Or an estate church, even better - as this can easily be a daughter church of the local Anglican parish, and thus nominally a public place of worship without having a regular Sunday congregation. (Historically, the whole household of the stately home would be the regular congregation, and the church might be a separate living given to the lord's younger brother/second son.)
Getting it approved would take time and money, and it would go on a list of registered places to marry in the county, which means that the mother of the groom would have to deal with people ringing up all the time asking if they can get married there.
I think that's why Prince Charles married in Windsor registry office, rather than Windsor Castle.
Nobility in the 1960s probably would have married in a church or private chapel -there was a bit of a social stigma to marrying in a registry office.
I think that's why Prince Charles married in Windsor registry office, rather than Windsor Castle.
Very good point. If the OP googles that wedding (ie to Camilla, not Diana), the articles iirc will explain why Windsor Castle wasn't suitable. And yes, the "open to all" thing, which they wouldn't have welcomed, does ring a bell.
My understanding is that the marriage has to take place in a permanent structure (as opposed to a tent or marquee) - but a summerhouse or bandstand counts, as long as it is registered. We looked into getting our place of work registered once. I think the chapel of the stately home would be the easiest solution, because my understanding is that if it was registered once they would have to let other couples marry there too.
An official Registrar has to be present for the marriage to be legally recognised - the exact quote is "A civil marriage may be solemnised only by a registrar or an assistant registrar who has been authorised by the Registrar General for that purpose".
Another option might be to have the legal wedding in a registry office and to have a more personal exchange of vows/ceremony later in front of their friends. I know a number of people who chose this option and said vows in front of friends in a garden, and none of us were at the actual legal marriage ceremony because bride and groom saw it as just the paperwork aspect - in one case the happy couple grabbed a couple of random strangers to act as witnesses!
Has it got to be a civil ceremony? The rules are strict for them - even the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall had to marry in a place regularly open to the public rather than in private
( ... )
While the building has to be licensed, there also needs to be a qualified Registrar to do the paperwork at the wedding. Unlike parts of the US, it's not a case of doing some course to get a piece of paper claiming you can - being a Registrar of births, marriages and deaths is generally someone's day job, and even if your family member happens to be one, the local council will probably want the paperwork done by one of theirs.
This is separate from whoever stands up and does most of the talking - the required responses for a civil ceremony are simply confirming you and the audience know of no legal reason the couple can't be married, and you consent to marrying X - it can be done in under 30 seconds.
Most likely the couple would marry in the village church (loads of people marry in CofE churches despite not being practising or even believing Christians) and go back to the house for a great reception.
loads of people marry in CofE churches despite not being practising or even believing Christians
In fact, the Church of England is legally obliged to allow this. It's one of the consequences of them being the established State church.
(Specifically, any couple who are allowed to marry under English law can - at least for their first marriage - have the ceremony conducted in the C of E church of the parish where at least one of them lives, as of right.)
Hmmm... the bride's never been married before; the groom's a widower, but his marrige took place overseas. The house is big enough and old enough to have a small private chapel. Could they ask the village priest (a vicar; that's C of E, right?) to perform a small ceremony there?
Some surprising places have been registered - for example, the last wedding I went to was in a very large pub near the Old Bailey in London; the place was usually closed on Saturday because the courts are closed, someone realised that a wedding / reception with say 200 guests (all eating and drinking) wold make more than enough money to be worth opening the building. The wedding itself took place in an upstairs gallery.
An important point re all registrar weddings is that they must be secular; no preaching, prayers, hymns, etc.
One thought on this - if this is a M/M or F/F marriage the legal term is Civil Partnership Ceremony; all of the same rules apply re. venue etc., and it's the only way gays can marry in the UK.
I can certainly second this -- I'm planning a civil ceremony marriage for this September, and in my local council the places I can get married include a couple of local historical buildings (Hampton Court Palace; York House) and some more unusual places (Barnes Wetland Centre -- basically a nature reserve; Kew Gardens Nash Conservatory; Twickenham Rugby Stadium).
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Comments (52)
janewilliams20
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kannaophelia
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alextiefling
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fringedweller
I think that's why Prince Charles married in Windsor registry office, rather than Windsor Castle.
Nobility in the 1960s probably would have married in a church or private chapel -there was a bit of a social stigma to marrying in a registry office.
Reply
dorsetgirl
Very good point. If the OP googles that wedding (ie to Camilla, not Diana), the articles iirc will explain why Windsor Castle wasn't suitable. And yes, the "open to all" thing, which they wouldn't have welcomed, does ring a bell.
Reply
bookwormsarah
An official Registrar has to be present for the marriage to be legally recognised - the exact quote is "A civil marriage may be solemnised only by a registrar or an assistant registrar who has been authorised by the Registrar General for that purpose".
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bookwormsarah
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quantum1067
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thekumquat
This is separate from whoever stands up and does most of the talking - the required responses for a civil ceremony are simply confirming you and the audience know of no legal reason the couple can't be married, and you consent to marrying X - it can be done in under 30 seconds.
Most likely the couple would marry in the village church (loads of people marry in CofE churches despite not being practising or even believing Christians) and go back to the house for a great reception.
Reply
stormwreath
In fact, the Church of England is legally obliged to allow this. It's one of the consequences of them being the established State church.
(Specifically, any couple who are allowed to marry under English law can - at least for their first marriage - have the ceremony conducted in the C of E church of the parish where at least one of them lives, as of right.)
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nessataleweaver
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Thread (12)
ffutures
An important point re all registrar weddings is that they must be secular; no preaching, prayers, hymns, etc.
One thought on this - if this is a M/M or F/F marriage the legal term is Civil Partnership Ceremony; all of the same rules apply re. venue etc., and it's the only way gays can marry in the UK.
Reply
eien_herrison
I can certainly second this -- I'm planning a civil ceremony marriage for this September, and in my local council the places I can get married include a couple of local historical buildings (Hampton Court Palace; York House) and some more unusual places (Barnes Wetland Centre -- basically a nature reserve; Kew Gardens Nash Conservatory; Twickenham Rugby Stadium).
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raenbow
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