Civil Wedding Information

Getting Married at a Registration Office, Hotel or Other Venue

This webpage is intended to provide helpful guidance about how to arrange your marriage ceremony either at a Cotswolds Registration Office or in one of the many beautiful buildings around the Cotswolds that are licensed for civil marriage ceremonies.

You can choose a simple ceremony with just two witnesses or include bridesmaids, music and readings.

Registration offices across the Cotswolds are listed at the end of this webpage.

Where can I get married?

A civil marriage ceremony can be held in any of the ceremony rooms at any of the Cotswold Registration Offices, or at a venue that has been approved for the purpose by the relevant County Council. There are currently more than 200 venues, ranging from hotels to historic houses.

Once you've decided where you want to get married, you'll need to agree a time and date with both the venue and the Registration Office. The Registration Offices can accept bookings up to twelve months in advance. For advice and information on availability, please contact any of our offices.

There are some restrictions on exactly where a marriage ceremony can take place, even at approved and licensed venues. The law states that a civil ceremony must be held inside a permanent building, which means that you can't get married outdoors, in a marquee for example. In addition, a civil ceremony cannot contain any elements of a religious nature, or take place in a building with any religious connection.

When can I get married?

Bookings for civil marriage ceremonies can be made with any of the Registration Offices in the Cotswolds up to twelve months in advance. But don't forget that you'll need to confirm the date, time and place with both the Registration Office and with the venue.

You must also give formal notice of your intention to marry - further details are given below. The minimum period between giving notice of your marriage and when a ceremony can take place is 28 clear days, and once issued, the certificate for the marriage is only valid for twelve months. It's therefore a good idea to give notice as soon as possible, and to bear in mind that popular dates for weddings get booked up very quickly.

What is the ceremony like?

The ceremony used is the same whether the marriage is held in a ceremony room or at one of the approved hotels or venues, as the wording used is fixed by law and cannot be altered. You'll need to agree the contents of the ceremony well before the wedding day. The law does not allow you to make significant changes to the ceremony.

On the day of the wedding you'll need to bring with you at least two other people who are willing to act as legal witnesses and sign the marriage register.

How do I give notice?

Formal notice of your intention to marry must be given personally by both you and your partner to a Registration Office.

What information will I have to provide?

When you visit the Registration Office to give formal notice of your marriage, you will need to show proof of your identity, address, age and nationality, for which a passport and birth certificate would be ideal. You should also take evidence of any change of name and, if you have been married before, proof that your previous marriage has been legally ended.

Usually you are required to have lived in the district for at least seven days before giving notice. The Registration Office will advise you on what documents to bring when you make your booking for your ceremony.

Notice of marriage must be given in person, and cannot be given on your behalf by someone else.

What will it cost?

For a marriage ceremony at one of the three Cotswold Gloucestershire Registration Offices see www.gloucestershireregistrationservice.co.uk/your-ceremony/ceremony-fees/.

Church weddings

The information on this webpage applies only to civil marriage ceremonies at Registration Offices or approved venues.

Registration Offices in Gloucestershire Cotswolds

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