The most romantic day at one of the most romantic & prestigious wedding venues in Leicestershire. Stapleford Park is an idyllic setting with stunning landscaped grounds for a Country House Wedding, licensed for civil ceremonies & wedding receptions. 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
A Grade II listed Wedding Venue with a licensed ceremony room, offering you something a little different. Our stunning red brick building provides the perfect backdrop for your wedding and offers ample opportunity for beautiful photography. More info
Romantic country house wedding venue in Nottingham, with a choice of two rooms, licensed for ceremonies. This rustic farm house offers you a charming setting for your wedding celebrations. Guest accommodation also available for your wedding party. More info
Colwick Hall is the perfect Nottingham wedding venue. It is the ancestral home of Lord Byron and is one of the most beautiful venues in the area. The country house mansion lies in over 60 acres of charming woodland, rolling countryside and lake. More info
Situated in acres of natural parkland, is our stunning Grade 1 listed mansion house wedding venue. With a license for ceremonies, amazing outdoor spaces for your wedding photography, all in the heart of Nottingham. More info
Wedding Venue in Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire. A historic civil licensed wedding venue. More info
One of Nottinghamshire's most popular wedding venues, licensed for Civil Ceremonies. Here at Ruddington Grange we have the most amazing outdoor spaces, which makes for great wedding photos, and two suites to choose from depending on your guest list. More info
The Walled Garden at Beeston Fields is a traditional, Victorian walled garden & Grand Marquee secluded amidst 135 acres of parkland on the prestigious grounds of Beeston Fields. More info
A stylish location for a modern wedding, in Sherwood Park, Nottingham. Available for your wedding ceremony, breakfast and reception. Our boutique hotel wedding venue provides a stunning location for an unforgettable wedding. More info
If you're looking for a fun and relaxed, exclusive-use venue, Hodsock Priory is ideal. We have a unique history, stylish setting, seasonally planted formal gardens, and we offer you a warm welcome and our trusted advice to help you plan your wedding. More info
Wedding Venue in Retford, Nottinghamshire More info
A truly stunning riverside wedding venue. Available for your entire wedding day from Ceremony through to Wedding Reception. Situated beside the River Trent in West Bridgford, and close to Trent Bridge, Nottinghamshire. More info
During all seasons, Rufford Abbey, located in Nottinghamshire, is a beautiful country park. The 12th century ruins, parkland, woods, formal gardens and lake offer the chance to take spectacular photographs. More info
The Pheasantry Brewery is a modern, yet traditional micro-brewery, licensed for civil ceremonies and holds wedding receptions in East Markham, available for hire, and can accommodate a marquee on the grounds, for the larger celebration! More info
We are a large hotel wedding venue in Worsop, Nottinghamshire, with a license for ceremonies. With the option to have your full day with us or just the celebration part, our team are on hand to help you create your perfect wedding day in style. More info
The Old Vicarage Boutique Wedding Venue is a family ran business set in the heart of Southwell, Nottinghamshire and is one of the East Midlands best kept secrets. More info
Wedding Venue in Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham More info
Wedding Venue in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Licenced for Civil Ceremonies. This manor house wedding venue is set in acres of land, with fantastic photo opportunities. More info
A country house Wedding Venue in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, Licensed for Ceremonies. Exclusive Use available on request. Plenty of Guest Accommodation. More info
Set in the heart of Sherwood Forest, ideal for amazing wedding photography. Licensed for Ceremonies and available for your wedding breakfast and reception. Ideal Asian Wedding Venue in Nottinghamshire. More info
Give your civil ceremony a beautiful backdrop, West Retford Hotel is located in Retford, Nottinghamshire. More info
Creswell Events Centre Licensed Wedding Venue value Catering with menus from £10 ceremonies conferences parties More info
Wedding Venue in Newark, Nottinghamshire, licensed for Civil Ceremonies. More info
Wedding venues licensed for civil ceremonies are the most popular.
If you want to have your marriage ceremony and reception all in one venue in Nottinghamshire, 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 Nottinghamshire 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 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 Nottinghamshire.
If a wedding venue in Nottinghamshire wants a civil ceremony license, it must be assessed before hand. This is done by the council, who determine whether it's suitable. 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. You can't legally have a civil ceremony in an open area such as in open woodland or under a flower archway on the beach. It must be a fixed structure like a wooden gazebo that is separately licensed. 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 Nottinghamshire.
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. One advantage of a civil ceremony is there's the option to say what you wish as part of your wedding vows. There are some things that need to be legally stated for it to be legally binding but you can work around this. Find an abundance of venues licensed for civil ceremonies in Nottinghamshire on Guides for Brides.
You can't have your civil ceremony in a religious building in Nottinghamshire, 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. 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.
