You can read Suffolk County Council's statement on our website.
![Councillor Peter Gould](/image-library/peter-gould-ws-hr-1.xb6cb8b20.jpg?width=470&height=256&fit=crop&quality=75&format=webp)
You can read Suffolk County Council's statement on our website.
A venue license allows you to promote your venue for legally recognised weddings and Civil Partnerships, which are conducted by Suffolk Registration Service.
As part of our licensing agreement we
We have a diverse portfolio of licensed venues; from 'traditional' wedding venues such as country houses, barns or hotels, to more unusual or even quirky venues such as community halls or tipis.
Wedding venues don't have to be able to accommodate large guest numbers or to provide catering and wedding planning.
The minimum guest number required in order to apply for a license is only six people.
General requirements for a suitable venue:
Buildings that are used as a place of worship or recognised as having a recent or continuing connection with religion are not usually eligible for licensing for civil ceremonies.
The application fee is £2,000. This is not refundable in the event your application is unsuccessful. If granted, the licence is valid for 3 years. It is not possible to grant a licence for a one-off occasion.
We recommend that new applicants arrange an informal visit from one of our senior Ceremony managers before committing to a formal application. We will be able to make an initial assessment of your venue and provide advice and guidance. We charge £100 for this visit but the charge can be deducted from the full application fee if you decide to apply.
We can offer no guarantees that any application will be successful.
We suggest you allow a minimum of 3 months.
Please email the Venue Licensing Officer Gail Ollason at Gail.Ollason@suffolk.gov.uk who will send you an application form, our full terms and conditions and can answer any questions you may have.
We will place a formal Public Notice in a local newspaper or on our website and consult with:
Find out about religious buildings wanting to obtain a license for marriage at GOV.UK.
Religious buildings can obtain a license for civil partnerships by contacting the Venue Licensing Officer, Gail Ollason on 01473 264 380 (open Tuesday to Thursday) or by email to Gail.Ollason@suffolk.gov.uk