Bree asks:

Some of my parties have completed their NOIMs ready for our meeting and for me to witness. I have noticed as I have gone to log them into BDM that there are certain things I am concerned about as follows:

– Use of blue pen for signatures
– Using ‘JAN’ and ‘FEB’ in birthdates instead of ’01’ and ’02’
– The selection boxes that we normally mark X are not in one of the printed NOIMs, so they have circled the word instead e.g. Groom / Bride / Partner

And then one error of my own, COMPLETELY the wrong date under my witness signature – just the first number. Can I cross out and write the correct number above, or will this not be accepted?

There are two questions in one here.

The first is about stylistic issues in completing the NOIM, and I’m very happy to assure you all that literally none of the things mentioned here matter: it doesn’t matter if blue pen is used for signatures (I complete all my NOIMs in blue); it doesn’t matter if the birth month is spelt out rather than a number; and it doesn’t matter if the description of the party is circled because the tick boxes haven’t printed out  (my tick boxes only print about 50% of the time, so I’m often circling; I have no idea why this happens). So those are all good.

In terms of a mistake in a number on the date of a signature, it should just be corrected in the same manner as any other error on the NOIM: by crossing it out, writing in the correct information, and initialling it (these corrections can only be made BEFORE the marriage is solemnised). See p43 of the Guidelines on the Marriage Act 1961 for Authorised Celebrants 2018. Â