Say ‘I do’ in the sun as weddings go al fresco
COUPLES will be able to marry outdoors for the first time from July 1.
A change in the law means civil wedding and partnership ceremonies can now be held outside approved venues.
This will let couples in England and Wales hold their entire wedding celebrations in the grounds of venues, including hotels and stately homes, and will no longer have to go inside to say their vows.
At present the ceremony must take place in an approved room or permanent structure. It is hoped the change will boost the fortunes of Britain’s wedding sector and help it recover faster from the pandemic.
Further reforms are planned so religious wedding ceremonies can take place outdoors.this will require more complex changes to legislation.
For historic reasons, Jewish and Quaker weddings can be held in the open air, but other faith groups have to use places of worship where marriages can be held legally.
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 they want.”
Some couples may worry about rain but ceremonies will be able to take place under a “partially covered structure if this has at least a 50 per cent open area”. The location must be “seemly and dignified”.
Other changes under consideration include allowing couples to marry in a broader range of locations, and permitting weddings remotely in a national emergency.an upcoming Law Commission report is expected to pave the way for an overhaul of wedding regulations.
Harry Benson, of the Marriage Foundation, said: “We hope this will recommend allowing couples to tie the knot in any garden and not just those attached to registered hotels and existing wedding venues.
“We believe that this will give greater choice as to where people can marry and will importantly reduce the cost of ceremonies, which have become prohibitively expensive for too many couples.”