How to get married outdoors without legal restrictions
The wondrous woodland wedding ceremony for Emma and Chris at High Billinghurst Farm. Photo by Victoria Cadisch.
Outdoor ceremonies are here to stay. But, how do you legally tie the knot in the woods or in a field?
Outdoor weddings are getting more and more popular - and for a good reason too! As a wedding celebrant that has conducted 90% of my 2022 wedding ceremonies in outdoor wedding venues - from woodlands (see image) to fields outside barns - and as a nature enthusiast, I vow that outdoors is the place to be if you want your wedding to be relaxed, natural and unforgettable.
Being outside in fresh air, natural light and with the stunning setting of woods, plants and flowers or the sea is the best backdrop you could wish for. And, if you are a bit of a nature lover, you should be in your element for the love fest of your life.
One major problem that many couples come across is that you can't have your legal wedding or civil partnership ceremony at your chosen outdoor wedding venue.
It can be frustrating and even devastating for your wedding plans to not have your commitment of a lifetime in a space that reflects you and your values.
You should be able to say ‘I do’ - or exchange your unique personal vows - in a wonderful woodland or with any naturescape as your ceremony backdrop. And, you should definitely be able to put a ring on it with your feet in the sea, if that floats your boat. And you can.
“Emma and Chris found their perfect natural wedding ceremony spot in the woodland at High Billing Hurst Farm. The venue is not licensed for civil marriage ceremonies, but this does not stop anyone getting married there - especially not Emma and Chris.
They would not compromise on making their commitment of marriage to each other surrounded by trees and birdsong (mixed with the harmonious sound of a harp). As a vegan couple, in love with not just each other, but animals and nature too, the importance of reflecting their values in the choices they made for their wedding was their top priority. ”
How? By using a celebrant to create and conduct your personalised, original and relaxed ceremony in the location you dream of - separate to the legal admin.
So, how do you go about this? The answer is below, my friend.
The problem (with registrar-led wedding ceremonies)
First of all, to be legally married you need to either have a legal civil ceremony or a religious one. Since we are all heathens around here (that’s my assumption since you have landed on this Humanist Celebrant’s blog), I’ll stick to the problem with registrar weddings. A registrar is the person licensed by the council to officiate a legal marriage or civil partnership ceremony.
The problem of not being able to have your legal ceremony anywhere you like is that the law for weddings states that legal marriages and civil partnerships must be officiated by a registrar in a venue licensed for weddings. There are all kinds of restrictions and limitations with licensed wedding venues, to do with structure, ban on food and drink and even how you find the place.*
No wonder so many people think that the ceremony is the boring bit you have to get through before the party gets started!
Being restricted to a register office, an indoor space or a venue you wouldn’t have chosen yourself only benefits the local council. You are unnecessarily restricted in your choice of wedding venue, and will not be given all the options that are actually available to you.
That means you can’t have it in a private garden, you can’t have a drinks/shots ritual or share ritual food offerings in your ceremony and you definitely can’t have your ceremony as part of your festival wedding. No such fun!
But, fun at your wedding, you shall have - including the ceremony! You don’t have to compromise your dream of a once-in-a-lifetime wedding ceremony in a place that reflects their values and style by getting married in a boring town hall or a licensed hotel, where the registrar charges many hundreds of pounds.
Couples all over the UK do have joyous, fun and original wedding ceremonies in alternative venues and amazing outdoor spaces. How? They separate the legal admin from the proper wedding celebrations, and they have so many more options! Keep going for exactly how and a step-by-step guide.
“Having their ceremony outdoors was the perfect choice for E and C. The next natural choice was to have a Humanist Celebrant to officiate, as humanists believe in the protection and rights of animals, nature and people and celebrants can marry you anywhere.
When that was decided, the question - ‘can a celebrant marry you legally?’ - popped up. They did the right thing and found a celebrant that matched their values - me! - and who could take them through the whole process. Although I can’t process the legally binding marriage contract, I can certainly create a ceremony and experience that authentically and creatively flows as a Real Wedding Ceremony. And, I could advise them on how to get the legal admin done quickly and cheaply at the local register office.”
How to have your wedding outdoors
The key is to find a celebrant that can give you exactly the kind of relaxed, fun, wind-in-your-hair and birdsong-in-the-air kind of wedding ceremony. You might want to check me out…?
Your celebrant will not just work closely with you to create the most personalised and unique ceremony for you (registrars cannot and do not personalise the ceremony, bar letting you add a few words to your vows and have someone do a reading). Celebrants will also work closely with the venue by visiting the place and get to know the space, if they don’t already know it.
Why you should have a celebrant-led wedding in the first place - even if it’s not outside.
To get that legally binding marriage contract, all you need is a basic legal ceremony. If you book it midweek and ask for the basic ceremony (all register offices are required to offer this), also called 2 x 2 service, you can have your legal nuptials done in no time. With this booked, you can concentrate on planning a wedding ceremony fit for your dreams, outside in nature, on the beach or in any other alternative venue.
If you worry about the cost of a celebrant-led ceremony as well as the registrar at the legal ceremony, well, don’t. A celebrant typically costs the same, sometimes less, than having a registrar come out to an approved licensed venue (which we know is not as cool or relaxed with their structures and restrictions), and the basic legal ceremony can usually be done for under £50.
Did you know?
If you dream of having your wedding on Brighton beach, the only place you can have your legal ceremony outside on the beach in Brighton is at the bandstand, which only holds a very small amount of people, and is difficult to book. You also have to pay the full hire amount of up to £910 by Christmas the year before your ceremony, and that’s without the cost of the registrar, which is more expensive outside of the town hall. The couple of other licensed venues on the beach in Brighton are all inside.
Here’s a quick step by step guide to getting married outdoors
Book your dream outdoor wedding venue - and don’t worry about it being a licensed venue.
Find and book a celebrant that matches your values and personalities.
Book a basic legal ceremony at the local register office for a few days (or a bit more) before the wedding.
Book other suppliers that specialise in outdoor weddings: photographer, videographer, lighting specialist for outdoors, food trucks?, mobile bar?, musicians with their own sound system - or if you are near Brighton, book the brilliant Brighton Sound System (ask for Chris, who makes the best sound for outdoor environments), florist for wedding arch, benches/chairs/hay bales if the venue doesn’t have seating for the ceremony space already and maybe a wedding planner. Your imagination is your only limit.
Start getting to know your celebrant and let them get to know you, so they can start imagining and creating your dream wedding ceremony.
When it’s time and all things are in place, pop to the register office for your 2 x 2 appointment with a few family members or mates to sign as witnesses. You might as well make an extra date out of it, so wear something cool and have a night out afterwards - but don’t go too hard, save yourself for your real wedding.
Wedding time! Get ready with your besties and make an appropriate (whatever that means to you!) entrance at your Real Wedding Ceremony. You will laugh, cry and be celebrated in the most personal and original way, with all the people you want, in your favourite spot. And, this will not be the boring bit before the party. This will be the start of the party!
“A few days before their celebrant-led wedding - the Real Wedding - at High Billinghurst Farm, Emma and Chris went to the local register office and had a mid-week basic legal ceremony. They went with their very closest family and were done in about 15 minutes. They were then free to focus on and enjoy their wonderful woodland wedding at the weekend.
Their woodland wedding ceremony in June 2023 was an ethereal dream of fluttering leaves and white flower petals, created around their love story, told with warmth, joy and their personal stories and connections with other people at the centre. The bespoke script for their ceremony was created in collaboration and with lots of support and inspiration by me, their Humanist celebrant.”
If you love the outdoors and the beauty of nature, then of course that should be the perfect backdrop to your wedding ceremony.
You don’t want to be forced into having your wedding ceremony somewhere that doesn’t reflect your values and love of nature. So, choose a celebrant for your wedding ceremony and sort out the legal paperwork a few days before.
You won’t regret starting your wedding day with a Real Ceremony full of fun and meaning, created just for you.
Ready to plan your outdoor wedding and book a celebrant? Get in touch for a free and non-binding chat about how we might work together.
