Can I hold my wedding ceremony outdoors? Yes, you can
When newly engaged couples start making plans for their big day, one of the first things they naturally do is to start searching for wedding venues in order to set the date.
Many couples book a church or choose an alternative venue licensed for civil weddings. However, did you know that you are not required to have your ceremony in such a venue, nor have the most important ceremony of your life conducted by a registrar you have never met before? Registrars often arrive with a templated script, sometimes with the couple’s names simply written onto post-it notes, and inserted at the appropriate moment.
Your relationship is completely unique to anyone else’s, and therefore so should your wedding ceremony be. When you are investing £1000’s in the wedding of your dreams, you deserve a ceremony that reflects your love and your lives, not simply a standard templated script.
If you dream of having your wedding ceremony outdoors – in a bluebell wood, in the middle of a field with cows, in a tipi or marquee on private land, halfway up a mountain, at a music festival, or even in your back garden – then YES, YOU CAN!
I had my own wedding by the banks of the River Thames in Bray, Berkshire, in 2022. As you can see from the photo below, where we were surrounded by not just one, but four of my celebrant colleagues! Our ceremony, although serious in our intentions to marry, was not about the ‘solemnity’ of marriage. It was a heartfelt celebration which reflected our true authentic selves, filled with love, laughter, and a little mischief!
What many couples don’t realise is that the legal part of a marriage is very short and simple.
The only requirement is that a registrar conducts it at the Register Office of Births, Marriage & Deaths, or a licensed venue. The legal steps are:
- Declaratory Words: “I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I (name) may not be joined in matrimony to (name).”
- Contracting Words: “I call upon these persons here present to witness that I (name) do take thee (name) to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband).”
- Signing the new electronic Marriage Schedule, which will later be entered into the Marriage Register. (Signed by the couple and two witnesses)
That’s it!
The rest of the ceremony—exchange of rings, sharing of vows, readings, music, symbolic elements, and anything else you choose—is purely ceremonial and can take place anywhere. This is where celebrants come in to make your ceremony truly magical and memorable.
With a celebrant-led wedding, you won’t have a stranger showing up on the day to read a generic script. Instead, you choose your celebrant, who works closely with you in the weeks and months leading up to your wedding to craft a unique, personal ceremony. By the time your big day arrives, your celebrant will feel like a close friend.
Outdoor weddings are growing in popularity, and if you’re looking for a unique and meaningful ceremony, you’ve come to the right place.
Your ceremony can be completely non-religious, based on more Humanist values, or you can include elements of religion or spirituality if you choose to. Indeed if you come from a mixed-faith background, or different cultures, then your chosen celebrant can work with you to create the perfect blending of beliefs and culture, to be fully inclusive, and authentically represent each of you.
A celebrant-led ceremony does not include the legal registration of marriage. However, this is no different from registering a birth at the register office and then having a christening/naming ceremony elsewhere, or registering a death before holding a funeral ceremony. All you need to do is visit the Register Office for the legal registration (the three steps above), and then you are free to have your dream ceremony anywhere with a celebrant who is passionate about making your day as special as you are.
So, what are you waiting for? Visit our members’ directory today to find a professionally trained celebrant, who will likely become your new best friend! (All celebrants are listed under the county they reside in, but many are happy to travel further afield, and even overseas.)
The Fellowship of Professional Celebrants Passionate about ceremony – Passionate about people.
https://professionalcelebrants.org.uk/weddings/
