Choosing Your Ceremony

After booking your venue, the next step is to decide what kind of ceremony you might like; and there are more options than you might have realised.

There are three main options; a Church Ceremony, a Civil Ceremony with a Government Registrar, or a Celebrant led Ceremony.

Let’s start with the most traditional of the three;

A CHURCH WEDDING

Whilst many couples are now moving away from Church weddings in favour of getting married in a wedding venue, a Church not only offers a beautiful setting for your ceremony; it allows you to celebrate your union in line with religious traditions.

Your Church service will include hymns, bible readings and prayers, all of which are not an option in a Government registrar led ceremony. So, if these are important to you, then a Church wedding is the way to go!

As well as including the above in your ceremony, you will also have to adhere to the parish rules. This often includes having a connection to the church, or attending a number of services in the lead up to your day.

Please note that sadly, it is still not possible for same-sex couples to legally marry in Church.

For the purpose of this article, we have based the above on Christian churches. However, for more information about religious services appropriate to your own faith or culture, please refer to your local minister or place of worship for details.

Another option for those looking for a religious aspect to their ceremony, we have had religious ministers perform a blessing at the venue, often after a civil ceremony.

So, what are your options if you don’t hold religious values or you want to get married in your wedding venue? Read on to find out…

A CIVIL CEREMONY WITH THE REGISTRAR

Registrars are employed by the local authority, and in order for your marriage to be recognised by UK law, they must conduct your ceremony either in a registry office, or at a licensed venue such as Thirsk Lodge Barns.

A civil ceremony performed by Registrars is by far the most popular choice amongst couples getting married at Thirsk Lodge Barns. It means that your ceremony and reception can all be held in the same place, and you make it ‘official’ there and then.

Civil ceremonies tend to last 20 – 30 minutes, and you can personalise your ceremony by adding readings, choosing from a number of different wording choices and writing your own vows. Your ceremony cannot include any religious references, hymns, prayers, or any spiritual symbolism however Registrars are much more relaxed in terms of song choices during your ceremony.

Registrars will arrive 30 minutes before your ceremony, and will need to chat to you both separately for around 15 minutes each, which is why our VIP room is perfect.

Please note that Registrars often have multiple ceremonies in one day – so being ‘fashionably late’ is not an option!

Thirsk Lodge Barns falls under North Yorkshire Registration Services, you can find out more information from them here: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/births-deaths-marriages/marriage-and-civil-partnerships

A CELEBRANT LED CEREMONY

For those looking for a completely personalised ceremony, hiring a celebrant might be the best option for you.

Celebrants often get to know you as a couple before your wedding, and work closely with you to design a heartfelt ceremony that is unique to you.

A celebrant-led wedding has no restrictions, so the sky really is the limit – you can incorporate more spiritual aspects, or, if you are looking to inject some fun into the ceremony we have seen sing-a-longs and even games incorporated!

However, celebrants cannot legally marry you, meaning that you would still have to go to a registry office on another date to make things official. Couples often do this in the days before their Celebrant wedding, or, as you have use of the barns the day before if the registrars were available, you could have an intimate legal ceremony with just your close family during your setup afternoon, and then have a wonderful celebrant led ceremony on the day of your wedding.