The way couples get married in England and Wales is set for a significant shake-up, thanks to proposed proposed reforms by the Law Commission. The current system, based on the Marriage Act 1949, restricts ceremonies to approved venues, which adds cost to the wedding and a level of unfairness for smaller venues who cannot pay the fee. These proposed reforms aim to give couples more freedom, flexibility, and potentially, a lighter financial burden on their special day.
One part of the proposed reform is a shift from venue-based regulation to officiant-based regulation. Currently, only specific approved places, can host legal weddings. But these changes aren’t about a free-for-all. The officiant would still need to approve the location, ensuring it’s dignified and appropriate. Public safety concerns would also be addressed.
Currently, celebrants cannot legally officiate weddings in England and Wales. The proposed reforms aim to change this, giving couples more freedom and potentially reducing costs. However, it’s crucial to understand that under the new system, only celebrants with proper qualifications and authorization would be able to perform legal ceremonies. For some celebrants like myself, who are already qualified this will involve a short conversion session to join an approved register, for others they will have to start their training from scratch to gain qualifications.
Currently, celebrants can act as a guiding hand for couples throughout the planning process. They can help craft personalized ceremonies that reflect the couple’s unique story and beliefs, something not always achievable in traditional settings. However, the couple do have to be married legally in advance, by a registrar. Couples often then choose to have the wedding of their choice which adds to the overall wedding costs.
Planning a wedding is also getting easier. The Law Commission proposes online registration of intent to marry, eliminating the need for paper forms. This proposed reform streamlines the process and provides greater convenience that the current system requiring face to face meetings.
However, some questions remain. The timeframe for implementing these changes is still unclear, although the new government has given a commitment to the industry to make this reform a high priority.
Despite these uncertainties, the Law Commission’s proposals mark a significant step towards modernizing wedding law in England and Wales, and bring them more in line with those of Scotland and the Channel Islands. If implemented, these proposed reforms will offer couples greater freedom, flexibility, and potentially a more budget-friendly path to saying “I do.”