A beautiful 18th century manor house with landscaped gardens in Newmarket, Cambridgeshire. Available with Exclusive use for your wedding ceremony, breakfast and reception. More info
A historic grade I listed wedding venue situated in Midhurst, West Sussex. Set within the magnificent grounds of Cowdray Park, The Walled Garden offers you the option of having your wedding ceremony in either the Castle Room or the Courtyard Room. More info
The beauty of Grittleton House is that as a family owned house it comes with the ultimate flexibility. We want your wedding day to be unique, like no other. With your vision and our expertise we can work together to make your dream a reality. More info
Stunning wedding venue located in Bury, Greater Manchester. It's the perfect venue for your wedding ceremony and reception as well as providing lots of guest accommodation. More info
Eaves Hall is now one of the finest exclusive wedding venues in the North West with contemporary country house luxury and 30 bedrooms. With a license for ceremonies and available for exclusive use. More info
Field Place Manor House & Barns is a multiple award winning Grade II listed wedding venue wedding venue in Sussex. Featuring its original Georgian façade, it is situated within eight acres of beautiful Green Flag award winning grounds. More info
Two Bridges Hotel, Dartmoor a perfect wedding venue for a Country House Wedding in South Devon. Indoor & outdoor wedding ceremonies with picturesque views of Dartmoor National Park, idyllic setting for memorable wedding photos. More info
Bartle Hall is a Country House Hotel in Lancashire, set in 16 acres of beautiful countryside, available for your wedding celebrations. We are a licensed wedding venue with options for you to use the venue to host your wedding reception. More info
Located in the heart of Cirencester the Kings Head re-opened in September 2014 as a modern and elegant boutique hotel offering 45 stylish bedrooms, a collection of event spaces for 400 guests, restaurant serving modern British food & Subterranean Spa More info
An enchanting country estate, Davenport House is exclusively yours on your special day. More info
The Roslin Beach Hotel is recognised as the most exclusive coastal Wedding venue in Essex, with panoramic views of the twinkling Estuary, mouth-watering menus, toes-in-the-sand photos and receptions by the shore, accompanied by the sounds of the sea. More info
Thornton Manor is an exclusive wedding venue. Set in 120 acres, first built in the 19th century and has been designated as a Grade II listed building, this includes the Manor House, Waterside Pavilion, Lakeside Marquee and Walled Garden Marquee. More info
Three stunning and unique venues on one estate located in the countryside in the Yorkshire Dales. A wedding venue in Yorkshire available for your wedding reception. Consisting of Broughton Hall, Utopia & Eden. More info
Mitton Hall is a beautiful and romantic wedding venue in Lancashire. It's historic and contemporary, a combination that has a fantastic reputation as one of the best wedding venues in the area. It's perfect for wedding ceremonies and receptions. More info
Award winning exclusive use wedding venue in East Sussex. Saltcote Place offers magical far reaching views, formal gardens, and exclusive use. We give you the time and tools needed to create something magical. Late checkout, early check in and more. More info
This stunning slice of Lakeland heaven sits atop a six-acre eerie overlooking the rolling hills of Windermere; recently voted Cumbria's No.1 Wedding Venue. Perfect for those looking for an exclusive hire wedding venue in the Lake District. More info
Horton Grange Country House Hotel is a relaxed, romantic and intimate wedding venue. We are licensed for outdoor and indoor wedding ceremonies and can accommodate up to 96 guests for a day time and 150 in the evening. More info
Botleys Mansion is a grand country house wedding venue available for exclusive use for weddings, in Chertsey, Surrey. Licensed for Civil Ceremonies, this luxurious wedding reception venue is an ideal mixture of old and new. More info
Stunning country house wedding venue in Northumberland. The magnificent Charlton Hall encompasses vibrant and bold designer interiors for a stunning ceremony and wedding reception. More info
Surrounded by 100 acres of countryside, Goosedale is one of Nottingham's finest wedding venues. Holding a License for civil ceremonies. More info
Private country house, set in acres of beautiful landscaped gardens in Essex. Beautiful luxury wedding venue with bridal suite & spa. The Orsett Hall Wedding Chapel really is unique & the only venue in Essex that has a Chapel in its own grounds. More info
Winters Barns is an unforgettable Wedding venue in the heart of the beautiful Kent countryside. Whether you are planning an intimate ceremony,or a more lavish, opulent wedding reception, Winters Barns is versatile to accommodate all your requirements More info
Say your wedding vows in a medieval church in the grounds of a Grade II* listed home situated in the stunning Norfolk countryside. More info
Located in the town of Billingham, our Historic Wedding Venue, with a 12th Century Chapel. Licensed also within the hotel for ceremonies. Offering our stunning ballrooms for larger wedding receptions or you can opt for a marquee in the grounds. More info
Civil ceremony wedding venues are hugely popular throughout the UK. However, what exactly does it mean to be a licensed wedding venue?
If you want a legally-binding wedding ceremony with no religious affiliation, and you’re getting married in England or Wales, then a civil ceremony is the best match for you. You can either get married in a register office, or you can have a civil ceremony at an approved wedding venue. To be an approved civil ceremony venue, wedding venues need to apply for a civil ceremony license.
There are hundreds of wedding venues with a civil ceremony license in the UK, but it’s important to check that your dream venue has one if you’re wanting a legally-binding ceremony. The alternative is marrying in a humanist or spiritual ceremony, which will allow you to marry in any venue (or in an unlicensed part of an otherwise licensed venue, such as a garden or private beach), but will need to be followed by a legal civil ceremony in a register office at another date.
Have questions about your civil ceremony wedding venue? Take a look at our FAQ below…
It’s not just mansion houses or castles that can be approved wedding venues - approved premises can include everything from hotels and restaurants to zoos, aquariums, treehouses and caves! If they’re on our civil ceremony venue list, then you can legally marry there. However, don’t assume that more traditional venues always have a civil ceremony license. It costs wedding venues money to apply for a license, so some just host humanist or spiritual ceremonies, or simply host wedding receptions rather than ceremonies.
The local council determine if wedding venues are suitable for a civil ceremony license. This includes whether or not they’re in a safe and reasonable state for members of the public, and if they meet fire safety regulations. The venue must also be regularly available to the public for the purpose of conducting marriage ceremonies. This is why private homes can’t be approved for a civil ceremony license. If you’re hoping to marry on private land, in a back garden or a large home that isn’t available to the public, you’ll need to hold your legal ceremony in a register office instead.
If you want to tie the knot in an outdoor wedding ceremony, then your wedding venue will need a separate civil ceremony license for this. The legal elements of the ceremony must also take place in a fixed and permanent structure, such as a wooden gazebo or pagoda. This means that you can’t legally marry under a floral arch, on an open beach or in woodland, for example. Don’t presume that any permanent fixture in a wedding venue’s garden will be automatically covered by a civil ceremony license. Venues need to purchase licenses for separate structures. If you want to know if you can get married in a garden, search our ‘Outdoor wedding ceremony’ filter or simply enquire with your chosen wedding venue.
The law does not consider marquees to be permanent structures, even ones that are up all year round. As a result, it can be difficult to have a civil ceremony in a marquee. One way to get around this is to have your ceremony over the threshold of a doorway. This way, your guests can be seated in the marquee while you are technically indoors.
A civil wedding ceremony has certain legal requirements. You must have two witnesses over the age of 18, and you will need to exchange contractual words of marriage. There is a degree of flexibility within these guidelines, and you can include your own promises as part of your wedding ceremony. Your registrar can guide you on what words need to be legally included.
By law a civil ceremony cannot include any religious element, including readings or music. You also cannot hold a civil ceremony in a religious building. If you would like to include religion in some way, you can have a religious blessing after your civil ceremony.
The above requirements only apply to weddings in England and Wales. In Scotland, humanist ceremonies are legally binding, so brides in Scotland have more flexibility when choosing their wedding venues. Unlike civil ceremonies, humanist weddings do not require specific wording, or for the ceremony to be under a permanent structure. You can also include religious elements in your humanist ceremony. If you’re a bride in Scotland, ask your wedding venue about what kind of ceremony would work best for you.
