in England and Wales or you have not followed the correct procedure, then you will not be protected by the marriage laws. THE CEREMONY When planning your ceremony, you may well decide to include vows, whether traditional, religious or personal. Although, vows, and wedding rings are not legal requirements. What does need to happen after the ceremony is that both you and your new spouse need to sign the marriage certificate in the presence of two or more witnesses. Once you are legally married, you can request a copy of your marriage certificate, and this can be used for administrative purposes such as changing your name and validating your marriage status. You may have been pronounced as the newlyweds by an officiant, but if your marriage is not legally valid, and you live with your spouse, you will be classed as a cohabiting couple. Unfortunately, the law does not protect cohabiting couples in the same way it protects married couples. Assets, such as the family home, are not divided in the same way as they would be if the couple divorced. There is no automatic entitlement to financial, capital, spousal maintenance or pension claims. If you fear your marriage is not valid, you may wish to take steps to protect your assets such as preparing a cohabitation agreement or registering a declaration of trust with the Land Registry to protect your interest in any property you own. Meet the expert: Sophie Croft, associate at Stowe Family Law, stowefamilylaw.co.uk LEGAL ADVICE 55
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