Wedding or civil partnership venue licences

Before a venue can be licensed, it will be inspected for health and safety standards for marriage venues (PDF 41kb).

The following conditions must also be met:

1. The approval holder must ensure that one person is always responsible for meeting these conditions. This person is 'the responsible person'. They must have the right job, rank and qualifications to ensure compliance.
2. The responsible person or their deputy must be present. They must be there for at least an hour before and during each marriage ceremony.
3. The holder must tell the authority their name and address right away. They must do this when they become the holder of an approval under regulation 7(2). When appointing a new responsible person, they must also tell us the person's name, address, and qualifications.
4. The holder must also notify the authority immediately of any change to any of the following:

• the approved application includes a plan that shows the layout of the premises

• the name or full postal address of the approved premises

• the room or rooms where marriages are to be solemnised

• the name or address of the holder of the approval

• the name, address or qualification of the responsible person

5. The approved premises at reasonable times must be available for inspection by us.
6. Each public entrance to the premises must display a proper notice. It must say that section 26(1)(bb) of the Marriage Act 1949 allows the premises for marriage ceremonies. It must also identify and give directions to the room where the ceremony is to take place. The notice must be up for one hour before and during the ceremony.
7. Food and drink should not be sold or consumed in the room where a marriage ceremony takes place. This is for one hour before and during the ceremony.
8. All weddings must be in a room approved by the council for marriages. The room must be on the plan submitted with the approved application.
9. The room for the marriage must be separate from other activities at the time of the ceremony.  
10. The content and plans for each wedding must get the prior approval of the registrar. They must follow the rules of that district.
11. Any reading, music, or words in a marriage ceremony must be secular. This includes any such material used to start, break up, or end the ceremony.
12. The public should be able to freely access a ceremony at a licensed premises. 
13. A sign, notice or ad can say the premises are approved for marriage under section 26(1)(bb) of the Act. But, it cannot imply that we recommend the premises or its facilities.