Licensing of civil marriage venues

All non-religious venues used to hold civil marriage ceremonies must have a licence from the the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

Civil marriage venues need to fulfill the following criteria to be considered for a licence.

It is important that venues are:

• appropriate for weddings. Venues must preserve the dignity of the occasion. Hotels, stately homes, and civic buildings would be appropriate
• non-religious, with no continuing or historic religious connection. A building with religious symbols or furniture, or stained glass windows depicting a religious scene, would not be suitable
• a permanent structure. Civil weddings cannot be held outdoors, in temporary structures such as tents or marquees, or in vehicles
• readily available for weddings. A venue cannot be registered for a one-off wedding. Homes and places of other business would not be appropriate
• freely accessible to the public, so that anyone can attend the service or make objections
• able to commence all weddings before 5pm.

If you are thinking of holding your wedding in Royal Greenwich, you can contact the superintendent registrar to find out about venues.