Oxfordshire, the place to marry Oxfordshire 2019 | Page 24

www.squibphotography.co.uk
OUTDOOR
CEREMONIES
Outdoor ceremonies are increasingly popular, even though the great
British weather isn’t always very reliable!
Many venues in Oxfordshire which are licensed for
marriage and civil partnerships offer the option
of holding the ceremony in a ‘garden structure’, a
fixed structure with a permanent roof and floor,
which is large enough to accommodate the
couple, their witnesses and the registrars. requirement that marriage and civil partnership
legal paperwork should be kept safe and dry, and
in pristine condition. These are the official records
of the ceremony. For this reason the registrars
will have the ultimate decision on whether your
ceremony can be held outside.
More and more couples choose to hold their
ceremony outside and registration staff are happy
to try and accommodate this where possible.
In fact, we all enjoy conducting ceremonies
‘outside’! Holding your ceremony in the garden
or grounds of a licensed venue sets the scene for
a relaxed celebration of your special day, and can
provide a very memorable backdrop for you and
your guests. Please do not let it spoil your day if the ceremony
cannot take place outdoors for any reason.
Make sure that you have a back-up plan and
select another room at your chosen venue –
please remember that it must be big enough to
accommodate all your guests.
However, it will not always be possible to hold
your ceremony outside due to inclement weather
which can include rain (or the likelihood of
showers), wind, very cold conditions, or high
temperatures with no shade for guests. It is a legal
20
Venues which currently offer outdoor ceremonies
are shown on pages 37 and 38, displaying the
[ outdoors] symbol.
Please contact us on 0345 241 2489 if you would
like to discuss holding your ceremony outside.
OXFORDSHIRE: THE PLACE TO CELEBRATE