Personalising your special day

Wedding photographs and videos are special mementoes that capture the unforgettable moments of your day. They create lasting memories you can treasure forever and share with friends and family.

Before the ceremony begins, the registrar will explain the rules around photography and video recording. This helps maintain the dignity of the occasion while allowing you to capture beautiful memories of your special day.

After you have given your Notice of Marriage or Civil Partnership, you will receive a ceremony pack. This includes a guidance note, which we encourage you to share with your photographer or videographer so they understand the boundaries we must work within. If you have any special requests, please note these on your checklist.

For more information, please see:

• Photographer / Videographer Guidance notes (PDF)

If you have chosen music as part of your ceremony please note that, by law, music with a religious context cannot be used in a civil ceremony. If you need inspiration, we have a selection of music to choose from in our registration ceremony suites, both classical and modern genres.

Please check with your chosen venue as to the music facilities they have in order, to ensure what you provide is compatible. For ceremonies taking place in registration suites our staff will advise the format we will require. Search our directory of Registration Ceremony Suites and Approved Venues here:

Ceremony venues directory

If you would like live music, a choir, singers or your guests to join you in song, this is possible but only in approved venues and not the registration suites.

We would need to know what music or lyrics are intended and how and who will be performing.

For Bespoke Worcestershire ceremonies, religious content is permissible, as a celebration ceremony does not form part of the legal process.

For more information, see:

• Bespoke Worcestershire

Traditionally, confetti is said to bring prosperity to the newly married couple and is a lovely way to celebrate.

Please feel free to use it outside at any of our registration offices, but please help us look after the environment by using biodegradable confetti or petals.

Approved venues will have their own arrangements and should be contacted directly for details. 

Confetti is available to purchase in all our registration offices.

We are often asked for subdued lighting or candlelight at ceremonies. Unfortunately, we are unable to have naked flames within our registration offices. 

Please be aware that the registrars attending will need to have a clear, well-lit area whilst conducting and completing the legal documentation.

Please note that naked flames will not be allowed on the table that is used by the registrar. If you require further information, please contact us.

Approved venues will have their own arrangements and should be contacted directly for details.

All our registration office ceremony suites have silk floral arrangements in neutral colours.

You are welcome to provide your own flowers or floral arrangements, especially if you want them to fit into a particular colour scheme. Please note these will need to be removed following the ceremony.

Floral arrangements in approved venues will need to be discussed with the venue.

We are unable to permit any other decoration in our registration ceremony suites, for example seat covers or banners. 

Please be aware that any decorations must be of non-religious or cultural nature. 

For decorations in approved venues, please contact the venue directly. Most venues allow you to decorate as you wish, but do contact them to check any restrictions or requirements.

If you have chosen a theme for your ceremony, please talk to us and we will do our utmost to fit in with your wishes.

Our registrars have been known to enter into the spirit of a themed celebration, including:

• wearing specific colours
• wearing a dinosaur hat!
• wearing a cloak in keeping with a medieval theme
• dressed-up in Country and Western clothes
• and even wear Star Wars themed items!

We will always do our best to help you with a theme, including a DC Comics theme where we had the lovely compliment below:

 “We were so happy that the Registrar was prepared to be our Superhero”. 

Please discuss any theme ideas well in advance of your ceremony.