Where to get married

The following page contains details of where you can get married, in addition to this you can download a copy of our brochure on where to hold your ceremony and the legal requirements to get married.

Getting married in a church or other religious building

If you are getting married in any religious building you may still have to give notice of marriage to the register office in the district where you live. 

Church of England

If you are getting married in the Church of England and you have never been through any form of marriage before, you need to contact the vicar of the church to arrange to have your Wedding Banns read. If you have been divorced, please contact the vicar, as he may agree to the wedding and ask you to give your notice of marriage to the register office. Please contact the vicar or register office if you need further advice.

Please also see changes to how weddings are registered.

Other churches/religious buildings

If you are getting married in any other religious building, you must still give notice as if you were getting married in a register office for the district where you live. The church or religious building must normally be situated in the district where you or your partner live, unless either of you usually go to worship in that building. You may also get married in another district if there is no building of your religion in the district where you or your partner lives. Please contact the register office if you need further advice.

Please also see changes to how weddings are registered.

Fees for registrar

A registrar from the district covering the building must be present at the wedding. Alternatively, the governing body of the religious building can choose someone to register the marriage instead of the registrar.

If the registrar from the local register office is required to attend, the fee will be £88 (including the marriage certificate).

Getting married in approved civil venues

Civil marriages are permitted in buildings other than a place of worship or register office. Venues must have been approved by local authorities as a suitable venue for civil marriages.

These venues can include hotels, restaurants and civil buildings. Marriages are not allowed to take place outdoors in temporary or moveable structures such as marquees or boats.

Arranging a wedding at an approved venue

To arrange a wedding at an approved venue, you must first contact the venue to make provisional arrangements and then the register office of the district in which the venue is located. This is to make sure the registrar can attend your wedding on the day and at the time you have chosen.

If you wish to provisionally book a date and time with the register office before giving your legal notice of marriage, you may do so. This will secure your day and time but you must pay a booking fee of £30 which is not refundable.

You will still need to give your notice of marriage to the district where you live and you will have to give your marriage authority or authorities to the register office in the district where you are getting married.

In addition to the ceremony fees, there is a further £11 per certificate required.

A deposit is payable at the time of booking your ceremony which is 50% of the fee and is not refundable.

The final balance of payment is due three months before your ceremony date.

In the event of cancellation within three months of your ceremony you will not be entitled to a refund.

After booking your ceremony, please be aware that a £30 administration charge is applicable should you wish to change the date or time.

Fees are reviewed annually every April. This will apply to all ceremonies taking place on or after this date. 

Details of our fees.

Times registrars will attend approved venues

  • Monday to Friday - 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm, 5pm
  • Saturday and Sunday - 1pm, 2.30pm, 4pm, 5.30pm

Approved venues

AC Hotel Salford Quays
17-19 Trafford Road
Salford Quays
M5 3AW
Telephone: 0161 875 5305

AJ Bell Stadium 
1 Stadium Way 
Eccles
Telephone: 0161 786 1570
Email: ajbellstadiumevents@azure.uk.com

Albert's Worsley
East Lancashire Road
Salford
M27 0AA
Telephone: 0161 794 1234

Copthorne Hotel Manchester
Clippers Quay
Salford Quays
Salford
Telephone: 0161 873 7321

Fivefourstudiosltd
54 Oldfield Road
Salford
Telephone: 0161 737 7341

Host Social
Blue Tower
Salford Quays
M50 2ST
Telephone: 0161 686 5555

Marriott Worsley Park Hotel and Country Club
Worsley Park
Worsley
Telephone: 0161 799 6187

Monton Sports Club
Welbeck Road
Eccles
M30 9£H
Telephone: 0161 789 0377

Novotel Manchester
Worsley Brow
Worsley
Telephone: 0161 799 3535

Ordsall Hall Museum
Ordsall Hall
322 Ordsall Lane
Salford
Telephone: 0161 872 0251
Email: ordsallhallweddings@scll.co.uk

Salford Lads and Girls Club
St Ignatius Walk
Salford
M5 3RX
Telephone: 0161 872 3767

Swinton Masonic Hall
Hospital Road
Swinton
M27 4EY
Telephone: 0161 794 5377

The Botanist
Orange Building
MediaCityUK
Salford
M50 2HE
Email: mediacitybookings@thebotanist.uk.com

The Deck 747
Taurus Hangar
City Airport Barton
Liverpool Road
Eccles
M30 7SA
Telephone: 07860524076
Email: drew@doors2manual.org

The Lowry
Pier 8
Salford Quays
Salford
Telephone: 0161 876 2045

The Lowry Hotel
Dearmans Place
Salford
Telephone: 0161 827 4000

The Station
Station Road
Irlam
M44 5ZR
Telephone: 0161 222 1923

Venues owned by Salford City Council

The Court House, Worsley
Barton Road
Worsley
Telephone: 0161 793 3670

Buile Hill Park Hall
Buile Hill Park
Eccles Old Road
Salford
Telephone: 0161 793 3670

You can also get married in the Salford Register Office.

One day your way

One day your way is your opportunity to create your own unique and personal day unlike any other wedding you have attended.

Currently the law in England and Wales states that legal marriages and civil partnerships can only take place in a venue that is legally licensed for marriages to take place, however there may be venues in which you would like to celebrate your marriage amongst your family and friends that do not hold a licence or in the grounds and gardens of a licensed venue, which would not normally be covered by the licence.

The choices are limitless. Have you thought of a marquee in the garden of your home, or marriage on the deck of a boat or at another spot very special to yourselves? Perhaps in the garden of your favourite licenced venue after an intimate legal ceremony indoors. You will also have the freedom of adding religious or cultural traditions.

Whether quirky or vintage, modern or traditional, one day your way offers an endless choice and a truly personalised service in a venue that could not be normally licensed for marriages, whilst covering all the legalities. A legal ceremony would be held at the Register Office with bride, groom and two witnesses, followed by a celebratory ceremony your way.

One day your way package includes a bespoke ceremony in two parts:

  • A legal ceremony at the register office (Tuesdays only)
  • Celebratory Ceremony at a venue which would not normally be eligible for licensing for marriages or civil partnerships, or outside in the garden of a licensed venue

Further information

  • Provisional bookings to reserve both dates and times
  • Both a legal and celebratory certificate
  • The package does not include your legal preliminaries (Notice of Marriage)

See our fees page for details of costs and email us at marriages@salford.gov.uk for more information.

Ceremonies in a foreign country

If you are getting married or entering into a civil partnership outside of England and Wales different rules apply depending on the country where you choose to have your ceremony. 

You should always consult with the authorities in the country where you are planning to have your ceremony in the first instance. This is to ensure you have all the legal paperwork required prior to your ceremony taking place and you may also be asked to complete legal paperwork within that country. 

You may also be asked to provide a ‘Certificate of No Impediment’ which confirms there are no objections to a proposed marriage or civil partnership, and some countries may ask for this. If you live in Salford, the Register Office can sometimes provide this document, however they cannot be issued for all countries due to various legislation, and therefore you should telephone the Register Office for advice.   

If you do need further advice on getting married or having a civil partnership abroad, you must provide the nationality for BOTH of you, where you both reside and also the country where you wish to hold your ceremony. 

You may also check the GOV.UK website for further information on ceremonies outside England and Wales, and if a certificate of no impediment is required. Sometimes this certificate of no impediment may need further legalisation with an apostille certificate, or a legal translation. You should check with the authorities of the country who is conducting your ceremony for this. The Register Office will not be able to advise you after issuing the certificate of no impediment.

Please note you cannot give notice in England or Wales, and therefore cannot have a certificate of no impediment for a ceremony in a Commonwealth country, Northern Ireland or the Irish Republic.

Downloadable documents

If you are unable to view documents of these types, our downloads page provides links to viewing software.

This page was last updated on 15 November 2023

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