Licensed Wedding Venue & Civil Ceremonies

Holding a Civil Ceremony

A civil ceremony is a non-religious ceremony carried out by the Superintendent Registrar. It is a marriage ceremony in law. There are a few things about civil ceremonies that differ from religious ceremonies which we have organised into frequently asked questions for your convenience.

How do I book a civil ceremony?

To book a civil ceremony you need to contact the Superintendent Registrar at Cornwall Council.  During the ceremony itself, both the Superintendent Registrar and the Registrar will be present.  To book your civil ceremony, first make sure you have a date secured at the hotel for the ceremony and celebration.  Then, contact the registrar using the following contact details:

For County registration details, please visit: www.cornwall.gov.uk/advice-and-benefits/marriages/
Call: 0300 1234 181 (option 3)
Email: ceremonies@registration.cornwall.gov.uk 

How much does a civil ceremony cost?

There are fees payable to Cornwall Council for civil ceremonies, registering marriages and obtaining certificates.  When you contact the registrar, they will confirm the exact amounts payable at the time.  In addition to these fees, we also have a room hire charge for the ceremony, please refer to our table of charges.

Can members of the public attend our Civil Ceremony?

Civil Ceremonies by law have to allow members of the public to attend.

Can we have music at our Civil Ceremony?

You certainly can have music at your civil ceremony yes.  However, the music must be secular and non-religious in nature.  The music you choose will need to be approved by the registrar in advance and they will help you with this process.  It is a requirement of the law that no religious music is played during the ceremony.

The hotel has a music system you can use or you can provide / hire your own if you prefer.  We usually recommend the following music to accompany your ceremony:

• First: Pre wedding music, to settle guests in preparation for the bridal party – 20 minutes duration.
• Second: Entrance music – 2 minutes – bridal party walks in (please be upstanding for the entrance) 
• Third: Signing of register – 10 minutes – (congratulations please sign registrar) 
• Fourth: Leading the party out music – 2 minutes – (please be upstanding for the Newlyweds) 

Can we have readings at our ceremony?

You can have readings at your civil ceremony.  Like music, they must be secular (non-religious) in content.  The readings you choose will need to be approved by the registrar in advance and they will help you with this process. 

Is food and drink permitted in the civil ceremony?

No food or drink is permitted in a civil ceremony.  We will ask guests to leave any drinks they have purchased outside the licensed part of the hotel.

Can guests throw confetti after our civil ceremony?

We welcome the use of biodegradable confetti outside in the grounds of the hotel.