Civil partnerships

Thinking about getting hitched? You’ve come to the right place! Brighton was recently named the most popular place in the UK for civil partnerships. So if you want to tie the knot here are a few ideas to help get you started.

About civil partnerships

Civil Partnerships were introduced in the UK in December 2005 and give you the same rights and responsibilities as straight couples get when they marry.

You and your partner simply need to give formal notice in the area that you have lived in for the previous 7 days. You then need to wait 15 days before the ceremony can take place.

You can find out more about how to register for a civil partnership on the Brighton and Hove website.

Brighton civil partnership venues

The venues below all have licenses for civil partnerships. From the more traditional venue to the decadently extravagant and even downright quirky, Brighton is pretty much guaranteed to make any civil partnership special.

Hotels

Make things easy and do it all at the hotel. Catering is usually available and at the end of the night you can just flop into bed…

• The Claremont - first in the City to be awarded the prestigious 5 star guest accommodation.
• Drakes Hotel - opulent and serene design on Brighton's seafront.
• Holiday Inn Brighton Seafront - great views out to sea and moments from the beach.
• Lansdowne Place Hotel - modern Boutique hotel set in an elegant Victorian building.
• myhotel Brighton - 'a hotel where Freddie Mercury might have met the Maharishi'.
• Old Ship Hotel - immense character and rich history on Brighton seafront.
• Mercure Brighton Seafront - seafront hotel, minutes from the Lanes, theatres and attractions.
• The Grand Hotel - luxury in a prime seaside location.
• The Thistle Hotel - luxury hotel overlooking the sea and backing onto 'The Lanes'.

Or if you would prefer a hotel that is gay run, or caters specifically for gay and lesbian vistors, check out our Brighton gay and lesbian hotels section.

Restaurants

If food comes a close second to your partner, holding your ceremony in a restaurant could be the answer!

• Sam's of Sevendials Restaurant - award-winning modern European food with an al-fresco area.
• Due South - Best Seaside Restaurant in Britain, according to the Observer Food Monthly.

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Cultural

Steeped in heritage, Brighton offers a cultural cauldron of venues for the most discerning civil partnership ceremony…

• The Royal Pavilion - one of the most dazzling and exotic buildings in the British Isles.
• Stanmer House - stunning manor house on the outskirts of Brighton.
• The Mayor's Parlour - part of the impressive Brighton Town Hall, moments from the beach.
• Brighton Dome & Corn Exchange - another architectural gem in the city centre.

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Alternative

Go on – be a bit quirky. You know you want to…

• Brighton Racecourse - high on the Sussex Downs, with stunning views over Brighton and Hove and the English Channel.
• Sussex County Cricket Ground - get hitched in a cricket ground...howzat!?
• NIVEA Sun Yellowave Beach Sports - sun and sand on Brighton's beachfront.
• Brighton Pier - the famous pier and everything that comes with it.
• Brighton Sea Life Centre - the UK's oldest working aquarium.
• Shoreham Airport - the oldest licensed airfield in the UK, with a beautiful Grade II listed art deco terminal building.
• Hove Centre - part of the impressive Hove Town Hall.

Check out the accommodation, restaurants and things to do sections for lots of ideas to make your civil partnership celebrations go with a swing.