Couple become first to tie the knot at Wolverhampton Art Gallery
Love was in the air as an art gallery staged its first wedding ceremony.
Bride Nisha Patel, aged 29, was eager to return to her home city of Wolverhampton to tie the knot with Northampton-born Bhavin Pandya, aged 28.
When she heard the Lichfield Street venue had been granted a licence to hold weddings, she and her husband-to-be jumped at the chance to book their special day there.
The couple, who now live in Dudley, were joined by more than 80 guests for the occasion in the first-floor Georgian gallery room.
Nisha said: “We feel so happy and unique to be the first couple to tie the knot at the art gallery.
“I grew up in Wolverhampton and I wanted the ceremony to be in my home city.
“After months of planning and looking for a unique venue to hold our ceremony, we found that the art gallery was putting an application through to become a registered venue for civil ceremonies.
“We waited for the application to be approved, which was nerve wracking, as it was so close to the wedding date - but it was definitely worth the wait.
“The gallery is so beautiful and was the perfect setting for our ceremony where we made our own piece of art 'The Declaration of Marriage'.
“Everyone who attended loved the setting and found the ceremony so unique. It is definitely a perfect venue for the perfect ceremony.”
Wolverhampton Art Gallery is one of the new venues registered by City of Wolverhampton Council that can hold weddings. Other venues include Bantock House Museum in Finchfield and Wolverhampton’s accredited City Archives in the city centre.
As well as weddings, all the venues can be hired for private functions.
Anyone interested should call 01902 553422 or email weddings@wolverhampton.gov.uk for wedding enquiries and visitor.economy@wolverhampton.gov.uk for general hire enquiries.
