Outdoor ceremonies (linked outdoor areas)
Venues with a licensed linked outdoor area must have a suitable alternative space available and set up to accommodate the ceremony in the event of adverse weather conditions.
- The Responsible Person (or their Deputy) will liaise with the couple and registrars to decide if it is safe to proceed when adverse weather makes it difficult to conduct the ceremony and could pose a risk to safety. If the conditions are assessed as unsafe, an alternative covered, licensed area must be used.
- This could be an outdoor temporary covered structure/marquee within the linked outdoor areas, a currently approved permanent licensed structure in the grounds of the built premises or a currently approved room in the licensed premises itself.
- Ceremonies cannot take place with the legally required parties being split between a licensed room/structure and a linked outdoor area. The couple, two registrars and two witnesses must all be wholly inside a licensed room/structure, or wholly outside in a linked outdoor area.
- You may have to limit the number of guests at proceedings due to take place in an approved linked outdoor area to the number that you can safely accommodate in your alternative for inclement weather.
