Citation is a beautiful exclusive-use wedding venue in the heart of Glasgow. Have your big day in the stunning historical building surrounded by all your loved ones to celebrate this important chapter in your life.
If you are looking for a wedding venue in Glasgow licensed for civil ceremonies, look no further. We have the largest Ballroom in Central Scotland for up to 800 guests. For more intimate wedding our beautiful Burns Suite is perfect for 120 guests.
A Strathclyde wedding venue situated perfectly between Edinburgh & Glasgow with a civil ceremony license. We benefit from a large open suite, which can accommodate 250 guests for a seated meal and an idyllic private wedding garden right outside!
A luxurious affair, Crossbasket offers the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable wedding experience for you and your guests. Complete with a four-storey private bridal tower and an array of opulent public rooms.
Countryside Farm Style Wedding venue in Kilmarnock. Available with Exclusive use.
Award winning, large country house wedding venue in Scotland, available for civil marriages and wedding receptions. Complete with luxurious Spa and Leisure offering relaxation to you and your guests
At Holiday Inn Dumfries we specialise in smaller weddings for 10 to 60 guests. Historic buildings and the gardens of theCrichton Estate provide you with a stunning backdrop for your wedding photos. Celebrate your special day in the Borders.
Mercure Glasgow City is a fully licensed venue for civil ceremonies, great for full day weddings and popular with evening receptions. We specialise in affordable city centre weddings and engagement parties from 40 to 120 guests.
Celebrate your big day at Mercure Ayr Hotel and the knot in traditional Scottish style with magical sea views. Or are you planning to getting married abroad? At Mercure Ayr we specialise in evening receptions and engagement parties.
Civil ceremony wedding venues are hugely popular throughout the England and Wales. 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.
Scottish and Northern Irish wedding venues do not need a civil ceremony license as it is the officiant who is licensed to perform the legally binding ceremony and not the venue. You should be able to have your civil ceremony at almost any venue in Glasgow & South West Scotland and you'll be able to decide whether that's a civil ceremony or a celebrant ceremony. The listed venues have identified that they are able to cater for both your wedding ceremony and reception.
The below 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.
Not just traditional wedding venues have civil ceremony licenses. Some more unique venues including safari parks, tree houses and beach venues have this license. 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. Some you can only have your wedding reception at but you will have to check with the wedding venue itself. Take a look at our range of civil ceremony licensed venues in Glasgow & South West Scotland.
Every venue in Glasgow & South West Scotland is assessed and researched before they are approved for civil ceremonies. This is done by the local council in which the venue is based. 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.
In England and Wales, 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. If you're wanting to marry outside, it will need to be under a permanent structure, unlike a floral arch or an open beach setting. 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 in Glasgow & South West Scotland.
In Scotland and Northern Ireland, you can have a civil ceremony outside because it is the officiant who is licensed and not the venue. So your wedding in Glasgow & South West Scotland will be able to be outdoors if that's what you're dreaming of.
The law does not consider marquees to be permanent structures, even ones that are up all year round. Due to this law, you can't legally have a civil ceremony in a marquee, even if it's permanent. 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. What you say during your ceremony can be changed to a certain degree. Ask your registrar about what needs to be included and work around that to make your own words and promises.
Unfortunately, if you want to have a religious reading or music included in your marriage ceremony, you can't have a civil ceremony. To make this happen, you would have to get married in a church building or have a religious blessing after your marriage.
Elaine has over 8 years of experience working with wedding venues, and advises many of the top hotel and venue brands on their wedding marketing. She has a deep understanding of statistics that can accurately predict the online populaity of a particular venue and she is happy to share that knowledge with wedding couples and venues.
