for the application to be accepted by the registry office, you must provide one more document in addition to the required documents - a marriage license. You can obtain it by contacting your local government authority. You need to come there not with a verbal request, but by providing a certificate from a medical institution about pregnancy or a birth certificate.

This official permission will be sufficient. The consent or disagreement of parents or guardians is not required. If you are pregnant, registration at the registry office can be done in a shorter time.

A situation that sometimes confuses people planning to get married is the lack of registration. Under current legislation, the lack of permanent registration is not an obstacle to marriage. In the application it is enough to indicate your place of permanent residence.

Filming in the registry office - questions and answers

I’ll say right away: in fact, everything is not so scary, they are just intimidating. If you already have an agreement with a professional cameraman who will film the entire wedding day, then there is no point in ordering another one from the registry office (as long as they fall behind). With the average cost of video filming a wedding registration being one and a half thousand rubles, a registry office employee receives this money for just ten minutes of work, and even then, in most cases, his video camera is on a tripod, and he just needs to press the “REC” button. And if the newlyweds turned their backs or left the frame, he doesn’t care - it’s their own fault.

A registry office operator or photographer will never change the shooting position in search of a better shot. He knows for sure that no matter how badly he does it, they will still buy the disc, because there is no other one. And to photograph twenty weddings a day - what creativity is that? A normal operator for one and a half thousand works for a whole hour, and he works, and not just like that.

Well, if, even when ordering a wedding ceremony, you are told that only a registry office operator can conduct video filming of the wedding registration, but yours cannot, ask on the basis of what law this prohibition exists. Usually, at the same time, they begin to weave all sorts of crap, like: “Your doesn’t know..., doesn’t know how..., will interfere...” and so on. A student cameraman from some holiday company really doesn’t know much, but a professional videographer who has filmed weddings is very familiar with all the nuances of registration.

He clearly knows what is possible and what is not, where and how best to stand to get the most favorable angle, at what moment and where to move when the registrar leaves the table to present the marriage registration certificate. Therefore, it is better not to argue with them, because during the registration itself, most likely, no one will even say a word about not letting your operator into the hall. The registry office employees are well aware that by such actions they are breaking the law, and what consequences this may have for them.

You need to clearly understand: the registry office is not a private shop, where “I do what I want,” it is a state organization, a municipal institution, and employees cannot impose their services. They are at work, and their task is to make everything as good and enjoyable as possible for you. The only thing you will have to pay for is the state registration fee. Everything else is optional. At your request. By the way, the registry office operator is most likely the husband or relative of one of the registry office workers, who was assigned there to a profitable position, and he gives part of his profit to the head of the registry office, which is why he is offered.

If we assume that during the wedding ceremony, the registry office employees will stand their ground and create obstacles for you, then it is better to film it all, ask for a written refusal to allow an “outsider” operator to register, and promise to go to court with a claim for ruining the holiday . This is convincing, unless the registry office employee is a complete idiot.