Big rule change for weddings gives couples more choice of where to get married
A consultation found 96% of people wanted outdoor ceremonies legalised
Last updated 15th Mar 2022
Couples looking to tie the knot in England and Wales will now be able to have their ceremony held outdoors.
In a statement, the UK Government announced it would permanently legalise outdoor weddings and civil partnership ceremonies.
During the COVID pandemic, couples could only have their ceremony held outside in order to comply with restrictions imposed by the Goverment.
Before then, however, weddings and ceremonies could only be held indoors or outdoors in a permanent structure, such as bandstands and gazebos.
But a public consultation by the Government found that there was "overwhelming support" to make the change more permanent.
According to the Ministry of Justice, 96% of people who took part in the consultation expressed support for allowing outdoor civil weddings and ceremonies, with 93% also backing extending the rules to include religious weddings.
It comes as the Government announced that it may also simplify marriage laws, such as what type of marriage people can get - following a review from the Law Commission.
Speaking about the change in law, Justice Minister Tom Pursglove said reforms to include religious weddings would also be considered.
"A wedding is one of the most important days in a person's life and it is right that couples should have greater choice in how they celebrate their special occasion," he said.
"These reforms will allow couples to hold more personalised ceremonies and provide a welcome boost for the wedding sector."