Booking your civil ceremony at the register office venue

Portsmouth Register Office at Milldam House offers two ceremony room options. Couples using either room can have photographs taken on the period staircase and in the award-winning garden.

To view ceremony rooms at the register office or make a provisional booking, contact the register office:

• email ceremonies@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• call 023 9282 9041

You can find the register office opening hours and contact details.

Please note: we can only assist with marriages and civil partnerships taking place in Portsmouth (PO1 to PO6). For ceremonies outside this area, contact the register office for that district.

The ceremonies room is on the first floor, and is accessible by our feature staircase or lift. This room is available at half hour intervals Monday to Saturday, 10am to 3.30pm (10am to 3pm on Saturdays). You can have music, extra vows or a personal reading (all optional). Any music, personal vows or readings should be non-religious.

Before the ceremony couples can be seen together or separately, and the room is suitable for the bridal party to make an entrance. Depending on the day and time of your ceremony there could be some outside noise from guests from later or earlier ceremony parties.

Please note: The capacity of our Milldam House ceremony room is 45 guests. This includes the guests, bridesmaids, best person etc, but does not include the couple or one photographer. Animals are not allowed in the building, with the exception of service or assistance animals.

Accessibility: Milldam House has good step-free access at the front of the building and there is a lift for customers to use to reach the first-floor ceremony room. Read more about the lift size and doorway measurements.

Statutory ceremonies take place in the Superintendent Registrar’s office. They’re available on Wednesday mornings only and is usually booked up for at least 6 months in advance.

This is not a formal ceremony room. The ceremony is very basic and won’t include any readings, personal vows or music. You are, however, welcome to exchange rings if you wish to.

The ceremony will last approximately 10 minutes, and you will be asked to arrive together 15 minutes before your ceremony start time.