Civil Venues

If you have chosen to have a non religious civil wedding, then you have lots and lots of choice when deciding on your civil venue. There are only two stipulations which the venue must have for you have your legally binding civil ceremony. The first is that it is not a place of religious worship, and the second is that it is an approved civil venue, licensed to hold weddings under the marriage act. Other than these factors the world is your oyster, so find somewhere that is special and unique to you and best sums up your marriage!

1. A register office- this is the most simple and low cost option. If you want a really 'low-key' wedding then this is your best option. It is best to check out the civil venue location first as it can be governmental offices which are quite stark and heartless.
2. A licensed venue- this is a venue which has been approved, and hence licensed as a civil wedding venue. There are now thousands of licensed venues in England and Wales, so it is up to you to find somewhere that suits you and your style of wedding. These venues essentially do the same thing as the registry office but in a nice location. It also gives the option of a complete wedding venue allowing you to carry out the civil ceremony and reception at the same location.
3. An unusual licensed venue- there are lots of less stereotypical civil venues in England and Wales to choose from, for examples golf clubs, garden centres, museums and zoos. These provide alternative wedding venues which give your wedding an alternative and memorable edge. If your lucky, some unusual licensed venues offer complete wedding packages, so you can hold your civil ceremony and your reception at the same location, but these are few and far between!
4. Go Abroad- If you have always dreamnt of an outdoor wedding, and you can't stand the unpredictability of the UK's weather, then going abroad may be the best option for you. Not only are they much more relaxed about the licensing of civil venues, but the weddings are usually much cheaper. Having a destination civil ceremony means you may be able to have that much awaited white beach wedding!