Can you get married in a graveyard?

[Seaweed16]

Can you get married in a graveyard or does it have to be in the church?

Don't see why not?

I doubt it. Not legally but would a vicar want you to? Probably not.

I mean where? Between the stones, on the pathway? You couldn't have almost any guests. And why?

Not yet, I think. It has just become legal to have valid wedding ceremonies outdoors in the UK, but if you read the rules carefully, it looks like the new rules only apply to non-religious ceremonies at licensed premises; rule changes for religious weddings may come later.

www.gov.uk/government/news/outdoor-civil-wedding-and-partnership-registrations-to-be-legalised

Are you talking about law or whether you'd actually get a vicar to agree? And you are you asking because of a "theme" or because you want to do it next to a loved ones grave, for example?

Becuase I imagine that the graveyard itself will count as part of the church (if they're on the same plot of land) so it would be a legal ceremony if the vicar conducted it there. But I think you'd be seriously unlikely to find a vicar who would do this particularly if it's a "theme" you're after.

A man on Don't Tell The Bride wanted to do this and was told no because obviosuly it's really disrespectful. I can't imagine any church will agree to this if it's just something you want to do becuase churches aren't "venues" in that way, they're for people of that faith to use.

You can ask if it's because you'd like to get married by a loved ones grave. But I still think you'll be told no, and obviosuly if you're in the church you'll be near enough anyway.

Disclaimer - This is just my experience and thoughts.

Someone might be along to say you can, and they have.

Are you a goth?

You can have weddings in various structures at this cemetery, though (licensed for civil weddings)
arnosvale.org.uk/weddings/

You would probably need to have a registry office for the legal bit, but if you found a willing graveyard owner and celebrant then I’m sure you could have a ceremony

Why the fuck would you want to? To more colourfully represent the "till death do us part" bit??

“ You can ask if it's because you'd like to get married by a loved ones grave. But I still think you'll be told no, and obviosuly if you're in the church you'll be near enough anyway. ”

I think in this case you could probably discuss having a blessing of some kind near the grave, if not the ceremony itself

To the pp who said U.K. they mean england and Wales so it depends where you are

Scotland has fewer restrictions on where a marriage can take place

A cemetery up the road from where I live does weddings. It's not used as a cemetery anymore so that might make a difference.

That’s a bit disrespectful if it’s a graveyard that’s currently in use where family might be burning someone or visiting a grave.

If it’s a goth wedding, can I come?

[quote exexpat]Not yet, I think. It has just become legal to have valid wedding ceremonies outdoors in the UK, but if you read the rules carefully, it looks like the new rules only apply to non-religious ceremonies at licensed premises; rule changes for religious weddings may come later.

www.gov.uk/government/news/outdoor-civil-wedding-and-partnership-registrations-to-be-legalised[/quote]
Been able to legally do so in Scotland for years.

Sounds interesting and I'm a bit woo.
I'd love it.
Hope you can if that's what you'd like!
I can't see a reason why not although I don't think it would be a religious ceremony you'd just need permission from the cemetery owner.

[quote exexpat]Not yet, I think. It has just become legal to have valid wedding ceremonies outdoors in the UK, but if you read the rules carefully, it looks like the new rules only apply to non-religious ceremonies at licensed premises; rule changes for religious weddings may come later.

www.gov.uk/government/news/outdoor-civil-wedding-and-partnership-registrations-to-be-legalised[/quote]
This is England and Wales, not the U.K., outdoor weddings have been possible in Scotland for ages, I don’t know about NI. It’s not very helpful to make inaccurate posts, even if the link makes it clear what the actual facts are.

In Scotland you can but it’s a bit weird. Why do you want to stand on top of people’s remains to get married?

@exexpat not true, in Scotland it has been possible for sometime so saying UK in your post is wrong when you mean England and Wales. I loved getting married on a Scottish beach

Probably in Scotland. Maybe in England if a vicar allows it? I'm not sure of the rules for religious ceremonies. Not in England as a civil ceremony unless the graveyard is licensed.

In Wales and England not legally no.
Church weddings have to take place indoors.

It would depend on the why, but I think most people, including most celebrants, would find it disrespectful to the people buried there and those who mourn them.

Why do you want to? On the face of it, it's an awful, disrespectful thing to do; just to look a bit edgy.
Quite attention seeking, tbh.

aurynne

Why the fuck would you want to? To more colourfully represent the "till death do us part" bit??“

We lived in a church conversion. The graveyard was the most beautiful, serene place.

What if there is a funeral that day, or relatives are visiting their loved ones.

The ceremony (if presided over by a vicar) has to be inside the church building. If it's a church graveyard then you are unlikely to get permission from the vicar to do that. You could have a church service and then a blessing by a grave after.

If it's a cemetery and you wanted a registrar to perform the service because you wanted to be near a family members grave so they could be "present /included" as it were, then you may have more luck. But you'd have to get permission from the cemetery and make sure that no burial/internments etc were taking place at the same time. And it would have to be done in such a way that wasn't disrespectful to the owners of nearby graves (I don't mean the deceased!) so that no damage was done etc.

You'd probably be best contacting the crem and making enquiries like that, they'll either flat out refuse or direct you to where to get permissions.