Marylebone Register Office

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Just daydreaming about where dp and I would get married, if we ever do. I'd love to hear that this is lovely and glamorous? Any downsides? Where did you go afterwards?

Why Marylebone? It’s on a very busy road. The only people I know who marry there are local. Not really glamorous- just a registry office.

I got married in Chelsea old town hall because I live in the Borough. It was OK but nothing glamorous about it particularly. Just convenient. That was nearly 30 years ago.

If I was getting married now I would think of the orangery at Holland Park or Kensington Palace or the Natural History Museum or Kew if I was rich. Also the Lexi cinema in Kensal Rise if I was on a budget.

Watching with interest because I've had the same thoughts OP 😊

There are celebs who get married there. They have a couple of small rooms decorated very nicely which I know some famous people have used.

It’s where Paul and Linda McCartney got married isn’t it? I think Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit too. It’s got a glamour to it because famous people have got married there in the past.

I'd say it's a very reasonable choice, has enough prettiness and a sense of history and occasion that you don't feel short changed for a wedding but balances that with practicality and budget-friendly. Not really no-expense-spared daydream territory (for that I think I'd go for one of the swanky hotels or perhaps a private dining room at a Michelin restaurant for the reception).

I've been to a few weddings at Marylebone town hall and I'd say pros are:

• Right in the centre of London so very convenient.
• Pretty town hall style building with oak panelled ceremony rooms with sizes to suit every party, nice flower displays
• Reasonably priced
• Lots of nearby reception options, restaurants, hotels, pubs with function rooms etc.

Cons:

• Busy road, can be noisy/un-picturesque
• Lots of weddings all going on at once esp at weekends so you won't get an 'exclusive'/secluded/private vibe, when I was last there it had a good-humoured but chaotic feeling with cars and taxis pulling up outside hooting and disgorging many guests from all over the world in many different kinds of traditional dress, all getting tangled together in the hallways and on the stairs trying to find the right ceremony, take pictures etc (you are either the kind of person that thinks this is great fun and all adds to the occasion or would find this a total nightmare/mood killer). We also could clearly hear the loud music and cheering going on from the very rambunctious wedding next door while waiting for the one we were waiting for to start, again our party found this amusing more than anything but I can certainly see some people of my acquaintance looking down their noses at it esp if they've become used to private hire/sole use of a country house type wedding venue.
• Disabled access is fairly poor if that's a consideration
• As with all registry offices/town halls, you will need to consider how to transport/shepherd yourselves and guests to separate reception venue which can be a PITA for all concerned.

The wedding we last went to there was their latest ceremony slot (I think 4pm?) and then walked on to an early evening drinks and canapes only stand-up reception at a very posh nearby hotel 5-8pm (I think they chose this because a full traditional wedding breakfast well beyond their means at central London prices). People then fragmented off to go straight home or on drinking/dancing elsewhere or to get dinner etc as they preferred - I know many MNetters would be absolutely horrified at the party ending so early and not offering people a proper meal for a wedding but all-in I think they got a very cheerful and glam occasion for quite a reasonable price and it was novel and not unpleasant to be home and in my PJs by 11pm after a wedding, I'd take that over the country-house-hotel in pretty but middle of nowhere location where you have to stay 48 hours type thing that most couples these days seem to favour...

The thing is... if we get married it would be my third wedding. I really don't want a huge shindig. I was thinking it would be us and maximum our children plus their partners. Dp is a Beatles fan so the McCartney link is a draw. I imagine a small ceremony then a couple of black cabs to a sprauncey restaurant for lunch. I am seeing myselfabout 5 stone lighter in a minidress and boots obvs.

But yes, the road really isn't appealing...

Ooh thank you @maxelly that's 100% my vibe. Great stuff.

It looks amazing there doesn't it? It was unfortunately closed when we married a few years ago. We got married at Islington instead which we were pleased with.

I got married there in the yellow room - as did my parents before me!! Not religious and lovely and intimate for a small wedding. Great place for photos, they’ve got a big room for more guests if you wanted 50+ I think they can manage.
Honestly, a nice non-religious small wedding location.

I got married there. Lovely venue and the busy road outside didn’t bother me. Close to Marylebone High Street for pre and post drinks and food. Plus Regents Park for photos etc. Sadly marriage didn’t last but venue was great and I also like the connections (Paul M and Linda etc). Also I didn’t have many guests and it works well for small groups. This was 10 years ago so small caveat is I don’t know how it has changed since then.

I got married there! I think it was the yellow room, the bigger one?
It was lovely and relaxed. It's lovely inside without being too over the top, really didn't notice the road when we exited as husband and wife! The pillars make for a great backdrop for photos. Incidentally, we also had our wedding photos taken at the Italian gardens in Hyde Park. We had our reception quite close by too.
Do it!

Ooh we got married there, in one of the small rooms. The staircase and hallways are glorious - you can tap tap tap your way up and down like in a movie. The steps and pillars outside are great for a photo and for hailing black cabs.
We did early afternoon then to a hotel for afternoon tea. Done and dusted by 5pm. Then dinner a deux later.

I went for it because of it being a 'known' venue with the celeb connection.

We got married there - It was beautiful. The staff are wonderful too. It wasn’t busy and the road didn’t bother us. We loved the Macca connection too.

they do open days!

The rooms are decorated beautifully and each one is different, very much not just a register office.

'We got married there - It was beautiful. The staff are wonderful too. It wasn’t busy and the road didn’t bother us. We loved the Macca connection too.'

That's lovely to read. We would love a ceremony with just the two of us. Is it still the case that you have to bring your own witnesses? Coz that would be a bit of a problem for us

The Mayfair Library do candlelit weddings in the winter 😍. Beautiful Mount Street Gardens right next door.

Thank you for all these lovely posts ❤

@Lottapianos I always understood that the register office staff can provide witnesses? Worth asking.

I’m not sure, we had our own, they’re so approachable though if you contact them. We got married four years ago and still say it was our perfect day; Small, intimate, drinks at The Landmark hotel across the road afterwards, we wouldn’t have changed a thing.

https://www.landmarklondon.co.uk/

Seconding the Landmark. It’s a beautiful hotel with great spaces for photographs. Good luck!