Couples could marry at home, in pubs or on the beach under new wedding law shake-up

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The Government says it wants to modernise what it describes as “archaic” wedding rules, giving people more freedom over where and how they marry while potentially making ceremonies cheaper.

Under the proposals, civil weddings would no longer have to take place in pre-approved venues.

Instead, they could be held in any “dignified” setting, indoors or outdoors.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Giving couples more choice over where they marry could open up more affordable options, while keeping the lifelong commitment of marriage at the heart of every ceremony.”

Ministers say the move could help bring down the average cost of a wedding, currently estimated at around £20,000, making marriage more accessible to more couples.

The consultation paper, described as “the biggest shake-up of marriage law in almost 200 years”, also says weddings could be held on boats for the first time.

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That could include “narrowboats, river cruise boats and historic or decommissioned ships”, as well as “larger vessels on coastal waters, such as chartered passenger ferries and yachts or sailing boats”.

But the plans would rule out ceremonies taking place during activities that distract from the legal act of marriage.

The consultation says: “Settings that require participants to focus on another activity during the ceremony, such as skydiving, white-water rafting, rollercoasters or other amusement rides, will … fall short of the standard.”

Under the plans, the only core legal requirement during a civil ceremony - aside from signing the paperwork - would be for the couple to state their consent in front of the officiant and two witnesses, saying: “I [name] accept you [name] as my [husband / wife / spouse].”

Civil ceremonies would also be allowed to include religious content for the first time, such as a Bible reading, although the paper says they should not reproduce the full format of an Anglican service.

The consultation adds: “The ceremony must not include elements that are gimmick-based or trivialising and which would detract from the significance of marriage as a legal act'

"This would not preclude the inclusion of light-hearted elements such as a reading from Shakespeare, a sing-along to Sweet Caroline or other similar contributions, so long as these remain within the bounds of dignity and do not amount to excessive or inappropriate displays."

The proposals also say food and drink, including alcohol, should not be “casually/recreationally consumed during the ceremony”, meaning weddings in pubs would have to stay dry until the vows were complete.

Interfaith ceremonies involving more than one religion would be permitted for the first time, and non-religious belief groups such as humanists and pagans would also be able to conduct legally binding weddings.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said: “They say you can't put a price on love – but too often, the cost of weddings puts this commitment out of reach.

“That's why I'm reforming archaic rules, so couples have more freedom to say 'I do' on their own terms, while strengthening safeguards to protect the meaning and permanence of marriage.”

Outdoor weddings were temporarily allowed more widely during the pandemic and later made permanent, but they still currently have to take place within the grounds of licensed wedding venues.

The new proposals are based on recommendations published by the Law Commission in 2022 and were first put forward last October.

The consultation applies to England and Wales and runs until 24 September.

Any changes would still need legislation to pass through Parliament, meaning they are unlikely to come into force before late next year at the earliest.