WeddingGuideUK.com - Newly Licensed Venues

Licensed Venues

Introduction
This article covers civil marriages at licensed venues in England and Wales only. Marriages solemnized at licensed venues, or approved premises as they are officially known, are civil ceremonies. No religious content whatsoever is allowed during the ceremony.

Since April 1995, the Marriage Act of 1994 has permitted civil marriages to take place somewhere other than a register office. Attractive and romantic venues such as castles, stately and country homes can be licensed to allow civil marriage ceremonies to take place on their premises. As at March 2000, there were over 3,000 approved premises throughout England and Wales. Understandably, the number of approved venues is growing rapidly due to their attractiveness as compared to register offices.

There are many restrictions on approved premises. For example, licences will not be granted to: private residences or buildings (as free public access must always be guaranteed); open spaces such as parks and sports fields; where there is a licensed bar in the marriage room (even if a shutter or folding door can be closed); mobile premises like ships, boats or aircraft (unless permanently fixed or moored).
The building must not have any religious connections, both past and present, and it must be deemed 'fit and suitable' and not 'degenerate the solemn institution of marriage'. The designated marriage room in the building may not be used for any other purpose during the ceremony and no hymns or religious readings and music is permitted.

Please note, contrary to what you may occasionally read in the press,it is not possible to get married by civil ceremony outdoor anywhere in the United Kingdom. Visit the General Register Office website for a list of addresses and telephone numbers of approved premises. Alternatively, you can obtain the list by sending a cheque or postal order, made payable to 'Office for National Statistics' to:

Local Services,
General Register Office,
PO Box 56,
Southport,
PR8 2GL,
United Kingdom.

You can also order the list by telephone using your credit card for payment. The telephone number 0151-471 4817.

To search for approved premises in your area, use Confetti's venues database search.

The Legal Requirements
The legal requirements for getting married at an approved premise are the same as for civil marriages in England and Wales but with the added requirement of having to arrange for a superintendent registrar and a registrar's attendance to conduct and record the service. However, your ceremony can be more romantic and leisurely than in a register office and it can be as formal or casual as you wish. With the permission of the attending registrar, it is possible to enhance the standard civil ceremony by having your own choice of non-religious music poetry and prose readings and for your ceremony to be photographed or videoed. It is also possible to have your own choice of vows and promises that have a special meaning to both of you, although these will be in addition to the statuatory declaratory and contracting wordsthat are required to be said by both of you for your marriage to be legal.

The Advantages Of Using An Approved Premise
Approved premises offer much greater flexibility with the time and day you can get married. Although it has always been possible for civil marriages to be conducted between the hours of 8am and 6pm seven days a week, the register office's opening hours are the limiting factor (usually all day Monday to Friday and Saturday morning). Approved premises, however, will generally be available for the full period of time allowed thus enabling you to get married on a Saturday afternoon, a Sunday or Public and Bank holidays (subject to a superintendent registrar agreeing to be present to conduct your ceremony).

A further advantage is that your ceremony and reception can all be held in one place. You therefore do away with the hastle of first going to a register office, which can seem a bit like a cattle market, and then everyone having to move on to the reception venue (hoping no one gets lost or breaks down en route!). Also, most register offices can only accommodate between 20 to 40 people whereas approved premises can usually take between 50 and 200 people for both your ceremony and reception. So all your family and friends can witness your marriage and then celebrate with you.

Marriages at approved premises give you tremendous scope to theme your wedding day, particularly if you both share an interest or hobby or always dreamed of getting married in a past era. Why not consider a Regency style wedding to suit a Georgian venue? You could even get married at a castle or palace and dress as a prince and princess or have a TV or movie theme such as Pride and Prejudice.

The possibilities are endless with a creative mind and such a variety of venues around the country. There are many costume hire companies throughout the UK that will supply you (and your guests!) with the look to suit your venue or theme.

A Typical Wedding Timetable
Most approved premises allow you exclusive use, that is, no one else will be using the venue on your day. Consequently, you are free to plan the day as you wish, starting as early or as late as you please. A typical timetable for a wedding at an approved premise might be something like this:

1:30pm	Wedding ceremony.
2:30pm	Photographs.
3:30pm	Reception drinks.
4:15pm	Wedding breakfast, speeches and cake cutting.
7:00pm	Interlude (for drinks at the bar and/or a stroll around the venue grounds).
7:30pm	Evening guests arrive and received by bride and groom.
8:00pm	Evening celebrations begin.
10:00pm	Break for evening buffet.
1.00am	Evening ends.

The Costs
The cost of hiring a marriage room for your ceremony at approved premises varies greatly. Generally, you should expect to pay between £500-1,500. Some venues will allow just the ceremony to take place, others will only allow the ceremony to take place if you book your reception with them also. Many venues that allow just the ceremony to take place will waive the cost if you book your reception with them. Typically, reception costs are £15-40 per person. In addition to the venue costs, you will also have to pay the statutory civil marriage fees and a local authority set fee for a superintendent registrar and a registrar to conduct your ceremony, which will be between £100-150 depending upon which day of the week your ceremony takes place.

How To Proceed
If you wish to get married at an approved premise, you should firstly contact the venue and make a provisional booking. You should then contact the register office in the registration district in which the venue is situated and arrange for a superintendent registrar and a registrar to attend. Most venues will assist you with this task. Once a registrar has been booked, you can then confirm your booking at the venue. It is most important when you book a superintendent registrar to agree a date when you can call in to discuss your arrangements for your ceremony, for example, to have approved the music you propose playing, any poems or readings you indend having and to ensure your wedding clothing is suitable for the solemnity of the occasion.

Further Information
For further information about the legal requirements of civil marriages at approved premises in England and Wales, please telephone the Marriages Section of the Registrar General for England and Wales on 0151 471 4814. Alternatively, you can write to them at:

If you would like the assistance of a wedding co-ordinator with arranging your wedding at an approved premise in England or Wales, please visit our wedding organisers category in our products and services section.

If you have any unanswered questions about the getting married at an approved premise
in England and Wales, please post your question on our Wedding Forum.

Advertising Information | Privacy Policy | Testimonials | About Us
Add WeddingGuideUK.com to your favourites