Bredenbury Court Barns are a collection of beautiful buildings undergoing careful restoration; including a charming 1920s Orangery for your wedding ceremony & glass-walled Oak Barn with stunning views for your feast & party. Onsite accommodation too! More info
Located amidst the beautiful countryside of the Wye Valley, Penyard House offers the perfect place for your wedding. More info
Brooks Country House Wedding Venue More info
Wedding venue in Herefordshire. Ideal for your wedding day celebrations. Wedding Packages to suit all budgets and special offers available. Set in a Georgian Country House Hotel with 11 acres of stunning grounds in Ross on Wye. More info
A stunning Georgian manor house set within the beautiful Herefordshire countryside. Licensed for civil ceremonies and wedding receptions for up to 80 guests and evening receptions up to 150. Marquee wedding receptions available for up to 250 guests. More info
Whitney Court is a stunning Edwardian Manor House that commands a breath taking position with far reaching views across the River Wye to the Black mountains and beyond. Enjoy complete privacy and seclusion in this most beautiful of locations. More info
A warm and inviting castle set at the foot of the Malvern Hills; available for exclusive use and licensed for civil ceremonies. Set in a 5,000 acre estate complete with a lake, deer park and arboretum. A Truly magical wedding castle in Ledbury. More info
If you are looking for excellence and extravagance, then you've found it. We are a dedicated, exclusive use, manor house wedding venue in Eardisley. With both house and gardens available for your wedding. More info
Beautiful moat side setting for smaller weddings, with exclusive use option, and cathedral views. Wedding venue in Hereford, Herefordshire More info
A beautifully converted 400 yr old barn in North Herefordshire. Runs as a restaurant and has a great reputation as a wedding venue. More info
A sublime house and wedding barn resting on the site of an ancient monastery, nestled in a private and isolated valley. Unique, unspoilt, overflowing character and charm. Stunning wedding venue in Hereford. More info
Unique wedding venue in a former Methodist chapel that brims with character. Main hall, Upper & Lower galleries, and spacious garden. More info
Broadfield Court is set in the beautiful rolling hills of North Herefordshire & makes the perfect back drop for your special day. Originally a Benedictine Monastery, it is a historic wedding venue for both civil ceremony & wedding reception. More info
Beautiful wedding day celebration location. Castle Lodge is available for wedding receptions, located in Herefordshire More info
Hampton Court Castle is set in the beautiful Herefordshire countryside, with exquisite reception rooms, 24 luxurious castle bedrooms and award-winning gardens - the perfect setting for your big day More info
Available for your day are the Concert Barn, adjoining marquee and use of the stunning gardens for photographs and drinks reception More info
Civil Licensed wedding venue in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire. Marquee Reception venue. More info
Intimate wedding venue in Hereford, Herefordshire. Licensed for Ceremonies, with daytime guests up to 45 and plenty more in the evening. Exclusive use comes as standard! More info
A countryside wedding venue in Hereford, Herefordshire. Licensed for Ceremonies and available as an exclusive use wedding venue. More info
Wedding venue in Herefordshire. This Grade 2* listed building is a beautiful venue to hold your wedding. We have two rooms licensed for civil ceremonies in Quills and The Courtyard Rooms and a function suite for your wedding reception celebrations. More info
The Greenman has undergone a total refurbishment to an exacting standard. As a result guests are offered a host of contemporary comforts throughout, whilst the building retains the wonderful character. More info
Alexander Park is the perfect setting for your wedding day. Host your civil ceremony, wedding reception or anniversary with us. More info
Wedding venue in Herefordshire. Wedding civil ceremonies at Homme House. Country House Wedding Venue Herefordshire More info
Historic wedding venue near Leominster, North Herefordshire. Licensed for Ceremonies and available as a wedding reception venue. 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 to have your marriage ceremony and reception all in one venue in Herefordshire, 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.
Most wedding venues in Herefordshire will have a civil ceremony license, however some don't, so you will want to ensure that your chosen venue does before booking them. 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.
We're here to answer all of your questions on wedding venues licensed for civil ceremonies below...
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 venues, you can only have a humanist or spiritual ceremony at, or just have your reception there. This is because they haven't paid for a civil ceremony license. We have all of the top venues licensed for civil ceremonies in Herefordshire. Check them out.
When a venue in Herefordshire applies for a civil ceremony license it needs to be assessed by the local council. 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. If you're wanting to have your wedding in a private home or in gardens, you will be unable to do this. The venue needs to be open to the public regularly. 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. Due to the law, if you get married outside it still needs to be under a fixed permanent structure. 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 Herefordshire.
The law does not consider marquees to be permanent structures, even ones that are up all year round. If you want to hold your wedding in a marquee, it's best to get married in a nearby church or licensed venue indoors before the reception. 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. Ask your chosen registrar about what you need to say during your civil ceremony and then you can work around this to write your own vowed and promises to your partner. Find an abundance of venues licensed for civil ceremonies in Herefordshire on Guides for Brides.
You can't have your civil ceremony in a religious building in Herefordshire, such as a church. It applies the same way round - you can't have a religious aspect to your civil ceremony. Therefore, unfortunately you are not allowed to have a religious reading during 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. When you've chosen your wedding venue in Scotland, speak to the staff to work out what ceremony will work best for you. You can even include religious readings in your humanist ceremony!
