Couples will be able to get married outdoors as new rules bringing a breath of fresh air to the regulations will come into force next month.
Currently the bride and groom must be in a licensed room at a wedding venue like a stately home or a hotel when they say their vows, but from July 1 that all changes.
A garden or a beach will be perfectly fine locations to tie the knot and the news comes as a big boost to the catering industry that has been badly hit by Covid rules.
As well as providing a safer Covid environment outdoors, the new rules that are being rushed through Parliament also will help couples up a tighter budget.
Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland reportedly 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 that they want.
“At the same time, this step will support the marriage sector by providing greater choice and helping venues to meet demand for larger ceremonies.”
Ministers will lay a statutory instrument in Parliament on June 30 to amend the regulations with effect from the following day.
Further reforms being considered include the possibility of weddings via Zoom video conferences.
A Law Commission report later this year is set to suggest reforms such as allowing a wider range of locations for weddings.
Currently outdoor weddings are only allowed in Scotland while for historical reasons Jewish and Quaker marriage ceremonies can take place in the open air.
Reforms are planned so that all religious wedding ceremonies can take place outdoors and these are set to require more complex changes to legislation.
Harry Benson, of the Marriage Foundation, told the Daily Express the move for outdoor weddings is a step in the right direction.
He said: “This is a sensible, but limited change ahead of the Law Commission’s report due out later this year.
“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.”
