MORE than 600 potential newlyweds have been given special dispensation to postpone their nuptials until 2021.

Couples are required by law to give notice of a marriage in the area where they live, in order to secure a register office ceremony or a marriage at approved premises or a non-Confirmist church.

This means a notice, costing £35, has to be obtained from local authorities, such as Bury, for the privilege, lasting 12 months.

But at the start of the lockdown, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that all marriage and civil partnerships were to be suspended until further notice.

Now it has been confirmed that anyone who has already obtained their notice is being given an amnesty until the following year.

In Bury alone, this applies to 613 couples, to date, though this figure could rise as the year progresses.

Register office ceremonies in Bury have been suspended until later this year - but some Greater Manchester authorities have delayed marriages until a least September.

A council official, confirming the decision, said: "Bury Register Office have rearranged ceremonies to take place within the Borough of Bury for later this year 2020 and also in to next year 2021.

"But unfortunately this will mean that there will be notices that were given, which will expire before the marriages take place and therefore new notices will have to be given to allow the postponed ceremonies to take place.

"In addition to the ceremonies within the Borough of Bury couples have also given their notices for ceremonies outside the Borough of Bury and they have also had to rearrange new dates with that particular register office, which will also require new notices to be given for the new date.

"Some councils have cancelled ceremonies till the end of September 2020 forcing couples to rearrange to next year.

"All affected couples have completed the legal preliminaries and have also paid the statutory fee to the council previously."

The council says the decision has been taken after consultation with the other Greater Manchester authorities, resulting in the fee being waived for new notices in the circumstances.

Because the fees will already have been paid, say town hall officials, there should be no financial loss to the councils concerned.

A number of other local authorities across the UK are understood to have adopted similar provisions.