CELEBRANT-DIRECTORY-ARCH-white

UK Wedding Law Reform: What It Means for Couples Planning a Celebrant Wedding

Law commission logo overlaid on wedding law reform report image

Planning your wedding should be a time of joy, excitement, and the opportunity to create a day that truly reflects you as a couple. However, if you’re considering a celebrant-led ceremony, you might have discovered that the current UK laws around legal weddings can be restrictive. On 18th October 2024, the House of Lords debated potential changes following on from The Law Commission’s published report into Wedding Law Reform that could transform the rules around where and how you can get married. Here’s what you need to know about the current laws, how they affect your choices, and what proposed changes could mean for your dream wedding.

Current Limitations: Understanding the Existing Marriage Law

If you dream of a ceremony that truly reflects your personality or takes place in a stunning location—perhaps on a beautiful beach, in a serene forest, or even in your own garden—a celebrant-led wedding can provide the personal touch you’re looking for. However, under the current law in England and Wales, there are significant limitations that you should be aware of:

  • Legal Registration Still Required: While Independent Celebrants can craft a beautiful, bespoke ceremony that speaks to your story as a couple, they currently cannot legally register your marriage in any part of the UK. This means that even if you have a celebrant-led ceremony, you will need to visit a register office to complete the legal formalities.
  • Limited Ceremony Choices for Legal Weddings: The existing law, dating back to 1836, requires that legally recognised marriages take place in either a place of worship, a register office, or a venue approved for civil weddings and they must follow a pre-determined format with required legal declarations and restrictions on content. There are limited choices for interfaith marriages and LGBTQIA+ individuals to have the ceremony they want. Humanist Wedding Ceremonies are recognised as legal ceremonies in Scotland and Northern Ireland but not in England or Wales.
  • Limited Venue Choices for Legal Weddings: While some recent changes have allowed for outdoor ceremonies within the grounds of approved venues, it remains impossible to legally marry in places like public parks, on the beach, or in other meaningful locations unless they meet these specific criteria.
  • Separate Ceremonies: Because of these restrictions, many couples opting for a celebrant-led ceremony have a simple, quick legal ceremony at a register office before or after their celebrant wedding or need to pay for a Registrar to attend their wedding venue just to complete the legal requirements. While this allows you to create a special day with your celebrant, it can feel like a compromise between the legal formalities and the ceremony you truly want.
Law commission logo overlaid on wedding law reform report image

The Law Commission’s Proposed Changes: What Could Change for You?

In 2019, the Law Commission of England and Wales began a review to update the laws around marriage, responding to growing frustration with the outdated system. Their final report, published in July 2022, makes some key recommendations that could significantly increase your options when planning your wedding:

  • Legal Weddings Led by Celebrants: One of the most exciting potential changes is the proposal to allow Independent Celebrants to conduct legally binding ceremonies. This means you could have your entire ceremony—both the personal vows and the legal formalities—led by your chosen celebrant without needing a separate trip to the register office. This change would make it possible for your celebrant to legally register your marriage, just like a registrar or a religious leader currently can.
  • More Venue Flexibility: The Law Commission recommends shifting the focus from strict venue approvals to regulating the officiant in charge of the ceremony. This would allow you to legally marry in a much wider range of locations, including outdoor settings like forests, beaches, and even at sea. If these recommendations are adopted, you could choose any location that holds special meaning for you, without needing to find an “approved venue.”
  • Simpler Process for Giving Notice: The proposed changes also include modernising the process of giving notice of your intention to marry. Currently, you need to visit a register office in person to complete this step. The new system would allow you to do this online and then choose a local registration office for any interviews, making the process simpler and more accessible.

Want to know how the legal process currently works? Read our simple 5-step guide to planning a Celebrant-led wedding ceremony with legals in the UK.

House of Lords Debate Highlights (18th October 2024): What It Means for Your Wedding

During a recent debate, the House of Lords discussed the future of marriage law in England and Wales, focusing on the potential for more flexible and inclusive weddings:

  • Time for Change, But No Clear Timeline Yet: The government has indicated that it needs time to review these proposed changes, which means that any new laws are not yet in place. However, there is strong support for modernising the law, especially given the outdated rules that currently restrict where and how you can marry.
  • Support for Humanist and Independent Celebrants: Humanist weddings, which are legally recognised in Scotland, Northern Ireland were a major focus of the debate. There is hope that similar recognition could be extended to Independent Celebrants as per the Law Commission’s recommendations, allowing them to conduct legally binding ceremonies for couples who want a non-religious but deeply personal ceremony.
  • Concerns About Commercialisation: Some members of the House of Lords have raised concerns that a more open market for wedding officiants could lead to over-commercialisation. However, this debate also highlighted the broad support for offering couples more choices and the need to ensure that marriage laws reflect the diversity of modern life.
UK Houses of Parliament_House of Lords Debate

What This Means for Your Wedding Planning

For couples like you, who want a wedding that truly reflects your relationship, these changes could be game-changing:

  • One Ceremony, Your Way: If the recommendations are adopted, you could work with your chosen celebrant to create a ceremony that not only reflects your values but also covers the legal aspects of your marriage. No more separate trips to the register office—just one beautiful, unified ceremony in a location that matters to you.
  • Choose a Meaningful Location: The changes could open up a world of possibilities for your wedding location. Whether it’s the beach where you had your first date, a peaceful woodland, or even your own home, you could legally marry in the place that feels most special to you.
  • Personalised Ceremony with Legal Recognition: Having the ability to incorporate personal vows, cultural traditions, or spiritual elements into your legally recognised ceremony could mean that your wedding is truly yours, without having to fit into the format of a civil or religious service.

Next Steps: Staying Updated on the Changes

While the recent Lord’s debate about Wedding Law Reform was promising, the changes still need to be approved by the government before they become law. It’s important to stay informed about these changes if you’re planning a wedding in the next couple of years. Keep an eye on updates here and from your celebrant, as we’re all following these developments closely.


The proposed changes to marriage law in England and Wales could transform the way couples plan their weddings, giving you the freedom to create a ceremony that is as unique as your love story. While we wait for the government to decide, it’s worth exploring the possibilities and imagining what your perfect wedding day could look like with the freedom to choose your location, your celebrant, and your ceremony style—all while ensuring your marriage is legally recognised.

Until then, our celebrants are here to help you create a meaningful, memorable ceremony that celebrates your love, even if it means taking care of the legal side separately for now. Search the Directory and find your perfect celebrant today.

Find your perfect Wedding Celebrant

Search our global directory to find ‘the one’ for you. Find rated celebrants near you.

subscribe

drop us your email and we'll send you beautiful ideas to inspire your perfect celebration

Please enter your name.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please check the required field.
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

If you enjoyed this, check these out...

Seed-Blending Ritual: A complete guide
Wedding Celebrant Michelle Park recently shared with us a beautiful wedding ceremony where she co-created a unique Seed Blending Ritual with her couple to celebrate their union. We’re excited to...
Read more > about Seed-Blending Ritual: A complete guide
Top Wedding Trends for 2025: The Celebrant Directory Predicts
At The Celebrant Directory, we're uniquely positioned to spot emerging trends through our network of professional celebrants who are at the forefront of wedding ceremony innovation. As we look ahead...
Read more > about Top Wedding Trends for 2025: The Celebrant Directory Predicts
Beautiful Ways to Honour Loved Ones in a Wedding Ceremony
Your wedding day is a celebration of love that extends beyond just you and your partner. It's a perfect opportunity to honour the special people who have shaped your journey...
Read more > about Beautiful Ways to Honour Loved Ones in a Wedding Ceremony