Registry Office Weddings in Nottingham – My Favourite 3 Venues

If you’re planning a registry office wedding in Nottingham, I’m wanted to share my top three venue recommendations with you; The Council Offices, The Gilstrap at Newark and Bridgford Hall.

When it comes to photography, there are lots of opportunities for great shots both inside and outside each of these venues. Let’s take a closer look at what makes each of these venues special and hopefully it will be helpful making your decision for your big day.

Bridgford Hall Registry Office

Bridgford Hall is a small and elegant wedding venue in the centre of West Bridgford. There are two rooms, namely The Garden Room and the Drawing Room. The Garden Room has a capacity of 60 which is the room which I have photographed every time.

The Garden Room was renovated a few years ago and, from a photographer’s point of view, the lighting is pretty good with windows all on 3 sides of the room. Being a venue I’ve photographed at on numerous occasions, I’ve always found the Registrars to be extremely friendly which is always a bonus for a photographer. Following the ceremony, there are beautiful gardens for both family photos and couple portraits. I’ve photographed weddings here all year round and there are plenty of areas in the gardens for couple portraits.

Couples who marry here tend to go for a meal afterwards either in West Bridgford town centre or elsewhere in Nottingham.

View more photos from Bridgford Hall weddings here.

The Gilstrap Newark Nottinghamshire

The Gilstrap in Newark is on the former grounds on Newark Castle, thus lending itself to a perfect backdrop. There are two rooms to choose from, the Salvin Suite and the Library Room. The Salvin Suite has a capacity of 100 which is pretty large for a registry office and the Library Room is smaller, with a capacity of just 20. I’ve photographed in both of these rooms and again they both have plenty of light coming in for photographers which is helpful as flash is not permitted during the wedding ceremony.

The gardens at The Gilstrap have now been renovated so there are plenty of opportunities for photos afterwards. In addition, there is an ornamental bandstand which provides shelter on the off-chance(!) that it may rain. For couple portraits, the walls to the Castle also provide some shelter and, although it may not seem significant when looking for a registry office, it can be a bit of a saviour if the weather isn’t too great on the day of your wedding day.

The River Trent right, which is in walking distance, is an additional backdrop for photos. I’ve also discovered some nice places outside of The Gilstrap which are great for couple portraits so there is definitely a good variety of photos which can be taken in this area.

View more photos at The Gilstrap here.

The Council Offices Nottingham

There are 7 rooms where you can say “I do” in the Council Offices. I’ve photographed in the Ball Room, the Sheriff’s Room and the Robin Hood Suite which range from a capacity of 12 to 120. All beautiful in their own way depending on the number of guests you are having at your wedding.

I really love the architecture of the Council Offices outside and inside they have a grand staircase which can be used for photos. As with all registry offices, you do not have exclusive use of the venue so time for photos can sometimes be limited if there is a wedding before or after and because the staircase is popular for photos with couples, you have to be quick.

For outdoor photos, I really like to use the pillars at the front of the Council Offices and you can also have an editorial city look to your couple portraits by having a walk around the city centre and capturing some of the architecture which Nottingham has to offer as a backdrop. If it’s raining, there are plenty of undercover areas too in Nottingham city centre and, if you would like greenery, Nottingham Castle is a short walk away.

View more photos at the Council Offices here.

I hope this helps provide an insight into the registry offices in Nottingham where you can get married. If you’re undecided whether you would like a registry office or exclusive use of a wedding venue, please read my list of East Midlands Wedding Venues.

If you would like to have a chat about your wedding photography, I’d love to hear from you.