The Government has officially opened its long-awaited public consultation on wedding law reform in England and Wales and will collect responses from the public over the next 10 weeks. This is a rare and significant opportunity to modernise a system that has remained largely rooted in the 19th century, and to finally bring the law in line with the way couples choose to marry today.
At the heart of this consultation is a crucial question:
“Should independent celebrants be allowed to conduct legally binding weddings?”
The Give Couples Choice Movement believes the answer must be a resounding YES – and we urge everyone who supports fairness, equality and meaningful choice to respond.
Why wedding law reform is needed
Current wedding law in England and Wales is outdated, overly restrictive and uneven in how it treats different beliefs and communities.
Under the present system:
- Religious weddings can be legally binding.
- Civil ceremonies conducted by registrars are legally binding.
- But personal, meaningful and carefully crafted weddings conducted by independent celebrants are not legally recognised.
This means that thousands of couples every year who choose an independent celebrant must go through a separate statutory ceremony. Often, this has to be done days or weeks apart from the celebration that truly reflects their values.
In effect, the ceremony that matters most to them is treated as purely symbolic.
For couples, this means a two-stage process that is unnecessary, often costly, and fails to recognise the dignity and significance of their chosen ceremony.
In the press release accompanying the consultation, Justice Minister Baroness Levitt KC is quoted as saying:
“We know the law isn’t working equally for everyone. No one should have to choose between a ceremony that honours their faith, culture and traditions and one that gives them legal protection. These proposals untie outdated restrictions so all couples can officially tie the knot in a way that feels right for them.”
This is music to our ears! But will the legal changes go far enough?
What will change when wedding law is reformed?
The Government has already committed to reforming wedding law in England and Wales, but this consultation will inform how the reforms will work in practice.
Under the new system:
- authorisation to conduct legal marriages will be on the officiant, not the building
- couples will be able to choose almost any location for their marriage ceremony, subject to approval from their officiant
- non-religious belief organisations will be able to nominate members as marriage officiants
- independent celebrants might be able to apply for authorisation if the Government allow this following the consultation.
This reform – if including independent celebrants – will bring England and Wales more in line with countries such as Australia, where more than 80% of couples choose to be married by a Commonwealth-Registered Celebrant.
Who are independent celebrants?
Independent celebrants are professionals who create and conduct highly personalised ceremonies tailored to each couple. They serve people of all faiths and none, interfaith couples, blended families, LGBTQ+ couples, and those who simply want a ceremony that tells their own story. Celebrants take time to get to know every couple they work with, resulting in ceremonies that are bespoke, flexible, inclusive and culturally sensitive.
Yet despite this professionalism and care, the law does not currently allow them to register a marriage. That means that couples must still arrange for a registrar or other authorised officiant to complete a legal formality that often feels disconnected from what they regard as their real wedding day.
Wedding law reform is about equality and fairness
The current framework creates unequal treatment, because some belief groups can have legally binding ceremonies conducted by their own authorised officiants, while others cannot. Some couples can marry in a single ceremony that reflects their identity, while others must divide the legal and personal aspects of their commitment into two separate events.
Allowing independent celebrants to conduct legally binding weddings would:
- remove outdated distinctions between religious and non-religious ceremonies
- reduce unnecessary duplication and cost
- modernise the law to reflect how couples actually marry today
- promote equality of belief – allowing mixed-faith couples and couples with less defined beliefs to celebrate their marriage in a meaningful way.
However, if independent celebrants are excluded from the reforms, couples will still be required to identify with a ‘belief system’ (religious or otherwise) if they wish to hold a personalised, meaningful marriage ceremony. This would be difficult to justify in 21st century Britain.
Why your response matters
Consultations shape legislation. If the Government hears only from institutions resistant to change, reform could be diluted. If it hears loudly and clearly from couples and others who value choice, the outcome could be transformative.
The Give Couples Choice Movement welcomes this consultation as a vital step toward a fairer, more inclusive system of marriage that reflects the diversity of modern life. But the next step is even more crucial. In 10 weeks’ time the Government will begin analysing all responses received to decide exactly how to move forward with this law reform. Your responses will shape these decisions.
That’s why the we are encouraging all supporters to:
- Respond directly to the consultation
- Contact their local MPs to express support for including independent celebrants in the legal framework.
How to respond to the consultation
The consultation will run for 10 weeks, closing on 24 September 2026. It is open to the public, meaning anyone can respond. So over the next few days and weeks, we encourage responses from couples, celebrants, wedding venues, wedding suppliers, and anyone who supports equality and modernisation in our wedding laws.
This is a once-in-a-generation chance to create a fairer, more inclusive system of marriage in England and Wales. Let’s not miss it.