Couples in England and Wales will be able to legally marry at locations such as their homes, pubs and cruise ships under the biggest overhaul of wedding laws in nearly 200 years.
The reforms aim to replace outdated venue rules, giving couples more flexibility and making weddings more accessible.
Under the proposals, couples could legally marry in locations such as castles, beaches and cruise ships, provided the ceremony is conducted by an approved officiant. However, ceremonies considered to trivialise marriage, such as skydiving weddings, would not be allowed under a proposed "dignity framework." The changes would also ease restrictions on religious content and allow non-religious groups to conduct legal weddings.
‘More flexible and easier to incorporate into their chosen celebration’
Speaking to Asian Voice, Shivi Rajput, Partner at Stowe Family Law, said the proposed reforms would mark "one of the biggest changes to marriage law in England and Wales in decades." She explained that the focus would shift from licensing the venue to licensing the officiant, meaning couples could legally marry in a much wider range of locations, including "private homes, gardens, community halls or other venues with personal or cultural significance," provided the ceremony is conducted by an authorised officiant.
Rajput added that the reforms would make legal marriages "more flexible and easier to incorporate into their chosen celebration," while maintaining existing safeguards. She noted that couples would still need to "give notice, satisfy legal eligibility requirements and ensure the marriage is properly registered," even if the choice of venue becomes far more flexible.
Rajput said the reforms could particularly benefit South Asian couples, whose weddings often involve multiple religious, cultural and family celebrations. "For many South Asian couples, a wedding is not a single event but a series of religious, cultural and family celebrations that may take place over several days," she said.
She added that allowing legal ceremonies at "a family home, marquee or community venue" could reduce the need for separate civil ceremonies and make weddings more inclusive, especially for "elderly relatives and family members who are unable to travel to approved venues."
Rajput stressed that a religious or cultural ceremony alone may not create a legally recognised marriage. "For many South Asian families, the religious ceremony is seen as the moment a couple truly becomes husband and wife," she said, while noting that legal requirements in England and Wales must still be met.
She said the reforms could "bridge this gap" by aligning legal recognition with cultural traditions, but added that "public education will be crucial" to help couples understand the difference between a meaningful ceremony and one that offers legal protection.
‘Home and outdoor ceremonies would require careful consideration’
The Managing Director of Laguna, Amit Lamba said the reforms would give couples greater freedom but may not significantly change how most South Asian weddings are planned. "For many families, the legal ceremony is only one part of a much bigger celebration that is centred around cultural traditions, religious ceremonies and bringing family and friends together," he said, adding that most couples would still prefer established venues for larger celebrations.
On costs, Lamba said the reforms may help couples planning simple legal ceremonies but are unlikely to significantly reduce the cost of traditional South Asian weddings. "The biggest costs are usually hospitality, catering, décor, entertainment and guest experience rather than the legal ceremony itself," he said.
He added that the changes could encourage more personalised celebrations. "We may see more legal ceremonies taking place in private homes, gardens or meaningful family locations, followed by larger receptions elsewhere," he said. However, he noted that large South Asian weddings require extensive infrastructure, including professional kitchens, power supplies, guest facilities, logistics and weather planning. "Creating the same level of luxury, service and guest experience outside a traditional venue will require careful planning and experienced event partners," he added.
Similarly, Sian Belton, owner of BusyBrides Wedding Planners, said the reforms could help bring legal and cultural ceremonies together. "At the moment, the legal ceremony is often treated as a separate formality, while the religious or cultural ceremony is what the couple and their families regard as the actual wedding," she said.
Belton said couples may increasingly choose "family homes, gardens and places with personal or cultural significance" for ceremonies, while traditional venues would continue to be important for larger celebrations. "The biggest change will be choice," she said, allowing couples to create weddings that reflect their faith, culture and traditions while gaining legal recognition.
She added that the reforms could benefit "celebrants, planners, caterers and marquee companies" by encouraging more personalised weddings. However, she warned that home and outdoor ceremonies would require careful consideration of "power, toilets, access, parking, bad weather, noise restrictions, neighbours and maintaining privacy."
Belton also raised concerns about independent celebrants, saying the process for becoming legally authorised must be "fair, accessible and based on appropriate training, competence and professional standards" rather than being limited to membership of specific organisations.
