The UK government has launched a public consultation on plans to modernise wedding laws, aiming to give couples greater flexibility over where and how they legally marry. The consultation will remain open for ten weeks and forms part of wider efforts to update legislation that many consider outdated.
Under the proposed reforms, couples could be permitted to hold legally recognised wedding ceremonies in a wider range of locations, including beaches, forests, castles, canal boats, and cruise ships. The changes are designed to offer more freedom while maintaining the legal integrity of marriage.
Lord Chancellor David Lammy said the proposals are intended to make weddings more accessible and reflective of couples’ personal preferences. He noted that the government wants to remove unnecessary legal barriers while ensuring appropriate safeguards remain in place.
The consultation also includes measures to better accommodate couples from different religious backgrounds. If adopted, the reforms would allow interfaith couples to combine their respective traditions within a single legally recognised ceremony, removing the need for separate celebrations.
To ensure ceremonies continue to meet legal standards, authorised officiants would be responsible for determining whether a chosen venue is suitable for conducting a marriage.
Businesses within the wedding and hospitality sectors have welcomed the proposals. Operators of venues such as passenger boats believe the reforms could create new opportunities by allowing both the wedding ceremony and reception to take place at the same location, an option currently unavailable in many cases.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the average cost of a wedding in England is around £20,000, and the proposed changes are expected to give couples more flexibility when planning their celebrations.
The consultation follows years of discussion over the need to modernise wedding legislation. The Law Commission previously described the existing framework as outdated and overly complex, publishing recommendations for reform in 2022 that called for a simpler and more flexible legal system.
The government will gather responses from the public, industry stakeholders, and interested organisations before deciding whether to introduce legislation based on the consultation’s findings.
