Outdoor civil weddings set to be legalised in England and Wales

From 1st July outdoor civil wedding and partnership ceremonies in England and Wales are set to be legalised, meaning that couples will be allowed to get married for the first time at venues such as beaches, parks, private gardens, cruise ships and outdoor areas of venues that are already licensed. Under existing laws a legal wedding or civil partnership ceremony must take place in an approved room or structure.

The statutory instrument amending regulations will be laid in the Commons on 30th June with the change expected to take effect on 1st July. The government is then expected to follow up later this year by also legislating that religious marriages can take place outdoors.

This comes as a welcome development for many couples currently in the throes of wedding planning as the uncertainty of Covid-19 restrictions has caused havoc for so many. The new regulations will allow for entire ceremonies to be held outside, which along with new Covid rules which came into effect on 21st June, mean that an unlimited number of guests can be invited with relaxed social distancing rules for those held outside. Singing and dancing still remain restricted however.

Further developments expected later in the year will come from a Law Commission report that is expected to present options for additional reforms for consideration by the government. Changes such as offering couples more flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing ceremonies to be held in a wider range of locations, and powers to hold weddings remotely in a national emergency are expected to be included.

 Some other proposed changes include the streamlining of administrative and bureaucratic processes, which could make it easier for couples to plan and design weddings. For example couples will be allowed to give notice of their intent to marry online or by post, instead of in person. Similarly prescribed words and vows will not be imposed on ceremonies, and civil ceremonies would be allowed to include religious elements, such as hymns and readings.

The lord chancellor, Robert Buckland, said of the move to allow outdoor civil ceremonies, that it would enable couples to “celebrate in the way that they want”, adding that “this step will support the marriage sector by providing greater choice and helping venues to meet demand for larger ceremonies”.

 In Scotland, weddings can already take place anywhere, including in castles and on remote islands. Northern Ireland does not have location restrictions for the ceremonies, but civil weddings are only allowed to take place only in approved venues.