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Is three witnesses usual?

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Unknown

Unknown Report 9 Jul 2006 18:00

Legally you only need two, but Royal weddings often have a lot, and I believe it was traditional at Quaker weddings for the whole meeting to witness.

Judith

Judith Report 9 Jul 2006 14:06

My grandparents had three family witnesses in 1905 - I'm guessing they were father of the bride, best man and bridesmaid. An earlier marriage had 2 names unknown to me signed in the witness section of the entry with 2 family names slotted in after them. When I checked the register these two seemed to be witness at nearly everyone's wedding - looks like the vicar lined up his officials (perhaps churchwardens?) to be witnesses but my family decided to insist on having their own witnesses as well.

POSITIVE Pauline

POSITIVE Pauline Report 9 Jul 2006 12:02

When we got married we had 5 witnesses sign - both our fathers, best man and 2 bridesmaids (who were our respective sisters), and that was only (?) 30 years ago! PP

Tiger-Lily

Tiger-Lily Report 9 Jul 2006 11:40

Thanks jennifer X

Jennifer

Jennifer Report 9 Jul 2006 11:27

Two is the minimum required, but there can be more. I have marriages with three, four and six witnesses. Jennifer

Tiger-Lily

Tiger-Lily Report 9 Jul 2006 11:22

On my great grandparents certificate of marriage (1884) there is written:- ‘In the presence of Alfred William Robins, Eliza Javell, Mary Jane Robins’ Is or was it usual to have three witnesses to a wedding? TGx