The Government has announced that outdoor civil wedding and partnership registrations have been legalised in England and Wales.
Until now, any legal wedding or civil partnership ceremony at approved premises such as a hotel must take place in an approved room or permanent structure.
Now couples will be able to have the whole ceremony outside at these venues.
The changes, which came into force on 1st July will benefit almost three-quarters of non-religious weddings and civil partnerships in England and Wales which take place on approved premises.
Couples and venues will now have more options in terms of how people can celebrate their big day by allowing all aspects of weddings to take place outdoors, providing greater flexibility, especially during the pandemic when there are important public health considerations to be made.
A Law Commission report will present options for further reforms later this year which will then be considered carefully by the Government.
Options they are considering include offering greater flexibility for couples to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations, and powers to hold weddings remotely in a national emergency.
Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland said: “A couple’s wedding day is one of the most special times in their lives and this change will allow them to celebrate it the way that they want.
“At the same time, this step will support the marriage sector by providing greater choice and helping venues to meet the demand for larger ceremonies.”
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