Couples in England and Wales may soon be able to marry in a wide range of locations beyond traditional licensed venues, as the government moves forward with plans to modernize and simplify marriage laws. Proposed changes would allow authorised officiants of any religion or belief to conduct weddings in private homes, gardens, beaches, forests, castles, canal boats, and even cruise ships, representing the most significant overhaul of marriage regulations since the 19th century.
Under the current system, weddings must take place at registered venues, limiting couples’ choices and often leading to duplicated ceremonies for some faith communities. For instance, Islamic couples typically hold a nikah ceremony in a mosque that is not legally recognised, requiring a separate civil ceremony to ensure legal validity. The new proposals aim to address such disparities, enabling legally recognised ceremonies that fully reflect couples’ beliefs and traditions, including interfaith and humanist marriages.
A key element of the reform involves shifting licensing from locations to officiants. Registered celebrants would be authorised to conduct weddings anywhere deemed “safe and dignified,” giving couples more freedom and potentially reducing venue-related costs, which currently average around £6,000. Overall, the average wedding cost in England is estimated at more than £20,000. Lawmakers hope that greater flexibility could lower costs and also increase the number of weddings by about 3 percent, potentially generating an additional £139 million annually for the economy.
The changes come following recommendations by the Law Commission, which described the existing legal framework as “confusing, out of date and restrictive.” The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is consulting on these proposals until late September and emphasises that the reforms will strengthen safeguards to protect against forced or predatory marriages. Among these protections is the likely introduction of in-person interviews conducted separately with each partner by registration officers before approving a marriage.
Justice Secretary David Lammy highlighted the goal of making weddings more accessible and personalised, saying the reforms would allow couples “more freedom to say ‘I do’ on their own terms” while maintaining the solemnity and permanence of marriage.
The proposals also seek to establish consistent rules for all weddings regardless of religion or belief, addressing the current system’s unequal treatment of different faith groups. This would enable couples to design ceremonies that blend elements from multiple faiths or beliefs in a single, legally recognised event.
The consultation process will gather input on the proposed reforms, which could significantly change how and where couples can legally marry in England and Wales.