Located in the heart of London's West End, Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill offers the perfect blend of classic elegance and unrivalled hospitality for intimate ceremonies and grand receptions for up to 180 guests.
Traditional and elegant, 106 Pall Mall offers spectacular reception rooms and a beautiful garden in the heart of London
In the picturesque setting of Westminster, overlooking St James’s Park and iconic London landmarks and described as one of the most fashionable addresses in London, {10-11} Carlton House Terrace is the perfect setting for your wedding celebrations.
Spring is an idyllic space to hold your wedding reception. The Grade I listed building welcomes natural light and high ceilings, within a carefully curated and considered environment.
One of the four ancient Inns of Court, Middle Temple is situated at the heart of London, overlooking the Thames. Although just moments away from Fleet Street, The Strand and Embankment.
Situated in the heart of Bloomsbury, central London, and set in an elegant, Georgian-style building, the Foundling Museum provides a beautiful, unique wedding venue in central London for your civil ceremony or reception.
One of London's grandest venues, the Banqueting House’s timeless majesty promises to wow your guests. No matter what size your wedding, the Banqueting House guarantees an unforgettable setting for your big day.
Historic Trinity House, the working home of the General Lighthouse Authority, offers direct views of the Tower of London and is ideal for weddings offering capacities of 180 standing and seated 130. The Corporation is a registered charity.
The Rembrandt is a stunning Edwardian venue set in the world famous area of Knightsbridge. The historic building has been beautifully modernised and is set in an unrivalled location just across the road from the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Wedding venue in London. Licensed for civil ceremonies this venue offers the perfect location for any wedding. The space flows beautifully from the grand entrance hall and stone staircase up to the ceremony and reception rooms and roof garden.
A stunning collection of barns set in the rolling Northamptonshire countryside with a licence for ceremonies available exclusively for your wedding day.
A stunning Grade I listed countryside wedding venue, with a fairytale castle feel about it. We are licensed for civil ceremonies and steeped in over 700 years of history. Surrounded by acres of National Trust woodland.
Rushton Hall Hotel perfect wedding venue in Northampstonshire. Licenced for Civil ceremonies.
The Dickens Inn is a picturesque restyled and reconstructed 18th century pub nestled in St Katherine Docks.
Kimpton Fitzroy London has beautifully restored event spaces to host your dream wedding. We are here to ensure your wedding day is perfect so will assist with every aspect of planning, from food to flowers and every detail in between.
Luxury London wedding venue is perfect for an extravagant affair. Located in the heart of London near Royal Parks. Not only is Sofitel a stylish venue, but it is also practical as it is situated in central London.
Situated just a few minutes’ walk from St. Paul’s Cathedral, Stationers’ Hall and Garden offers an impressive and unique Wedding venue. Available for exclusive hire throughout the year, making it the perfect venue for all seasons.
A stylish and grand wedding venue in West London. With crystal chandeliers, 42-foot high ornate ceiling, detailed wood-panelling, the Grand Hall is the grand dame of wedding suites with it's elegant style for up to 750 guests
A memorable venue for a great day, The Savoy Hotel is a stunning setting for your civil ceremony and reception, located in The Strand, London North.
Nowhere surpasses the riverside views of the Little Ship Club at a Thames waterfront wedding. Your family will love the relaxed atmosphere created by the Chesterfield sofas, calm colour schemes, plentiful daylight and the easy flow of the river!
Luxury wedding venue in Mayfair central London. Beautiful function rooms up to 200 wedding guests from small, intimate ceremonies to grand, licensed for both weddings and civil partnerships, this is the perfect setting for all wedding celebrations.
Ham Yard is a beautiful wedding venue located in Soho in London. We have numerous rooms available for all weddings of different sizes from an intimate ceremony to a grand reception.
The mixture of classic Victorian architecture and cutting-edge technology compliments your event. Holding up to 1000 people, you will have a choice of 6 different rooms allowing flexibility to your event.
The Mandarin Oriental is an ideally located Central London luxury wedding venue by Hyde Park. It's licensed for civil ceremonies and has some beautiful, grand facilities for your wedding reception celebrations.
What does it mean to be a licensed venue for civil ceremonies?
Having a civil ceremony is the perfect option for those of you who want a legal ceremony but without having to get married in a church or with a religious connection, 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 in Central London with a civil ceremony license, 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.
We're here to answer all of your questions on wedding venues licensed for civil ceremonies below...
Civil ceremony licensed wedding venues can range from a classic country house or barn to more unique venues including caves and safari parks. 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 Central London.
The local council determine if wedding venues in Central London 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. 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. 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 Central London.
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. 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 Central London on Guides for Brides.
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 in Central London. 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.
Elaine has over 15 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.
