Civil Ceremony & Civil Partnerships

Under the 1949 Marriage and 2004 Civil Partnership Acts, Saxon Hall was granted approval for use in civil ceremonies and partnerships by Essex County Council. At our wedding venue, highly trained and experienced staff will help every step of the way.

Our Licensed Suites

The Essex

A civil ceremony can be held in our Essex Suite, which is located on the ground level and can accommodate up to 140 guests. The room, panelled in oak, radiates a bright and welcoming atmosphere and conveys an ecclesiastical feel.

The Maplin

The Maplin Suite can accommodate up to 100 guests, and is also located on the ground floor. Natural daylight benefits the room, making it an increasingly popular choice for use as the ceremony room.

The Olympic

This suite features high ceilings, a separate entrance, cloakroom and air conditioning. It is ideal for smaller ceremonies. The suite is adjoined to our stunning Jubilee Suite, making it ideal to be opened up for your Wedding Breakfast and evening reception. This room is also on the ground floor.

The Saxon

Offering a unique feel, the Saxon Suite is ideal for larger ceremonies and can be opened up to reveal additional tiered seating. As with our other suites it is also situated on the ground floor.

Essex County Council grants a licence covering the use of all the above suites for renewal of vows, naming ceremonies, and similar occasions. Contact the Register Office at 01268 361352 for details on any of these ceremonies.

For more information please use the link at the bottom of the page to visit Castlepoint & Rochford Registration Office. We have also included some guidance below on holding civil ceremonies & partnerships which we hope you will find useful.

Guidance for couples marrying on approved premises

1. Once you have made provisional arrangements for your marriage on approved premises, you should contact the superintendent Registrar in the district where the premises are located. i.e. Castle Point & Rochford.
2. Without the presence of this superintendent registrar there can be no marriage and any arrangements for that use of the premises depend entirely on their availability.
3. Please note that any arrangements made for the marriage to take place on the approved premises are dependent on:
   • the attendance of the superintendent registrar and a registrar for the district in which the premises are situated
   • the issue of the authority or authorities for marriage by the superintendent registrar(s) to whom notice of marriage was given
4. You are advised that any ceremony conducted on approved premises shall not be religious in nature. In particular, the ceremony shall not:
   • include extracts from an authorised religious marriage service or from sacred religious texts
   • be led by a minister of religion or other religious leader
   • involve a religious ritual or series of rituals
   • include hymns or other religious chants
   • include any form of worship