Summary

  • Welcome to your front-row seat as 100 couples get married, form civil partnerships, and renew their vows in one central London venue

  • All of the 100 couples have now made their vows today

  • The nearly-weds have paid £100 to tie the knot at Old Marylebone Town Hall, which is celebrating its 100th birthday

  • Shona Mitchell and Kenny Price became one of the first to be hitched - so get out the confetti and celebrate every moment with them

Live Reporting

Edited by Emily McGarvey, with Thomas Mackintosh reporting from his own wedding

  1. First couples to get hitched - watch it live

    Matt Spivey
    Live reporter

    The doors have swung open and the first four weddings are due to take place momentarily in the Old Marylebone Town Hall.

    After making their vows the couples will leave via the iconic main steps outside the Old Marylebone Town Hall for a confetti photo opportunity.

    Oh, and you're invited: Follow it all by pressing watch live above.

  2. A final clean before the big moment begins

    A cleaner in a hi-vis jacket smiles outside Old Marylebone Town Hall

    There's less than 10 minutes to go until the first couples' ceremonies begin - and outside Old Marylebone Town Hall there's just time for a final clean of the iconic venue.

    A cleaner in a hi-vis jacket power washes outside the steps at the town hall

    Need to get those iconic steps looking their best!

    A reminder, you'll be able to watch live shortly - we'll be inside the venue and chatting to the couples on their happy day.

  3. 100 years of the Old Marylebone Town Hall - in brief

    Old Marylebone Town Hall, Westminster, LondonGetty Images

    As Old Marylebone Town Hall celebrates its centenary, let's take a brief look back at the venue's 100-year history.

    From conducting the nation’s first same-sex union, to the weddings of Beatles; the Old Marylebone Town Hall has been accustomed to hosting culturally important events.

    After a pause in construction due to the First World War, it was built and opened by George VI in 1920.

    Four years later it held its first wedding and since then more than 125,000 ceremonies have taken place.

    The venue re-opened in 2018 after an extensive four-year refurbishment and is known as one of the busiest wedding locations in the country, holding approximately 2,500 ceremonies a year.

    Today, though, might just be the busiest day in its history!

  4. Will it rain on the big day?

    There's an old wives' tale that rain on your wedding day is good luck, as it signifies the marriage will last.

    So what'll it be today? Sarah Keith Lucas has the forecast:

  5. The order of service: What can we expect from today?

    You've been invited to today's wedding extravaganza - so get out the confetti, grab your fanciest hat, and enjoy what's to come:

    • 100 ceremonies: In total, we'll have 100 weddings, civil partnerships and vow renewals between 08:00 and 22:30
    • Watch along: We'll be streaming some ceremonies live - press watch live above for a front-row seat
    • Kiss me quick: Between five and seven ceremonies will take place each hour, with each wedding lasting 15-20 minutes
    • Dog bow ties please: Couples are allowed to bring up to eight guests and a maximum of two pets

  6. 'I'm part of the organised chaos - it has a speed dating feel to it'

    Thomas Mackintosh
    Live reporter

    Thomas and Paige as Thomas is on one knee proposingThomas Mackintosh

    As it happens, I'm one of the couples getting married today – and as part of the coverage I've been speaking to many others doing the same.

    It's quite unique to share such an important day with so many other couples.

    And today certainly sounds like it's going to be chaos - but organised chaos: Seven couples an hour, starting from 08:00 and going well into the night.

    You get a time, do the legal bits and you leave a few minutes later. Then registrars repeat that pattern 99 times until all 100 couples have had their ceremonies. It has a speed dating feel to it!

    People of all ages, professions and backgrounds have been telling me how they met, how they proposed and why they have chosen to be part of this historic day.

    And I'll be sharing their stories throughout the day... up until I get married... and then I’ll be passing on the mantle as my wife will be fuming if I ended up working on my wedding day!

  7. 'I hadn’t even proposed when I booked the venue'

    Chris Jamieson-Green and Sam Jamieson surrounded by nature as Sam holds hand up to show off engagement ringSam Jamieson

    Chris proposed to Sam last year

    When staff at Old Marylebone Town Hall called Chris Jamieson-Green to offer him a space today, he hadn't even proposed to his girlfriend Sam Jamieson.

    “It wasn’t really on the cards and I thought that it would be nice one day,” Chris told me. “I thought 'there is never going to be an opportunity to afford to be there and to make a bit of history'.”

    Sam, 35, and Chris, 33, got engaged in November after he proposed on the Yorkshire Moors - where they'd had their first holiday together.

    “I proposed, she was getting excited and then I blurted out that I'd booked everything – and luckily she loved the idea."

    Speaking ahead of their ceremony at midday, Sam says: "I think it is going to be a day full of love and I like the idea of that. To have so many happy people being around – I am really looking forward to it."

  8. Watch: How do you prepare for 100 weddings in a day?

    "We're starting early," says registrar Alison Cathcart – ceremonies begin at 08:00 and run until 22:30.

    Watch the clip below to see how they'll do it - as well as her memories of Beatles star Paul McCartney's wedding:

    Old Marylebone Town Hall: Preparing for 100 weddings in one day

  9. 100 weddings in one day - can they do it? Take a pew and find out

    Thomas Mackintosh
    Live reporter

    Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell have confetti thrown over them as they leave the town hallReuters

    The venue has hosted many celebrity weddings, including Singer Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell in 2011

    One hundred couples are tying the knot, forming a civil partnership or renewing their vows today at one of England's most popular wedding venues.

    Old Marylebone Town Hall in central London is hosting back-to-back ceremonies to celebrate its 100th birthday.

    And you're invited: Soak up all the joy by pressing watch live above.

    Oh, and I did I mention I'll be one of the couples getting married?

    (Don't worry, in true Blue Peter fashion my editor has made me pre-write some of these posts before my big day.)

    Ready? Let's get started.