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Writer's picturePurple Kite Photography

TOP 4 BEAUTIFUL REGISTRY OFFICES IN HERTFORDSHIRE

Registry Office weddings are increasingly popular, with many couples choosing cheaper wedding options and alternatives to 'traditional' weddings. Opting for a registry office wedding means there is more budget to focus on top quality photography, food or after party!

Here are my favourite Hertfordshire Registry Office venues which make for great photos and don't give off too much of a municipal building vibe.

Bride and Groom walking hand in hand underneath the arches at Hertford County Hall
 
Sarah Whyte, owner of Purple Kite Photography, sitting on a bridge in Hertford, Hertfordshire

Hi, I'm Sarah!

I love being able to document the raw emotions and excitement of a wedding day and take pride in delivering stunning images that my couples will cherish for a lifetime.

I create a calm and relaxed atmosphere for my clients, ensuring that they feel at ease and enjoy every moment of their day.

Although I'm based in Hertford, I'm not just a Hertfordshire Wedding Photographer. I can travel all over the UK (and beyond) for your Wedding.

 

HERTFORD REGISTRY OFFICE WEDDING

Hertford Register Office, County Hall, Pegs Lane, Hertford, SG13 8DE

Wedding photo of bride with long cape kissing groom on the stone steps between two stag statues outside Hertford County Hall

I am based in Hertford so am probably a bit biased, but I love photographing weddings at Hertford Registry Office.


Hertford Registry Office is connected to County Hall, a stunning Grade II Listed Building in Hertford. Inside, the Registry Office has large windows, flooding the room with lovely natural light. It feels spacious and can accommodate up to 50 guests.

Smiling bride holding the hand of groom in purple suit during their wedding ceremony at Hertford Registry office

It's main attraction has to be its beautiful outside space. The now iconic stone archways are a real must for your wedding photos. The light underneath is perfect, and you can capture great images whatever the weather.

Bride and groom and all their wedding guests standing in front of the arches at Hertford County Hall
Bride and Groom standing together underneath the arches at Hertford County Hall

There is also a pretty little garden area to the rear of the Registry Office with a courtyard, trees and a lawn area for some great variety in your portrait images.

Wedding photo of bride and groom kissing in an autumnal courtyard at Hertford Registry Office
Bride and groom posing for wedding photo in front of a rose-covered arch in the courtyard at Hertford Registry Office

Hertford Registry Office is within easy reach of Hertford town centre, with plenty of options for hosting your wedding celebrations. The beautiful grounds of nearby Hertford Castle are also open to the public 7 days a week and are another lovely location for some wedding photos, or perhaps a picnic afterwards!


A popular choice for a local wedding reception venue is the stylish White Horse pub in Hertingfordbury, just a 5 minute drive from Hertford Registry Office. Or for a more tradition reception venue, consider Mayflower Place.


Hertford Registry Office at a glance

  • Capacity for up to 50 guests.

  • Plenty of parking.

  • Garden and stone archways onsite for photographs.



ST ALBANS REGISTRY OFFICE WEDDING

St Albans Register Office, The Gatehouse, 1 Victoria Square, St Albans, AL1 3TF

St Albans Registry Office is located in an attractive, imposing building (which incidentally is the Gatehouse of a former Victorian prison and was used in the filming of TV classic 'Porridge'). Fronted by pretty rose gardens, complete with a canon, St Albans’ registry office is an elegant ceremony venue. It’s one of the most photogenic registry offices in Hertfordshire and you could easily forget you're in a municipal building.

Groom smiling at bride holding their young daughter during their wedding ceremony at St Albans Register Office

Larger than some other Hertfordshire Registry Offices, this one can seat 60 guests in a bright, neutral room with large windows and attractive wooden furniture. But it's biggest selling feature is the surrounding gardens, which are unusually large for a Registry Office, making it the perfect venue to capture some gorgeous wedding portraits and group photos.

Happy bride and groom walking hand in hand in front of an ivy covered brick wall at St Albans Register Office
Bride and groom kissing in front of a large black wooden door in the grounds of St Albans Register Office

St Albans Registry Office is an extremely popular wedding venue, so be aware that other weddings are likely to be taking place before or after yours. This has potential to make photography tricky if the garden area becomes congested (though it hasn't caused me any problems so far), but will also impact on available parking. The car park is shared with other buildings and is enforced. There are very limited designated spaces to park in, and you must register your car when you enter the building or you might get a fine!


If you are looking for somewhere to celebrate afterwards, St Albans is full of fabulous pubs and hotels within easy reach. For more traditional wedding venues, choose St Michael's Manor or Sopwell House.

Bride standing with groom who is holding their young daughter, next to a black painted canon in front of St Albans Register Office

St Albans Registry Office at a glance

  • Capacity for up to 60 guests.

  • Designated parking (bays 37-48). You must register your vehicle details as you enter the building.

  • Has its own walled garden for photographs.

  • Fresh or dried flowers, petals or herbs only to be used as confetti!



CHESHUNT REGISTRY OFFICE WEDDING

Cheshunt Register Office, Bishop's College, Churchgate, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, EN8 9XH

Outside view of the hexagonal chamber of Cheshunt Register Office

Cheshunt Registry Office is a stunning church-like building with a beautiful stone doorway and staircase. There is capacity for 50 seated wedding guests and it has a decent sized shared (warden controlled) car park.

One of the most unique things about Cheshunt Registry office is the quirky octagonal ceremony room. It has an impressive wood-panelled vaulted ceiling, is lined with big church style windows and flooded with natural light. Perfect if you are looking for a registry office with a difference.

Bride and groom kissing after their wedding ceremony in Cheshunt Register Office
Bride and groom being showered with confetti in front of the stone steps outside Cheshunt Register Office

Another reason Cheshunt is one of my top Registry Office picks is the variety of outdoor spots for great wedding portraits. There is an adjacent park featuring a lake which, along with the beautiful stonework of the building and front steps, offer loads of great backdrops for your wedding photos.

Bride and groom kissing by a large tree near a lake in the park next to Cheshunt Register Office

Cheshunt Registry Office at a glance

  • Capacity for up to 50 guests

  • Limited parking spaces onsite. Paid parking available.

  • Church-style architecture and a nearby park with lake for photographs.



BISHOP'S STORTFORD REGISTRY OFFICE WEDDING

Bishop's Stortford Register Office, Riverside House, 2 Hockerill Street, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 2DL

Smiling bride and groom crossing the road in front of Bishop's Stortford Register Office

Bishop's Stortford Registry Office is a beautiful mock-Tudor style building which has a great outside aesthetic - something not always associated with registry offices.

The main ceremony room is just as attractive, featuring a vaulted ceiling with exposed beams and a grand fireplace. It can seat up to 50 guests, and is located upstairs (something to consider if you have guests with accessibility requirements). There is also a small downstairs ceremony room holding just 12 guests.

Bride and groom kissing at the end of their wedding ceremony while their guests applaud in Bishop's Stortford Register Office
Bride with her bouquet raised in the air, smiling at her new husband as they prepare to walk down the aisle after their wedding in Bishop's Stortford Register Office

The attractive frontage makes for picture-perfect portraits, though as the newlyweds step straight out onto the pavement next to a busy roadside, it is challenging to get lots of confetti shots or portraits whilst dodging pedestrians and oncoming traffic! Thankfully, just across the road are the castle gardens, with plenty of space for those essential portraits and family group shots.

Happy bride and groom walking between rows of wedding guests throwing confetti, outside Bishop's Stortford Register Office

Bishop's Stortford Registry Office does not have it's own car park, only a designated drop-off point, so guests are required to use nearby public carp parks.


Bishop's Stortford Registry Office at a glance

  • Main upstairs ceremony room: Capacity for up to 50 guests. No disabled access.

  • Small downstairs ceremony room with disabled access: Capacity 12 guests.

  • Public car parks within walking distance. No onsite parking.

  • No onsite grounds for outside photographs, but is opposite castle garden.


 

THE BENEFITS OF A REGISTRY OFFICE WEDDING


  1. Weddings held in Registry Offices are cheaper than ‘traditional’ weddings.

  2. Registry Office weddings are smaller and more flexible - ideal for couples wanting a more intimate and private ceremony on their terms.

  3. Registry Office weddings are legally recognised and have the same legal status as ceremonies that are held in established wedding venues. This is also the biggest difference between a registrar-led ceremony versus a celebrant-led ceremony.

  4. There are no religious or cultural connotations.

Bride and groom facing each other holding hands during their wedding vows in Hertford Register Office

ARE THERE ANY DOWNSIDES TO A REGISTRY OFFICE WEDDING?

A Registry Office Wedding will not suit everyone. Space is more limited, so a registry office would not usually be able to accommodate larger wedding parties of more than 50 guests.

Parking can be an issue at Registry Offices. Often, free parking is extremely limited or non-existent. Some share parking with other buildings and are warden controlled.

The most obvious compromise is that you cannot have your wedding ceremony and reception in the same location, meaning that you will likely need transport between your ceremony and wedding reception.


If you'd prefer to have your ceremony and reception all at the same venue, you may want to consider a celebrant-led wedding, allowing much more flexibility with venue choices.

Take a look at a recent celebrant-led wedding ceremony in a beautiful Hertfordshire woodland here.


Bride and groom standing on stone steps outside an ornate wooden door, surrounded by guests throwing confetti, at Hertford Register Office

HERTFORDSHIRE REGISTRY OFFICE

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGES


While the majority of the weddings I cover are full day events, I also love covering intimate Registry Office ceremonies. I offer a special package just for the ceremony and group/couple photos afterwards, so, if you're doing something more low key, contact me to talk about photography options.


 

by Sarah Whyte, Purple Kite Photography

Female wedding photographer based in Hertford, Hertfordshire

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