Why a Register Office wedding?

[pwllheli]

Anybody got an idea why someone (from a religious family) would choose to be married in a Register Office in 1872 (Penrhyndeudraeth actually)? // Unrhyw awgrymiadau? Diolch

[Gadget]

Were they non-conformist? 

[Jebber]

Another possibility is mixed religions.

[pwllheli]

The wife's family were "Scotch" Baptists.

[Gadget]

I have ancestors who were Methodists and had registry office marriages.  You could marry in a non-established church/chapel but a registrar had to be in attendance.

Add - There's a piece here

Marriages

Clergy of the established Church of England are registrars for marriage. In each parish church two identical registers of marriages are kept and when they are complete, one is sent to the superintendent registrar. In the meantime, every three months it is required that a return certified by a clergy person detailing the marriages that had taken place, or else that no marriages had taken place, in the preceding three months, be submitted directly to the superintendent registrar.

The Marriage Act 1836 also permitted marriages by licence to take place in approved churches, chapels and nonconformist meeting houses, other than those of the Church of England. Marriages were only legally binding if they were notified to the superintendent registrar by the officiating minister so in effect, this required the presence of a local registration officer as the authorising person. When a nonconformist minister or other religious official, such as a rabbi, performed the ceremony it was necessary for the local registrar or his assistant to be present so that the marriage was legal. This legislation was not repealed until 1898, after which date, nonconformist ministers and other religious leaders could take on the role of notifying official, if so appointed, and on the condition that their premises were licensed for the solemnising of marriage. The civil authorities, i.e. the local registrar, could also perform marriage by certificate in a register office. Changes in marriage laws since 1836 have also affected how marriages are registered, for example, civil partnerships for same-sex couples were introduced by the British Government in 2004 and the GRO records these ceremonies through its civil registration system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Register_Office_for_England_and_Wales#Marriages

I can't find the standard info about marriage regs at the moment.

Gadget

[rosie99]

Maybe if you tell us who you are looking at we can offer alternative suggestions

[nestagj]

Good morning
If they were non-conformist they would have a registry office wedding as their places of worship were not licensed for weddings; even today if you are wed at a chapel you have to have the registrar present.

I see that you have chosen Pwllheli as a user name - I live in the next town along ! Do you live there ?

I note you say that the wife was a Scottish Baptist - my mother's maternal side were all scottish baptist from the Merioneth area  I would be really interested to hear of your family line.   There seems a strong dna link with many families who are descended from the Scottish Baptists in this area. 
Nesta

[nestagj]

Oni yn meddwl well i fi ddweud na Cymraes dwi hefyd.
N

[Gadget]

Good morning
If they were non-conformist they would have a registry office wedding as their places of worship were not licensed for weddings; even today if you are wed at a chapel you have to have the registrar present.

See my previous post. Reply#4

This legislation was not repealed until 1898, after which date, nonconformist ministers and other religious leaders could take on the role of notifying official, if so appointed, and on the condition that their premises were licensed for the solemnising of marriage. The civil authorities, i.e. the local registrar, could also perform marriage by certificate in a register office