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Whether you want a religious wedding or a simple gathering, you'll find everything you need to plan the ceremony right here...

The legal bit

- You and your fiance must be at least 16 years old (in England and Wales, if either of you is under 18, your parents or guardian must give their permission).

- You can't be closely related.

- The marriage must take place in legal premises, such as a register office, religious venue or licensed venue.

- The marriage must take place in the presence of a registrar or an authorised person.

- The ceremony must take place between 8am and 6pm.

- Two witnesses must be present at both a civil and religious ceremony.

- You must both be free and eligible to marry (ie you can't already be married!)

Religious weddings: Church of England

- As the Church of England is the established church of Britain, if you live in the parish, you can marry in the parish church, even if one or both of you are members of another religion.

- If you live outside the parish of the church you wish to be married in, you need to be on the electoral roll.

- However, if neither of you lives near the church, you'll need to apply for a special licence (which costs approximately £125) and prove you've lived in the parish for at least 15 days. But remember - many ministers may be unwilling to marry a couple if it appears that they just want to get married in a 'pretty' church and haven't shown any intention of attending their services in the near future.

- The marriage can be authorised either by calling banns (notice of intent to marry) on three consecutive Sundays three months before the wedding, or by obtaining a common licence.

- Nearer the day, the minister will ask to see you again to go through the service and arrange a rehearsal.

- Church fees can vary between a donation and up to £500.

Roman Catholic

- Meet your priest at least six months before the wedding, and take your baptism and confirmation certificates.

- If one of you hasn't been baptised, the priest will need to give his permission to marry you.

- Your priest may ask that you both attend marriage preparation talks with him.

- It's also expected that you'll both attend Mass at the church for at least six weeks before the wedding.

- You'll also need to visit your local superintendent registrar to give notice and to obtain your licence to marry.

- Church fees vary between parishes.

Church of Scotland

- A church of Scotland ceremony can take place anywhere if your minister agrees and the venue has an address.

- You don't have to live in any specific address if you'd like to get married in a Church of Scotland church.

- Banns aren't necessary but 15 days' notice must be given at a register office.

Jewish weddings

- Jewish weddings fulfil both a religious and civil purpose, but you'll need two applications - one for your local register office, and one for the religious authority under which the ceremony will take place.

- Jewish weddings usually take place in a synagogue, but they can also be conducted at other venues.

- Weddings may take place on any day of the week apart from the Sabbath - sunset on Friday to sunset on Sunday.

Civil ceremony: Register office

A register office may seem the more simple option, but remember:

- You and your fiance must both give notice, in person, to your local superintendent registrar, who'll ask for proof of your age, name, marital status and nationality. They'll then issue you with a certificate of common notice.

- You must make a provisional booking with the register office as soon as possible for the day when you plan to get married.

- In England and Wales, you both need to have been resident in those countries for seven days before visiting the registrar.

- Weddings can be booked between no less than 17 days and no more than 12 months in advance.

- The minimum fee is £94 (that's £30 each to give notice, plus a further £34 to £47 for the registrar's fees).

- Brides can still wear a white dress and a veil. Music and readings can be included in the ceremony - as long as they're not in any way religious.

- Warning - many register offices close at noon on Saturdays.

Approved buildings

- For a list of approved buildings that have wedding licences in England and Wales, send a cheque/postal order for £5, made out to the Office for National Statistics, to: Marriages and Civil Partnerships Section, General Register Office, Trafalgar Road, Southport PR8 2HH. Alternatively, call 0151 471 4814 or visit www.statistics.gov.uk/registration/premises.

- Although there are plans to change the current regulations, couples can't yet legally marry in a private home, at sea or outside.

Weddings abroad

- Unless you have a good idea of how the wedding procedure works in the country you'd like to get married in, book through a reputable tour operator or 'destination wedding' organiser.

- Check with the embassy or consulate of your chosen destination that your wedding arrangements are in line with local laws and that they're valid in Britain.

- You may have to show your birth certificates (proving your ages), together with proof of residence and a certificate showing that there's no reason that both of you can't get married (for example, proof of a divorce).