Terms and conditions for Haversham Room ceremonies

Bracknell Forest Council will provide appropriate staff to conduct the legal formalities of your wedding ceremony and may substitute other experienced and qualified staff in the case of sickness or other unforeseen circumstances on the day.

Make sure your guests arrive at least 20 minutes before the ceremony and that they are all seated so that the ceremony will start at the arranged time. It is not the responsibility of the registrars attending to organise the guests.

Bracknell Forest Council will not delay any ceremony taking place after yours. If it is not possible to conduct your ceremony due to the lateness of you or your guests, you may have to cancel or re-schedule your ceremony (subject to availability). In both cases extra fees could apply.

The final decision as to whether it is possible to conduct your ceremony due to the lateness of you or your guests is that of Bracknell Forest Council’s Superintendent Registrar (or Deputy).

Should the bride, groom and sufficient suitable witnesses be available at the time your wedding is due to start, we will not delay the start of the ceremony, should any guests be delayed for any reason.

We will send you a link to your ceremony choices form to enable you to personalise your ceremony. This will include a choice of readings, music and additional vows (subject to the ceremony remaining appropriate and dignified).

Fill in and return your ceremony choices at least 2 weeks before the ceremony date. Failure to do so may result in a standard wedding ceremony taking place.

Any personalisation of your ceremony must contain no religious content whatsoever. This includes readings from passages contained in any religious publications or religious music. This is a legal requirement for a civil marriage.

Your choices for music, readings, additional vows or any other spoken content must be submitted to the Superintendent Registrar (or Deputy) for approval before your ceremony.

Should the Superintendent Registrar (or Deputy) need to refuse any submission of readings, vows, other spoken content or music, they will aim to explain the reason why.

The Superintendent Registrar (or Deputy) will make the final decision on any wording and music submitted and Bracknell Forest Council will not accept any liability for any omission or refusal.

All choices of music must be provided on a suitable and agreed device. Please nominate one of your guests to operate your device and make sure that you have the correct connections as the registration staff will not be able to operate this for you.

Any failure in the playing of your chosen music, is not the responsibility of Bracknell Forest Council or the registration staff and Bracknell Forest Council will not accept any liability for such failure.

You may bring a single table decoration (floral) if you wish, which must be removed at the end of the ceremony.

Unfortunately it is not possible to personalise the existing room decoration or alter the room layout in any way.

You are welcome to throw dried or fresh flower petals or use bubbles within the grounds of the building. We care about the environment so the use of other confetti is not permitted, either within the Haversham Room or in the grounds of South Hill Park.

The number of guests in the Haversham Room must not exceed the licensed capacity. Guests include babies, children, witnesses for your wedding and anyone hired for photographs or video recording.

It is the responsibility of the bride and groom to make sure the maximum capacity is not compromised and to make the necessary decisions as to who may need to leave should this be the case, before the ceremony can start.

The Superintendent Registrar (or Deputy) has the right not to conduct any ceremony where they find that any part of the ceremony compromises the health and safety of themselves or others.

Fireworks, candles or similar matter of any description are not permitted at South Hill Park both inside or outside.

Electrical devices are not allowed to be plugged into any electrical sockets.

Smoking is not permitted in the Haversham Room.

No food and drink is to be taken into the Haversham Room.

Anyone obviously under the influence of alcohol or drugs or who is abusive, will be asked by the Superintendent Registrar (or Deputy) to leave the room and the ceremony will not proceed should that person(s) not comply.

Animals, including your own pets, are not permitted in the Haversham Room. Guide dogs may attend with their owners.

All children attending the ceremony must be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult who may be asked to take them out of the room should they become distressed or disruptive.

If the couple wish to arrive separately, the first party should make themselves available to the registration staff at least 30 minutes before the ceremony start time.

Party two should arrive at least 15 minutes before the agreed ceremony start time.

If the couple is arriving together, both should arrive and make themselves available to the registration staff at least 20 minutes before the ceremony start time.

We are not responsible for making sure that there is adequate parking and facilities for you and your guests at South Hill Park, including parking for any disabled guests or those with any special requirements. It is your responsibility to make sure that you and your guests have given yourselves enough time to arrive and park as advised before the agreed start time of your ceremony.

You and your guests must not park in any disabled parking bays (unless entitled to do so). Any vehicles (such as wedding limousines, buses, and coaches) being used by you or your guests must not block any existing public car park spaces or emergency access points.

Guests will be asked to gather in the Garden Room (subject to availability) before the ceremony to allow access through the Tall Hall for members of the public.

You and your guests will be respectful of other groups at South Hill Park who may be using the venues facilities and be considerate of neighbours living in the vicinity of the venue, especially in regard to such matters as noise and parking.

South Hill Park is a public space and that other activities (inside and out) may be taking place at the same time as your ceremony. You have no exclusivity to any space inside or outside South Hill Park and Bracknell Forest Council have no influence about other activities taking place.

It is a legal requirement that you provide 2 witnesses for your ceremony. If either of you need an interpreter they must also act as one of your witnesses.

Witnesses should be over the age of 16 years and be able to speak and understand English. The final decision on whether a witness speaks and understands enough English to witness the ceremony lies with the Superintendent Registrar (or Deputy).

If any of your guests cannot speak English and you wish to provide an interpreter, this will be at your own expense and they will count as a guest.

All mobile phones and other electrical devices should be switched off or set to silent during the ceremony.

Guests need to remain seated during the ceremony while any official photographs are being taken. Due to time constraints photographs are restricted to immediate family only (parents, siblings, grandparents and witnesses).

Any official photographer or nominated individual may take photographs during the ceremony with your agreement, but they are must not cause any unnecessary delays or interrupt the conduct of the ceremony. Guests may take photographs from their seats if they wish, with your agreement.

We are happy for you to video or live stream your ceremony, but some restrictions may apply and must be agreed with the Superintendent Registrar (or Deputy) before the ceremony. Such activity must not cause any unnecessary delays or interrupt the conduct of the ceremony.