All about your Cornwall wedding ceremony at Tredudwell Manor
If you’re planning a Cornwall wedding, then chances are that you’re overwhelmed with decisions. There are so many options! In this series of wedding planning tips, we at Tredudwell Manor would love to help you by starting with planning your wedding ceremony. We will walk you through the options available when you choose to get married at Tredudwell and you can always get in touch if you have any questions.
In the years that we have been offering weddings, we’ve seen it all and have planned so many different varieties of wedding ceremonies. We have found our couples love celebrate their marriages in many different ways. Some wish to make their ceremonies as personal as possible according to their customs or religious beliefs whilst others prefer to hold a short legal ceremony in one of our licensed spaces or the local Registry Office.
What type of Cornwall wedding ceremony would you like?
You can choose from a civil ceremony, a church, a celebrant or a blessing when you get married at Tredudwell Manor.
Having a Civil Ceremony at Tredudwell Manor
For a legal civil ceremony to be in accordance with laws in England, a minimum of 28 days for Notice of Marriage has to be given and your wedding ceremony is conducted by a Registrar.
Your ceremony will take place in one of our legally licensed areas at Tredudwell Manor. We have our pavilion or our outdoor ceremony temples or if you’re planning a small and intimate wedding, then you also have the option of having your civil ceremony in our Manor House.
Q: How can you personalise a civil wedding ceremony?
A civil ceremony is about 30 minutes long and you are allowed to personalise with music, poems or readings but a civil ceremony cannot contain any religious aspects. you will be exchanging your vows in front of your guests, and you’ll need to nominate two people as your two witnesses for the marriage register. You can also exchange your wedding rings which, although not a legal requirement, can be exchanged during a civil ceremony. Let’s all agree it’s a wonderful thing to do!
You book the Registrar directly with Cornwall Registration Service. The Registrars will liaise with you beforehand to discuss your ceremony and agree to your chosen vows, reading or poem and music choice.
On your wedding day, the Registrar will arrive at Tredudwell half an hour prior to ceremony time to meet you both separately and ensure all details are correct.
A key point to note is that you will be restricted to the availability of a Registrar (date and time) so it is always advisable to book well in advance, especially if you have a particular date in mind especially during the peak wedding season (May-August).
We’ve even put together a handy free quick reference guide to all the different types of ceremonies here to download.
Having a Celebrant-led Ceremony at Tredudwell Manor
As a celebrant-led ceremony is not legally binding, you are not bound by having your ceremony in one of our licensed areas, so you can hold your ceremony anywhere you like on our land. Do get in touch with us if you wish to hold your ceremony in our beautiful wildflower meadows, fields or the parkland in our garden!
Celebrants offer the opportunity to personalise your wedding in exactly the way you wish. You are free to choose what is relevant to you as a couple to share your personal relationship journey with your nearest and dearest.
This could involve a Celtic hand-fasting ceremony or perhaps vows inspired by your favourite book, poem or indeed a piece of music which holds a special place in both your hearts. Your Celebrant-led Ceremony can be your very own wedding story!
Celebrants work independently and we are happy to recommend some super celebrants who have conducted Cornwall wedding ceremonies here at Tredudwell, simply get in contact with us.
Celebrants can be available to conduct your ceremony on the date/time which suits you both and the duration of the ceremony is completely your choice.
A few words by Ceremonies By Amanda explains it nicely;
“I have conducted many ceremonies at Tredudwell, and no two ceremonies are the same. When I arrive at Tredudwell I tend to walk through the Pavilion, and I am amazed every time at how beautifully every couple has made the venue look and how every wedding is different to each couple. A true reflection of their personalities. The beauty of having a celebrant led ceremony is that I get the chance to meet you well before your special day. We will meet in person plus also video call or just chat on the phone, whichever suits and I will help you create a ceremony that is totally bespoke to you. After all, you have planned your wedding day to the very last detail; your venue, your dress, your flowers, your menu, your guests, so why not plan your ceremony with exactly the same precision & approach and choose a celebrant to conduct a wedding ceremony which will truly seal your love & commitment to each other”
Q: Are celebrant-led wedding ceremonies legally binding?
As we mentioned, a celebrant cannot legally marry you as a couple, however, at the time of writing, the government is currently considering the possibility of celebrants becoming licensed to legally marry couples, so we shall be watching this space with interest!
With this in mind, if you choose a Celebrant Ceremony but also wish to be legally married, your Celebrant will happily give you guidance on how this can be simply arranged at your local Registry Office with an exchange of the legal wording plus a signed addition to the Register of which will mean you are legally married.
Having your Church Ceremony at Tredudwell Manor
As your Cornwall wedding venue, Tredudwell Manor is so very lucky to have the most beautiful churches nearby; St Wyllow and St IIdierna both of which are within Trelawny Benefice.
Picture a medieval romantic setting, steeped in history with the sound of church bells ringing out along the Cornwall Heritage Coastline!
It is a beautiful thing to wave off wedding cars as they leave the wrought iron gates of Tredudwell Manor to make their way down the lane to church. Our team remain here and welcome our couples as they return together, married and ready to celebrate!
Q: Is a church wedding ceremony legally binding?
Yes! If you choose to get married in a Christian church, you are choosing to exchange your vows in a religious setting and with this, your ceremony will also mean you are legally married in the eyes of the law.
A Notice of Marriage is also given when choosing a church wedding ceremony and this is read out in church during the weeks leading up to your wedding day – known as the Banns which traditionally means that anyone wishing to object to your marriage or report bigamy has the chance to bring it to the attention of the parish!
Q: What is involved in a Church wedding ceremony?
Your church wedding ceremony can reflect what is personal to you both. This can include choosing your prayers and hymns which may hold a particular meaning or you may wish to invite members of your friends & families to share a Bible reading with your guests or perhaps the playing of the church organ or the ringing of the bells fills you both with joy!
Known locally as ‘Richard The Rev’, our local vicar will contact you when you enquire to chat in more detail about what you wish to include in your church wedding ceremony.
Q: What happens if you don’t live in the Parish?
‘Richard The Rev’ is happy to discuss your options to marry within the parish and so, do not worry if you do not live locally as Trelawny Benefice is very welcoming.
Having your Blessing Ceremony at Tredudwell Manor
Blessing Ceremonies are very special and we have been very fortunate at Tredudwell to welcome some wonderful ones!
Q: What is a blessing wedding ceremony?
As a couple you may have different beliefs & traditions which may lead you to choose a civil or celebrant led ceremony, however, a blessing is a lovely way of allowing your wedding to honour your beliefs as individuals whilst also including spiritual meanings of which you may hold so dear.
Blessings can take place at Tredudwell Manor in any area you wish and can be conducted by your priest, vicar or indeed anyone who represents your beliefs and traditions.
For example, we have welcomed Catholic Blessings, whereby family priests have blessed couples who have already legally married in a Registry Office.
Blessings can take place in many forms, allowing your wedding to be infused with cultural traditions & personal beliefs.
You can download your free guide to wedding ceremonies in Cornwall here
Tredudwell Manor: Where your Cornwall wedding Ceremony is your choice
Tredudwell Manor is here to support you as a couple and to us, each wedding is unique and as such we respect the way you choose to say, ‘I do’ and so, to all our couples who have chosen & trusted us with your weddings, we say thank you!
And to those of you who are about to embark upon the first steps of your Cornwall wedding planning journey, we hope this blog is a useful tool. Please do get in touch if you have any questions about planning your Cornwall wedding ceremony at Tredudwell Manor. We are here to listen and share our most wonderful Cornwall coast & country location with you!
Special Offer for 2024 Weddings
Get your spring wedding ceremony worth £450 for FREE you book your wedding for 2024 by 30th of June 2023. Get in touch to book this fantastic deal by 30th of June 2023.
From
Valerie + all at Tredudwell x
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