Civil Marriages

Chippenham Lodge Estate has been granted a Civil Marriage Licence and is the perfect venue for both your ceremony and reception.

The Barathea Suite

The ceremony can take place in either our Barathea or Namid Suites within the main house where a maximum of 70 people can be seated. Alternatively for larger wedding parties of up to 140 people, the ceremony can take place in our luxurious silk lined pavilion adjoining the main house.
 

You must ensure that the correct civil preliminaries to your marriage are completed by contacting the Superintendent Registrar, to ensure that they are able to conduct the ceremony on the day and time in question. We also welcome same sex and Asian ceremonies.

Notice of Marriage

A notice of marriage must be given to the Superintendent Registrar(s) of the District(s) in which you both live. A Notice is valid for twelve months. If you live in different Registration Districts, you will both need to attend your local Register Offices. If you live in the same District, it is only necessary for one of you to attend. Giving Notice involves giving details of each party to the Superintendent Registrar and paying the statutory fee. Both parties must give separate Notices of Marriage.

Authorities of Marriage

If Notice has been given in a different District to the one in which the marriage is to take place (Ely, for Chippenham Lodge Estate), it will be necessary to collect a form of authority from the Register Office where Notice was given. Advice on when to collect the authority will be given at the time of giving Notice. The authority must be delivered to the Superintendent who will perform the ceremony in advance of the marriage. You will be asked for the attendance fee in advance of the marriage. These fees do not include the statutory fee for giving Notice of Marriage or for a copy of the marriage certificates. The fees may be adjusted by the Council without prior notification and are subject to annual review. We advise that you contact your local Register Office for current fees.

Arrangements for a marriage at Chippenham Lodge Estate are therefore dependent upon:-

• the availability of the Registration staff
• the issue of authority/ies for marriage by the Superintendent Registrar (s) to whom Notice is given.

The Marriage Ceremony

Only a civil, non-religious ceremony can be permitted. Any music, readings, words or performances must be secular. The content of the ceremony must be agreed in advance with the Superintendent Registrar who will be conducting the ceremony. Marriages, by law, can only take place between the hours of 08.00am and 6.00pm.

Please be aware that it is your responsibility to ensure that all legal requirements are met and that the Superintendent Registrar has the relevant authorities in his possession.

We recommend that you contact the Registrar to make the necessary arrangements as early as possible.

For further details please contact Ely Register Office, Old School House, 74 Market Street, Ely, Cambs, CB7 4LS, telephone: 01354 653053, or visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/bmd.