Want to get married at home

ruthie_2

Hi, we plan to get married in the summer, and would like to have the ceremony at home. We live in Wales and from our initial research, we understand we can't have a ceremony at home that would be lagally binding, unless we got our house licensed - and we know it wouldn't meet the criteria for this.

I just wondered if anyone knows of a way around this. At the moment, we are looking at having some sort of ceremony at home that will be 'like' a wedding, and then doing the legal minimum elsewhere with the registrar.

If anyone has any ideas - or is aware of any changes afoot, your feedback would be really welcome.

Also, I'd like to have an informal wedding dress. I like the idea of a ballerina length dress, or a pretty summer dress, and I have no idea where to start looking. Has anyone any ideas of good retailers for this? When I have initially looked, the range was a bit overwhelming.

Thanks in advance

Horace

Hi Ruthie

Unfortunately you can't have a legal ceremony outdoors in England or Wales. It can only take place in licensed premises e.g. register office, hotels, conference centres etc (which have civil ceremony licenses) or churches. You can only be married within 4 permanent walls.

You could have a humanist ceremony in the garden but this wouldn't be legally binding and you would have to have your legal ceremony in a register office.

http://www.humanism.org.uk/ceremonies/humanist-weddings

If you want a pretty summer dress then look in places like Laura Ashley, Monsoon etc, etc. This is good if you don't want the meringue weddingy type dress. Look for styles that suit you and you like to wear - try a few on, you will know the right one.

Congratulations and hope the information helps.

rosie-lee

Lots of couples pop in and have an informal register office/legal wedding and a ceremony of their choice at a later date.

It is usually cheaper and quite easy to book a midweek ceremony. Some couples don't exchange rings at this ceremony as they prefer to save it for their own ceremony. You will be legally married.

With regard to your own ceremony, as there are no legalities involved you can do/say whatever you want. Be prepared though celebrants and especially the humanist society can be quite pricey. If you have a friend/relative they could actually perform the ceremony for you. There are loads of example ceremonies available if you google.

If you need any further advice or ceremony suggestions, please feel free to pm me.

sal-ad_daze

I can't add anything else about the ceremony, the girls above have it spot on.
Depending on your budget, Candy Anthony does 'ballerina style' dresses. If you 'google' her name you should find her collection and other similar styles.
HTH