Civil Ceremony for your Wedding
I realise there is a bit of confusion over how the whole civil ceremony works so I am going to try and clarify this for you couples out there.
You don’t want a religious ceremony but you want to marry or have a civil partnership. In the eyes of the law, you must have a civil ceremony officiated at by a Registrar.
Where can you have a civil ceremony in the UK?
The Registry office
A licensed civil ceremony venue (like Tall John’s weddings)
On the beach – well only if you can be in a permanent building with a solid roof (Scotland is a bit more lenient about this)
At Sea – again only if the ship is fixed in place permanently – although you can get married on a cruise ship if the captain is licensed to perform weddings
Where can’t you have a civil ceremony in the UK?
On any forms of transport like trains or buses
in a church
In a garden or field (unless it is licensed by a wedding venue like Tall John’s)
In a hospital
The criteria for a civil ceremony or partnership venue is that it must be a permanent structure with a permanent roof and electricity available and it must be licensed by the local authority.
Some couples hold an intimate legal ceremony with the Registrar and then go to the beach, the fields etc for a service of their choice afterwards.
You need to book your Registrar quickly to make sure that the venue and the Registrar are both available. Apply to the local register office at least 28 days before the wedding date and you need a raft of documents – birth certificate, passport, a driving licence or utility bill.
Once you have registered you can get married within 12 months of that date.
So this is important if you are postponing your wedding because of the coronavirus – please check.
The Registrar will charge you (as would a church).
Most venues (like Tall John’s) will also charge you to hold a civil ceremony on their premises. They have to licence the premises;provide a suitable space; the area must be separated in some way; provide chairs for guests and a table for the Registrar and have a designated person in attendance. Quite a responsibility!
