What does an approved-venue ceremony cost?

Two bills, not one

The venue charges you for the space, and often for exclusive use of a licensed room, which is a commercial charge set by the venue itself and can vary hugely depending on the property and the date.

Separately, the registration service for the district where the venue sits charges a fee for sending registrars to conduct the ceremony there. This is usually higher than a standard in-house register office ceremony, because it covers travel and out-of-office attendance.

Why the venue must be legally approved

Not every hotel or country house can host a legal ceremony — the building has to hold a local authority approval for civil marriages. An approved venue can show you its approval; if it cannot, the ceremony will not be legally valid there.

Approval covers the venue and specific rooms within it, so check that the exact room you are booking is the one covered.

Getting accurate figures

Ask the venue for its all-in ceremony charge and ask the local registration service directly for its current attendance fee — do not assume the venue's quoted price includes the registrars.

• Confirm which registration district the venue falls in, as this decides who quotes the registrar fee
• Ask whether weekday ceremonies at the venue cost less than weekends
• Check what is refundable if a date changes