Marriages or civil partnerships

Civil marriages

A civil marriage is a wedding that takes place without any religious affiliation. A superintendent registrar (officiant) and a registrar conduct the ceremony and it has a legal status.

Before you marry you must first give notice of your intention to do so.

The civil marriage is completed once you and your partner have declared yourselves free to marry and have agreed to marry each other by exchanging some formal wording (vows) in the presence of the registration staff and at least two witnesses.

At the end of the ceremony, the registrar will ask you to check and sign the Marriage Schedule. Your witnesses will also be asked to print their names and sign the schedule. The Officiant will then complete the ceremony presenting you to your guests as a married couple.

Civil marriages can be held for opposite and same sex couples. There are two options for civil marriages, registration and ceremony.

Registration

A registration includes you and your partner, up to two guests and the registration officers conducting the legalities.

The registration will take place in a designated room at a registration or register office. Although there is no music or readings, it is still an occasion where you can make your legal commitment to each other.

One or two photos at the end of the ceremony will now be permitted.

Send any correspondence to:

South Gloucestershire Register Office
PO Box 1953
Bristol
BS37 0DE

Ceremony

A ceremony allows you to make choices about the venue and words you wish to say to each other. It can also include readings and music. You may invite as many guests as the room is licensed to hold, but this number must include you, your partner and the two registration officers.

Civil partnerships

Couples of the same or opposite sex can form a legal partnership, known as a civil partnership. This provides those couples with similar rights and responsibilities to those given to married couples, but under different legislation.

You will need to give notice before forming a civil partnership.

At the register office the civil partnership is formed when both parties have signed the Partnership Schedule in the presence of two witnesses and the registrar. There is no requirement for a ceremony.

At our approved venues we can include a ceremony option. Fees for a civil partnership ceremony at our approved premises are below.

Venues

The following are approved premises within South Gloucestershire where civil marriage or partnership ceremonies can be held.

The South Gloucestershire Register Office 

Kingswood Civic Centre
High Street
Kingswood
Bristol
BS15 9TR

Weddings and civil partnerships can now be booked at our Register Office in Kingswood Civic Centre. We are restricted to only two adult witnesses as guests.

The registrars cannot provide witnesses for your marriage or civil partnership, ensure you arrange this yourselves before arriving.

Do not send correspondence to this address.

Poole Court mansion

Poole Court in Yate is a delightful Victorian mansion set in attractive surroundings. The Ranger Room on the ground floor is used for ceremonies. After your ceremony you will be able to have photographs outside and on the lawn using the house as the backdrop. 

 

Poole Court, Yate – photograph by RichMcD photography

Poole Court ceremonies can be booked for Friday afternoons and Saturdays. The maximum number of guests is 33, which includes any children or babies attending.  The couple and the registrars are in addition to this.

We are able to permit discreet photographs in the ceremony room by your named photographer and photographs outside the building after the ceremony for a few minutes.

Our Poole Court marriage and civil partnership ceremonies includes choices of promises and additional vows on exchange of your rings. It is also possible to include one or two readings if you want to involve your guests in your ceremony.

To book or for more details contact us by:

• phone: 01454 863140
• email: registrationservice@southglos.gov.uk 

There is ample free parking on site. Yate railway station and bus station are only a short walk away. 

Other approved premises 

Other approved premises in South Gloucestershire for civil marriages and civil partnerships.

You can find an approved premises on our online map.

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To arrange your ceremony you must first contact the venue (except for Poole Court) to make the provisional arrangements and then contact us on 01454 863140 to ensure we are able to attend and conduct the ceremony. 

In addition to our fees below there will be a charge for the venue hire which you are responsible for paying.

We are only taking bookings up to 31 December 2025. For ceremony dates in 2026 contact us after 2 January 2025.

Our ceremonies all start on the hour (except for Poole Court). You may need to be flexible on the start time of your ceremony as some popular dates will be booked well in advance.

Read our terms and conditions.

Fees

Registration of civil marriage or civil partnership at register office

• Monday to Friday £68.50 (plus £50 booking fee)

Registration and conduct of marriage or civil partnership ceremony at Poole Court

• Friday and Saturday £285 until 31 March 2025

Registration and conduct of marriage ceremony at approved premises

• Monday to Thursday £677.50 until 31 March 2025
• Friday and Saturday £737.50 until 31 March 2025
• Sunday and bank holidays £862.50 until 31 March 2025

Registration and conduct of civil partnership ceremony at approved premises

• Monday to Thursday £627.50 until 31 March 2025
• Friday and Saturday £657.50 until 31 March 2025
• Sunday and bank holidays £747.50 until 31 March 2025

There is a £60 non-refundable and non-transferable booking fee for Poole Court and approved premises to be paid at the time of booking (£68.50 plus a £60 booking fee for a register office booking). The remaining balance is due eight weeks before the ceremony.

All fees include one certificate.

If statutory fees are changed by HM Treasury there will be additional charges. This includes the cost of certificates and registration fees.

Changes to bookings

There is a £37 fee if you change a booking or ceremony date or time after 24 hours of making the booking.

A late amendment fee of £60 is charged when the date or time of a ceremony is changed one month or less from the original ceremony date (the ceremony must take place at the same venue and within one calendar year of the notice date).

Photography and videos

Photography by guests is not permitted during the ceremony, however time will be allowed at the end of the ceremony for photos.

Video cameras may be used provided that the superintendent registrar has agreed.