Weddings
St. Mary’s Lighthouse and Visitor Centre is a licensed venue for marriages and civil ceremonies for up to 46 guests, perfect for a unique wedding.
Location
The ceremonies take place in the conference room upstairs in the visitor centre (the old lighthouse keeper cottages) on St. Mary’s part time tidal island with stunning coastal views.
Costs for the ceremony and Light drinks reception
Fees start at £650 for the ceremony and 1 hour afterwards for a short drinks reception and photos on the island. Any arrangements for light refreshments need to be sourced externally as the lighthouse does not have a bar facility.
Extras
There is an additional charge of £55/hr (after the initial hour for the ceremony) for the room if you wish to stay longer for a full reception. A professional catering company must be used for any meals and their details provided in advance.
The wedding couple can climb the lighthouse for photos. A group discount can be arranged for climbing the lighthouse, based on numbers of guests.
The gift shop, toilets, lighthouse tower, and other areas of the visitor centre may be open to the public, depending on the date of your booking. Please speak to us if you wanted a date when we are closed to the public.
Dressing the room
If you require the room for the day before to make any preparations it is charged at £380 for the full day, or £55/hr. Most weddings book 2 hours the day before to dress the room. We provide chairs and cover the table and kitchenette area (please note that no decorations or chair covers are provided and must be sourced independently).
Room viewings and bookings
The room may be viewed by appointment, where a member of staff will be happy to answer any questions. A deposit of £100 is required to secure a booking and payment of the remainder of cost is required no later than a month before the date of the ceremony. All bookings are subject to tide times and availability. The registrars need to be booked separately through the registry office (0191 643 6799).
Access arrangements
Please note the room is up a short set of steep curved stairs, we recommend room viewing to ascertain if it is suitable for your guests. We have a turning circle for drop off and collection of guests and the wedding couple.
Some inspiration can be found on our facebook page, in our wedding photo album https://www.facebook.com/stmaryslighthouse
As well as on the links below:
Kate & Richard St. Mary's Lighthouse - Si Miller Photography
Charlotte & Alex's wedding at St Mary's Lighthouse (andyhudsonphotography.co.uk)
Whitley Bay Lighthouse Wedding - Boho Weddings (boho-weddings.com)
A Beach Wedding at St Mary’s Lighthouse - Amanda & Beth (bridesupnorth.com)
Lighthouse Wedding | Skulls & Anchors: A Sweet Lighthouse Wedding (whimsicalwonderlandweddings.com)