Guernsey in the Channel Islands is a tropical location less than one hour flight away or 3 hours by Ferry.

The Bailiwick of Guernsey is made up of 5 public Islands, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, Alderney and Lihou why not marry on one Island and honeymoon on another?

Only 48 km from France, Guernsey still retains a little bit of France even after more than 700 years of allegiance to the English crown. Although roads and family names might appear French, English is the spoken language.

1. Visit in Advance

Visit us in advance, we can meet with you to chat through your ideas and even offer a tailored tour of possible venues based on your wedding style. You can get a feel for the Island and all that it has to offer you and if you can and see for yourselves the great options we have available for your wedding. We can meet with you to discuss your ideas and provide a tailored tour of venues based on your wedding style.

Enjoy the island for a few days and appreciate life at a slightly slower pace. Imagine how your guests might enjoy exploring the beaches, learning about the island’s history, wandering the quiet country lanes, or heading off to Herm for the day.

Engage with local wedding planners who know the island and can provide great advice and connection to a range of suppliers to ensure you have everything you need.

Find a photographer whose work you like and book a location session with them while you are here. Most will have photographed weddings in all the popular locations and will be able to provide good advice on these.

Or, if you are looking for a simple get away to tie the knot then choose Guernsey or any of the other islands where you can be legally married at any location – we can even provide the witnesses for a legal marriage if you need them.

“if you are looking for a simple get away to tie the knot then choose Guernsey or any of the other islands where you can be legally married at any location ”

2. Legal Formalities

The Marriage law was updated in the Bailiwick of Guernsey in 2021 and this means that you don’t have to ‘resident’ in the Island prior to your marriage date. Your licence application can be made online in advance and provided you meet with the Registrar in person prior to your Wedding ceremony, the licence will be issued to your celebrant who can marry you at your location of your choice.

You can submit your licence application at a year in advance of your planned ceremony date. Be prepared with the documentation required, Birth Certificates and proof of residence as these will be required. If these documents are not in English, additional time will be required for translation and verification.

“The Marriage law was updated in the Bailiwick of Guernsey in 2021 and this means that you don’t have to ‘resident’ in the Island prior to your marriage date.”

3. Weather

The Channel Islands has a temperate maritime climate and at Whitedove we have officiated at some stunning beach and headland locations. However, in the event of wet weather, there are numerous back-up indoor venues to choose from.

Nestled in the Bay of St Malo, the tidal range in Guernsey is one of the largest in Europe. This doesn’t preclude a beach ceremony but it does mean that careful advance planning is essential. Locally these rural areas are protected and preserved by the Agricultural and Land Management Services from whom permission is required. We can help you navigate this process.

In the event of wet weather, there are numerous back-up venues to choose from and we will require that an indoor alternative venue is booked in which to conduct the legal marriage.

4. Venue Styles

Guernsey can offer hotels to suit all budgets with both outdoor and indoor options for your ceremony. Alternatively, if you are looking for something a little more unique, from Barns to Beaches, Castles to Cliffs, Nature reserves to National Trust, Guernsey offers some special locations.

Whitedove has been performing Wedding ceremonies in the Bailiwick of Guernsey since 2009, so we are familiar with most locations and suppliers and can advise you on how your dream can be realised.

5. A Wedding Package

Couples wishing to have the simple legal marriage can also choose our package option which includes your choice of a ceremony room from our selection of lovely local hotels.

We provide our speaker for the ceremony music, various flower bouquet and buttonhole options, champagne and chocolates, plus you can choose one of our bespoke designs for your reading cards and ceremonial certificate and we also include a framed print as a memento of the day.

We have made arrangements with several of our great local photographers to take photos before, during and after your wedding.

Contact us for more information and current package price.

6. See and Do

Guernsey is steeped in history, from Neolithic to Napoleonic to WW2 German occupation, relics can be found all around the island. Victor Hugo and Pierre-Auguste Renoir spent time here amongst many other talented artists over the years and this is reflected in the islands museum and art collections. Our beaches are plentiful and range from long, white and sandy, to hidden and secluded pebble-strewn bays. From water sports to cycling to hiking, or just enjoying the views while enjoying a long lunch at a west coast restaurant or a stroll through the pretty seafront town…you won’t be short of something to do.

The Islands of Guernsey mean you can Island hop: Herm is 20 minutes away and Sark 45 minutes both by Ferry, and if the tide is right you can walk across the seabed causeway to Lihou.

There are various festivals and Parish Fayres throughout the year, from The Harbour Carnival, Walking festivals, Floral Guernsey and Heritage Festival…Guernsey holds a popular Pride festival every September and numerous music related events. Plenty to entertain you and your guests before and after your ceremony.

For more information about the islands of Guernsey, follow these links: Visit Guernsey, VG wedding destination, Guernsey history, art and culture

Travel links:

Aurigny (airline) Aurigny

Condor Ferries Condor Ferries

Blue Islands (airline) Blue Islands

Tour Operators Tour Operators

Experience Guernsey Travel Experience Guernsey Travel

Accommodation links:

OGH https://theoghhotel.com/

DUKE of RICHMOND https://dukeofrichmond.com

ST PIERRE PARK https://www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/stpierrepark

THE PENINSULA https://peninsula.gg/