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Civil ceremonies – approved Portsmouth venues
Contact details and room capacities for all approved venues
Portsmouth has a wonderful selection of approved venues, from the register office to historic warships, hotels, theatres and museums. Once you’ve provisionally booked the venue of your choice, check with Portsmouth register office that a registrar will be able to attend on your chosen date, and discuss a time for the ceremony.
Find out more about Portsmouth’s historic wedding venues
Contact the register office if you would like to view ceremony rooms at the register office or make a provisional booking.
Email registrars@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call 023 9282 9041. Write to or visit us at Milldam House, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3AF. Our opening hours are 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.
For emergencies outside normal office hours on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, or for help arranging a marriage involving someone who is terminally ill, please contact 023 9282 2251.
Booking your civil ceremony - the register office venue
Portsmouth Register Office, Milldam House, offers two room options. Couples using either room can have photographs taken on the period staircase and in the award-winning garden.
Portsmouth Register Office – Mildam House ceremonies room (2 to 45 guests)
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 (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.
Portsmouth Register Office – statutory ceremony in Superintendent Registrar’s office (2 to 4 guests)
Our statutory ceremony is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9.30am. Please note that this is not a formal ceremony room. Music, personal vows or readings are not permitted. Due to the location of this ceremony room you may hear phones ringing and people talking at the reception area during your ceremony.
Becoming a wedding venue
For more information on becoming an approved wedding venue, contact Licensing by email at licensing@portsmouthcc.gov.uk phone 023 9283 4073 or write to Licensing Service, Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL.
List of approved venues
Below is the full list of venues currently approved to hold marriage and civil partnership ceremonies in Portsmouth.
For a ceremony at an approved venue, you will need to check availability with both the venue and the registrars at Portsmouth Register Office. The registrars will advise you of their fees to attend the venue and officiate at your ceremony; the venue will advise you of their fees separately.
Please note that the room capacities listed must include the couple and all their guests, the two registrars that will attend your ceremony, any venue staff, photographers or musicians.
| Portsmouth approved venues | Phone | Rooms and capacities* |
|---|---|---|
| City Museum Museum Road, PO1 2LJ | 023 9283 4737 | Esther Room 60, Activities Room 50 |
| Groundlings Theatre 42 Kent Street, PO1 3BT | 023 9273 7370 | Cafe 70, Auditorium 200 |
| HMS Warrior 1860 HM Naval Base, PO1 3QX | 023 9283 9766 | Captain’s Cabin 30, Half Deck 100 |
| Holiday Inn Victoria Avenue Southsea Portsmouth, PO1 2TA | 0333 320 9345 | Victory Suite 40, Solent Suite 80, Normandy Suite 160 |
| The Innlodge Hotel Burrfields Road PO3 5HH | 023 9265 0510 | Salterns suite 60, Executive suite 170, Garden Room 200 |
| Mary Rose Museum Dock 3, Main Road, H.M Naval Base, Portsmouth, PO1 3PY | 023 9281 2931 | Wardroom 20, Upper deck gallery 50, Admiral's Gallery 100 |
| Portsmouth Football Club Frogmore Road, Fratton, PO4 8RA | 0345 646 1989 | Alliance lounge 85, The Victory Lounge 325 |
| Portsmouth Guildhall Guildhall Square, PO1 2AB | 023 9387 0182 | Portsmouth room 100, Lord Mayor's Banqueting Room 110 |
| Portsmouth Harbour Yacht Club The Port House, Marina Keep, PO6 4TH | 023 9238 5389 | Regatta room 80, Cruiser room 120, Ocean suite 200 |
| Portsmouth Marriott Southampton Road Portsmouth, PO6 4SH | 023 9238 3151 | Chichester Suite 50, Heritage Suite 120, Mary Rose Suite 250 |
| Queens Hotel Clarence Parade Southsea, PO5 3LT | 023 9282 2466 | Princess Room 100, Elizabeth Room 150 |
| Royal Beach Hotel 1 St Helens Parade PO4 0RN | 023 9273 1281 | Endurance Suite 30, Fearless Suite 60, Intrepid Suite 60 |
| Royal Maritime Club Queen Street, PO13 3HS | 023 9282 4231 | Trafalgar ballroom balcony 80, Nelson Lounge 100, Trafalgar ballroom 250 |
| Royal Naval Club & Royal Albert Yacht Club 7 Pembroke Road, PO1 2NT | 023 9282 5924 | Osborne room 80, Trafalgar room 100 |
| Southsea Castle Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, PO5 3PA | 023 9283 4737 | The Keep 60, the Workshop 60, the Marquee 120 |
| Spinnaker Tower Gunwharf Quays, PO1 3TT | 023 9285 7520 | View Deck two 70, Waterfront Cafe 70 |
| Spitbank Fort The Solent, Hampshire | 023 9280 9767 | Victory Room 60, Officers Mess 60, The Crow's Nest 60 |
| Square Tower Broad St, Old Portsmouth, PO1 2JE | 07519 505 785 | Upper Hall 80, Lower hall 100 |
| Village Hotel Lakeshore Drive, Portsmouth, PO6 3FR | 023 9200 6199 | Main Function Suite 182, Smaller Function Room 28 |
*Please note that the room capacities listed must include the couple and all their guests, the two registrars that will attend your ceremony, any venue staff, photographers or musicians.
