Outdoor civil weddings and civil partnerships are being legalised permanently in England and Wales, the government has said.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said that the change, which will become permanent from 6 April, received “overwhelming support” from the public, faith groups and the wedding industry.
Prior to summer 2021, non-religious ceremonies had to be held indoors or in a permanent outdoor structure, such as a bandstand.
These rules were relaxed to accommodate social distancing during the pandemic.
Now, the temporary measures will continue indefinitely, giving couples greater flexibility and choice in how and where they choose to celebrate their big day.
A government consultation found that 96 per cent of respondents were in favour of the changes being made permanent, with 93 per cent supporting it being extended to religious ceremonies.
Outdoor ceremonies will still have to be held in the grounds of licensed venues, however.
The MoJ said reforms to religious ceremonies will be made “in due course after the consultation found every major faith group supported the move”.
Justice minister Tom Pursglove said: “A wedding is one of the most important days in a person's life and it is right that couples should have greater choice in how they celebrate their special occasion.
“These reforms will allow couples to hold more personalised ceremonies and provide a welcome boost for the wedding sector.”
The news comes as the Law Commission is set to publish a report into marriage laws in July exploring how to “modernise and improve marriage law”.
The analysis follows new research from the University of Warwick and Exeter which said that wedding laws in England and Wales were “outdated and restricted”.
The study states that existing laws do not reflect the diversity of faiths and beliefs in contemporary society.
Ash Patel from the Nuffield Foundation, which funded the research, said: “It [the report] makes a clear case for urgent reform to wedding law so that it better reflects the cultural and social diversity and richness of the individuals and communities that make up the population of England and Wales.”
