Couples in Hertfordshire may soon have to make a financial commitment before saying 'I do', as part of budget proposals being considered by the county council.

Currently those booking a registrar for a wedding or civil partnership do not have to pay a penny for the service until their big day. But last year around 500 couples made such a booking, only to cancel later.

As well as preventing others from booking that particular date, it incurs additional costs for the registrar service that are not always recovered.

So now Hertfordshire County Council, which operates the registration and citizenship service, has drawn up plans to charge couples for the ceremony at the time of booking.

The fee would be paid on the understanding that if they were to cancel, a deposit of £75 would be retained by the council – and, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands, that deposit would be returned only where there were exceptional mitigating circumstances for a cancellation.

The cost-cutting measure is included in draft budget proposals which were formally presented to the council's cabinet on Wednesday (January 14).

Meanwhile, there are also plans to extend the 'You & Two' marriage ceremony, which is attended by only the couple and two witnesses at a register office.

Currently, a civil ceremony at one of the county's register offices costs between £455 and £643 and, at an approved venue, between £558 and £708.

The 'You & Two' ceremony costs just £169. Until now, this cut-price option has not been available for civil partnerships. But there are plans to extend the offer to such couples.

A spokesperson for the council said: "Each year our registrars are proud to officiate hundreds of weddings and civil partnerships, seeing loving couples declare their commitment to each other.

"As part of our proposals for the new financial year, we are exploring the option to build upon the success of You & Two civil marriages, offering civil partnership couples an intimate, less expensive ceremony at our register offices to celebrate their union.

"In addition to expanding our offer to couples, we will be making a small change to the way in which weddings and civil partnerships are booked and paid for.

"From April, couples will be required to pay for their ceremony at the time of booking, and this will include the non-refundable fee which covers the costs we incur when undertaking preparations at the early stage of the process should the booking be cancelled."

According to the budget proposals, the introductions of the non-returnable deposit – described as a cancellation fee – and 'You & Two' civil partnerships, and deletion of a staff vacancy, is expected to save £67,000.

The draft budget proposals were backed by the council's cabinet. They will now be scrutinised in a series of meetings before being put to a meeting of the full council on February 17.