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You don’t need a big fancy venue or a traditional church setting to make your wedding as magical as possible – especially when getting hitched in the fabulous city of Edinburgh.
If you’re planning on getting married in Scotland via an Edinburgh registry office wedding, we’ve put together an extensive guide on everything you need to know. Let’s get started, shall we?!
Edinburgh Registry Office Wedding: Everything You Need to Know
Big traditional church weddings aren’t for everyone, so if you’d rather celebrate your big day your way, and in a non-orthodox manner, here’s what you need to do if you plan on going down the registry office route.
Edinburgh City Chambers
Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities in the UK, and is certainly a gorgeous place to get married – and luckily for you, there are plenty of non-traditional places to tie the knot.
First up is Edinburgh City Chambers, which is located in one of the most fabulous areas of the city- the Royal Mile in Old Town.
Getting hitched in a registry office may not sound particularly romantic or glamorous, but an Edinburgh City Chambers wedding is actually just that. Not only is there a varied selection of rooms/suites to choose from, but the Edinburgh skyline backdrop makes for some pretty impressive wedding photos!
City Chambers combines opulence with practicality, which is the ideal combination for a registry office wedding. The venue offers three civil ceremony rooms to choose from:
- Alexander Suite, which can house up to 36 guests and is kitted out with decadent chandeliers and fragrant white flowers.
- European Room, which blends a feeling of royalty with a dose of art gallery vibes, and can host up to 70 guests.
- The Wee Neuk, which, as the name suggests, is the smallest of the 3 suites, and is ideal for those favouring an elopement. This room can accommodate the couple, the registrar, and the two witnesses only, and is open for bookings between Monday to Thursday only.
Photography by Wildling Weddings
Edinburgh City Chambers Wedding
As well as hiring one of the three suites that Edinburgh City Chambers has to offer, the venue also provides a registration service that couples can enjoy, which includes one of three catering packages:
Canapé Reception Package
(Based on a minimum of 12 guests)
- 3 canapés per person & 2 glasses of prosecco/premium soft drink – £27 p/p
- 4 canapés per person & 2 glasses of prosecco/premium soft drink – £32 p/p
- 5 canapés per person & 3 glasses of prosecco/premium soft drink – £39 p/p
Banqueting Package
(Based on a minimum of 20 guests)
- 3-course wedding banqueting menu (including a glass of prosecco on arrival, a bottle of wine per table, crisp white linen, crockery, glassware, cutlery, and a chef and event manager to run your day) – £62 p/p
- 3-course wedding banqueting menu and a selection of 3 canapés (including a glass of prosecco on arrival, a bottle of wine per table, crisp white linen, crockery, glassware, cutlery, and a chef and event manager to run your day) – £79 p/p
Afternoon Tea Package
(Based on a minimum of 15 guests)
- Glass of prosecco on arrival, unlimited tea/coffee, 3 sweets & 3 savoury items, freshly-baked scones with jam and clotted cream, and crisp white table linen – £29 p/p
- 2 glasses of prosecco on arrival, unlimited tea/coffee, 4 sweets & 4 savoury items, Freshly-baked scones with jam and clotted cream, crisp white table linen – £36 p/p
Ceremonies at the Edinburgh City Chambers
Whatever type of ceremony you require – be it civil, religious/belief*, or humanist, Edinburgh City Chambers can cater to you to ensure you have a unique, personalised ceremony at your chosen venue – meaning you don’t necessarily have to get hitched at the Chambers.
On the contrary, you can have the ceremony anywhere you please (restaurants, hotels, and castles, oh my!), and the Edinburgh registrar will gladly perform their duty.
*Naturally, a religious/belief ceremony will need to take place in a registered place of worship.
Photography by Wildling Weddings
Edinburgh Registry Office Wedding Cost
The Edinburgh City Council has a three-tier fee option, which offers different prices according to varying factors (such as the day of the week you’re planning your ceremony, etc).
All information can be found here.
Edinburgh Registry Office Wedding Venues
Edinburgh’s City Council has a selection of affiliated venues in which you can get married/elope. These are:
- City Chambers – Alexander Suite
- City Chambers – European Suite
- City Chambers – The Wee Neuk
- South Queensferry – Forth View Ceremony Room
- South Queensferry – Dalmeny Room
For more information, or to book your ceremony venue, click me.
Edinburgh Registry Office Wedding Photos
Whether you’re planning a bigger Edinburgh registry office wedding (with 20+ guests) or something small and intimate with only a smattering of participants, your wedding photos will be beautiful and completely tailored to you and your spouse’s unique and wonderful personalities.
A registry office wedding isn’t any less romantic and scenic than a ceremony in a fancy hotel or an old stone-built chapel, and just some of the registry office nuptials Wildling Weddings has photographed can be seen here, here, and here!
Photography by Wildling Weddings
Where to Celebrate Your Edinburgh Registry Office Wedding Reception
If you’d rather forgo any registry office wedding packages and enjoy your post-ceremony celebrations in an alternative venue, the good news is that there is no shortage of fabulous Edinburgh venues to hold your reception.
Here are just some of our favourite local options:
The Witchery by the Castle
As deliciously gothic as it sounds, the Witchery by the Castle is one of Edinburgh’s best-loved and most sought-after restaurants and hotels.
Combining fairytale romance with spellbinding opulence, the Witchery can be found in one of the city’s most historical buildings that dates back to 1595. Fast-forward several centuries and you can find yourself eating and boarding in one of Edinburgh’s atmospheric venues, which features fine dining options, an award-winning wine list, delicious cocktails, and boutique-style bedrooms.
The perfect reception venue for those who like old-school extravagance and incredible food.
The Dome
The Witchery can get booked up pretty quickly, so a lovely alternative is The Dome on George Street. Featuring marble bars, a Georgian tea room, the Rose Street Garden, the WhyNot Nightclub, one seriously mouthwatering menu, and a to-die-for wine list, The Dome offers a private dining space for wedding/civil ceremony meals.
As well as this, the venue offers an event coordination team to make sure your day is unforgettable and completely bespoke. This includes the chef working with you to create your ideal menu.
Dundas Castle
Scotland is known for its abundance of castles, and Edinburgh Castle isn’t the only chateau-esque venue in the city!
Located in South Queensferry, just outside of Edinburgh, Dundas Castle is a 5-star 15th-century venue that is regal, royal, and ENORMOUS (definitely better for larger wedding celebrations, although not exclusively).
For couples who want a fairytale backdrop for their celebrations, Dundas Castle will not disappoint, and the in-house team works closely with wedding parties of all sizes to ensure a magical day is had by all.
Photography by Wildling Weddings
The Rowantree
Those who favour a venue a little on the unorthodox side will LOVE The Rowantree in the city’s historical Old Town.
This venue is so loved by the Scots that it is even mentioned in Robert Ferguson’s poem, Cauler Oysters, and has had some seriously famous guests over the years, including Rabbie Burns, Deacon Brodie, and even Benjamin Franklin.
As well as being cosy, mysterious, and steeped in history, The Rowantree lends itself to some of the best (and most unusual) wedding celebrations in the city.
Marlins Wynd
Edinburgh is infamous for its vaults and cellars, many of which can be found in the city’s elusive and super-historic Old Town area, and Marlins Wynd is no exception.
If we had to sum up this venue in one word, it would be ‘enchanting’, with its 15th-century stone walls, wrought iron staircases, and a plethora of pillar candles ensuring a magical wedding celebration.
Photography by Wildling Weddings
FAQs
Yes, you are perfectly within your rights to get married at a registry office in Scotland as a mixed-sex or same-sex couple, as long as the nuptials have been agreed upon and approved by both the couple and a registration authority.
Fees vary from location to location but the average registry office wedding in the UK is around £350. This fee covers everything including the venue, the marriage license fee, the certificate, the booking fee, etc. Be mindful that costs may be higher if you’re planning on getting married on a bank holiday.
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