Timing
How long does a prenup take?
Three to six weeks is typical, and the agreement should be signed at least 28 days before the wedding. Here is the timeline, what slows it down, and what to do if the date is closer than that.
In short: allow three to six weeks from first instruction to signing for a straightforward prenup, longer if there are business interests, foreign assets or a lot of negotiation. Sign at least 28 days before the wedding — the period the Law Commission proposed for a qualifying nuptial agreement — and ideally start the process two to three months out. Agreements signed in the final days before a wedding are the ones courts are most likely to question.
A realistic timeline
| Stage | Typical time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| First call and fixed-fee quote | Day 1 | You describe the situation; we quote and send an engagement letter and a disclosure form. |
| Instructions and disclosure | Week 1 | Each of you completes a proportionate disclosure schedule. This is the stage couples most often stall on. |
| First draft and advice | Week 2 | We draft and take you through it. Your partner instructs their own solicitor. |
| Partner's advice and amendments | Weeks 2–4 | The other adviser reviews; drafts are exchanged until both parties are content. |
| Signing | Week 3–6 | Signed as a deed and witnessed; notarised if needed for use abroad. |
| Wedding | ≥ 28 days later | The gap between signing and wedding is itself evidence that the agreement was freely made. |
Why 28 days?
There is no statutory minimum in England & Wales today. The 28-day figure comes from the Law Commission's 2014 recommendations for qualifying nuptial agreements, and it reflects what courts already look for: that neither party signed under the pressure of an imminent wedding, deposits paid and guests invited. In Radmacher the agreement was signed four months before the wedding; agreements signed within days of the ceremony have been given reduced weight.
What slows a prenup down
- Disclosure. Gathering valuations for property, pensions and business interests. Start this before you instruct anyone.
- The other party's adviser. If your partner has not chosen a solicitor, choose one early. We can suggest firms who work on a fixed fee and to a timetable.
- Family involvement. Where parents are contributing money or the agreement protects family wealth, they sometimes want a say. Agree who is instructing whom at the outset.
- Foreign elements. Advice from a lawyer in the other country, translations, notarisation and apostille all add days. See international couples.
The wedding is in three weeks. What now?
Call us today. Two options are usually open:
- A fast-track prenup, if both of you already have your finances in order and your partner can get advice quickly. We will be candid about the risk: an agreement signed close to the wedding can still be upheld, but it carries less weight.
- A postnuptial agreement signed after the wedding, on exactly the same terms, without the time pressure. Courts treat postnups in the same way as prenups, and there is no suggestion of duress from an approaching ceremony. For many couples this is the better answer. Prenup vs postnup.
Questions people ask
Frequently asked questions
Can a prenup be done in a week?
Does the prenup expire?
Can we change the prenup after we are married?
Call us and tell us what you need
Tell us when the wedding is, where you both live, and roughly what you each own. We will tell you what the agreement needs to cover and quote one fixed fee — before you commit to anything.
Call 020 7499 2605Prefer email? ey@notarypubliclondon.co.uk