Licensing your venue for civil marriages and civil partnerships
If you manage or own a venue, you can apply for a licence to hold marriage and civil partnership ceremonies. It is valid for 3 years.
Civil marriages and civil partnerships must take place in a permanent structure (built premises) or linked outdoor area that is regularly available to the public for use for the solemnisation of marriages, or the formation of civil partnerships.
Private houses cannot be approved, as the requirement for the venue to be regularly available to the public excludes residential properties from eligibility.
A venue cannot be approved if it is religious premises that are used solely or mainly for religious purposes. However, the presence of features such as stained-glass windows, religious imagery, or iconography would not, on their own, be grounds for refusal. These features do not automatically make a venue “religious premises” for the purposes of approval.
This can include the building and the grounds of:
- Restaurants and public houses
- Hotels
- Museums and galleries
- Theatres and cinemas
- Stately homes and castles
- Tourist attractions
Built premises
This means a fixed, permanent building that can’t be moved and has at least one room. It can also mean a boat or similar vessel, but only if it is permanently moored and not intended to move.
Linked outdoor areas
Linked outdoor areas are outdoor spaces within the same property boundary as the licensed building. These areas are optional and must be included in the licence application if they are intended to be used for the solemnisation of marriages and civil partnerships.
This means that any areas within the boundary of the land of which the licensed building form part, which are not built premises, and which may be used in common with the licensed building. This includes outdoor locations within the boundary of the same property as the licensed building but, in particular, permits marriages and civil partnerships to be held in semi-permanent structures (such as marquees) within the linked outdoor area.
Many couples are looking for a wedding venue with a difference. Your venue could be the thing they are after. If you're not sure, email VenueLicensing@eastsussex.gov.uk .
