Weston-Super-Mare Registration Office - The Old Town Hall - Somerset Registration Services

Marriages & Partnerships

Your guide to getting married or forming a civil partnership in Somerset & North Somerset.

Weston-super-Mare Registration Office at The Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall, built in 1856, is home to Weston-super-Mare Registration Office. It’s a beautiful landmark at the heart of the Victorian seaside town. Surrounded by pubs and hotels for receptions and a stone’s throw from the beach, it’s a really wonderful and affordable place to have your ceremony.

This page aims to give you all the information you need about how ceremonies work at Weston Registration Office, from when to arrive to how the guests are seated. Let us know all the details we need to include to personalise your ceremony on your Pre Ceremony Check Form.

weston town hall

What your booking includes

Because this venue is run on a Register Office basis, when you make a booking it automatically includes your registrars. There's no need to book them separately as you would with an independent venue. Your booking also includes one copy of your certificate (you can request extra when making your payment.)

Timing

Couples having a full ceremony in the Hutton Suite or Council Chamber often don’t want to see each other beforehand. If so, one partner should arrive 20 minutes before the ceremony time and the other should arrive 10 minutes after that. The first partner will be interviewed and then taken to the ceremony room. The second partner is then interviewed just before the ceremony begins. If you are happy to be interviewed together then you should arrive 15 minutes before your ceremony is due to start.

We expect couples having a simple 2+2 ceremony in our small office to arrive together with their witnesses no more than 15 minutes before the ceremony time. Our team may be conducting other appointments until just before your ceremony. We don’t have separate reception staff so they will come and greet you as soon as they can.

Ceremonies have a 1 hour time slot in our diaries. This includes up to half an hour for the ceremony itself, time to seat the guests and photo opportunities afterwards. There are normally several ceremonies every day, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays, so it’s essential that we keep things running smoothly.

Access for ceremonies at Weston Registration Office

The Register Office is in the original buildings of the Old Town Hall. The ceremony entrance is around the corner from the Library entrance, towards the town centre. There are large glass doors marked “Ceremony Entrance”. Visitors need to press the buzzer and staff will come and let them in. Please aim to arrive at the time advised, no earlier, as the team may be conducting other appointments.

Parking

There is no public parking at the office. The nearest public car parks are on Carlton Street, Station Road and High Street.

You can find details of Weston-super-Mare car parks here.

Disabled access

There is no disabled parking available at Weston Registration Office. The nearby public car parks all have disabled bays. The Hutton Suite and Council Chamber are on the ground floor. The small office for the statutory 2+2 ceremonies is up a couple of steps inside the building. There is a lift available.

Guests & Seating at Taunton Register Office Ceremonies

Guests for full ceremonies should arrive 10 minutes before the ceremony but no earlier. This avoids clashing with the preceding wedding party’s exit. Seating is up to you to organise – this is often the best man’s job. Do remember to reserve seats at the front for any escorts in the entrance party such as bridesmaids or father of the bride. You don’t need to save seats for the couple as they will be standing throughout. Witnesses don’t need to be seated at the front. However it should be easy for them to hear the words of the ceremony and to make their way to the front for signing the schedule. Anyone who is performing a reading should have easy access to make their way to the front.

weston super mare town hall

Room Information

The Hutton Suite and Council Chamber are both on the ground floor. In both rooms chairs are set out in rows either side of a central aisle. You will enter from the back of the room and walk down the aisle to the registrar’s table at the far end of the room. Because there are several ceremonies a day, it’s not possible to change the layout of the seating between ceremonies. The Hutton suite holds 40 and the Council Chamber holds 60. This doesn’t include the couple, registrars or photographer. Children are included in the total, other than babies under 1.

See our Costs page for up to date prices.

Music

Music for full ceremonies is played through our Bluetooth speakers. All tracks need to be downloaded on to a device with Bluetooth connection and operated by someone in the wedding party. This is often the best man’s job. The registrars will let them know when to start and stop the music. Please don’t rely on streaming music from Spotify etc on the day.

Decoration

The room is simply dressed for ceremonies already. As there normally several weddings a day and a very quick changeover there isn’t time to decorate between each individual ceremony. If you want to provide order of ceremony cards you can place hand these out as guests enter or place them on chairs just before the ceremony. Do please nominate someone to collect up any spares afterwards. You can also bring your own flower arrangement for the registrar’s table if you wish, but this isn’t necessary.

The only dogs that we allow at our own venues are registered service animals such as guide dogs or hearing dogs. This doesn't include emotional support animals. Please let us know in advance if any animals are due to attend in case of staff allergies.

Confetti

We have an eco-friendly confetti policy at our venues. Please only throw biodegradable paper and petals or blow bubbles – no plastic or glitter please as this won’t break down naturally. We also ask that you don’t throw rice, despite the tradition, as it attracts unwanted furry friends!

Photo Opportunities

Your photographer is very welcome to take photos during the ceremony. Just get them to introduce themselves to the registrar so they can coordinate movements. Wedding parties often gather to take photos outside, or head to the seafront for some beach shots.