Civil Celebrant of Marriages
Considering to get married in Hong Kong? Are you looking for an English-speaking/bilingual Civil Celebrant ?
You have come to the right place.
Here are some basic information you may be interested.
Monogamy Marriage is practiced in Hong Kong. Every unmarried male and female, each aged 16 years old or above and not prohibited by close-blood relationship, can voluntarily marry in Hong Kong without restriction on their nationalities and races.
With effect since April 2006, The Hong Kong Government has permitted celebration of marriages to be conducted through a Civil Celebrant of Marriages who are qualified solicitors (or barrister-at-law or notary public) with 7 years or more post-qualification experience and who have undertaken special course arranged by the Immigration Department.
Civil Celebrant in Hong Kong, once qualified, will be granted with a Certificate issued by the Immigration Department of Hong Kong to practice as a Civil Celebrant of Marriages for a 5 year period per term.
Try viewing some of our video footages and pictures below to see how Mr. Tse can give you (& your family members/honourable guests) a memorable yet enjoyable wedding experience.
How to Prepare for Your Wedding ?
If you are planning to get married in Hong Kong and have fixed a date for your wedding, you should contact a Civil Celebrant of Marriages well in advance. Please also ensure that a written agreement is reached between you as intending couple and the Civil Celebration of Marriages, specifying the fees and terms of engagement of services.
Before the wedding, you would be invited to attend our office for a briefing session as to the wedding procedures/rundown, vows and other preparations. Intended-couples are required to bring along their Hong Kong Identity Cards, Passports and valid working visas.
We as Civil Celebrant of Marriages would prepare all the paper work for you including a Notice of Intended Marriage to be signed by you, usually within 1-3 months before the intended wedding date. If you wish to get married on urgent basis or as early as possible, we shall assist you but bear in mind that the Marriage Registry requires at least 15 clear days to exhibit the Notice. This means you could get married in about 18 calendar days after you visit our office to sign the papers.
Notice of Intended Marriage may be submitted by couples outside Hong Kong by their own or through a Civil Celebrant in Hong Kong. Such Notice will usually have to be signed before Notary Public or before Chinese consulate officer abroad.
Upon collection of a Certificate of the Registrar from the Marriage Registry, the Civil Celebrant will prepare the draft Marriage Certificate for your approval. The soon-to-be couple will on their Wedding Day signed on both the original and duplicate Marriage Certificate, which will be counter-signed by 2 witnesses over the age of 18 years (1 witness to be nominated by the Groom and the other witness to be nominated by the Bride).
Hong Kong does not require prior proof or production of a "Certificate of No Marriage" but the couple will have to sign Statutory Declarations as to their respective marital status. Therefore, marriage to be contracted between a Hong Kong resident and a Chinese mainlander; or between 2 Chinese mainlanders, may take place in Hong Kong more conveniently.
Who will be Your Civil Celebrant of Marriage?
Our Civil Celebrant Mr. Raymond TSE has been appointed as Civil Celebration of Marriages since August 2006. Backed by his extensive experience as a master of ceremony in many large meetings/functions at reputable and popular venues, he has ample experiences of conducting Civil Celebration of Marriages in either English, Cantonese, Mandarin/Putonghua or bilingual languages in a wide variety of venues and hotels in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories and Lantau Island.
Mr. TSE have already conducted more than 590 civil weddings at over 233 different wedding venues using English, French, Western & US wedding styles for couples from different backgrounds, cultures and nationalities all over the world.
As a highly experienced Civil Celebrant, Mr. TSE will give you many useful hints and enlightening guidelines on the timetable and run-down of the wedding ceremony, as well as on the choice of wedding vows. We aim to give you an enjoyable & memorable experience for your wedding.
Extra Notes
Brides and Grooms (as well as their family members & relatives) are usually concerned whether a Civil Celebrant would be able to master the smooth and pleasurable rundown of the ceremony, so that all distinguished guests and relatives can focus their attention to the wedding ceremony in a solemn yet enjoyable atmosphere.
It is interesting to witness some couples carrying out special rituals such as sand-mixing, candle-lighting, ribbon-binding, rice-throwing and tea ceremonies.
If you have made up your mind or have some queries, you are welcomed to contact us.
Media, Newspapers & Articles
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) set out some of Mr. Tse's tips on civil weddings in their article "At Your Service - Practice makes wedding vows perfect" on 16th September 2010.
Localiiz Online Magazine put up an article "A Quick Gide to Getting Married in Hong Kong" on 10th October 2016 with interview of Mr. Tse.
How to find a Good Civil Celebrant in Hong Kong? Check the following link
CONTACT
Raymond T. L. Tse & Co. Solicitors
Our Address:
Unit A, 10/F, World Trust Tower,
50 Stanley Street, Central, HONG KONG
Email: info@rtlaw.com.hk
Tel: (852) 2521 2711
Office Opening Hours:
Monday-Friday 9:30AM-1:00PM, 2:00PM-5:30PM
Saturday 9:30AM-1:00PM
Closed on Sundays & Public Holidays