Legal Marriage Reform UK: What Couples Need to Know

UK marriage law has changed three times since 2021 — the minimum age rose to 18, outdoor ceremonies became legal at approved venues, and the Law Commission published its most significant wedding law review in decades. But the biggest recommended change, replacing the Marriage Act 1949’s premises-based system with a flexible officiant-based model, has not yet been legislated. As of May 2026, couples in England and Wales planning humanist ceremonies, beach weddings, or garden ceremonies still need a register office ceremony to be legally married. This guide covers every confirmed change and what is still pending.

By Matt Ward, Editor at Weddings Hub. This article draws on the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022, the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Outdoor Ceremonies) Act 2021, the Law Commission’s 2022 report “Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law,” and the General Register Office’s published guidance. Legal content reflects the position in England and Wales as of May 2026.

Change 1: Minimum age raised to 18 (February 2023)

The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 came into force on 27 February 2023. It raised the minimum age for marriage and civil partnership in England and Wales to 18 in all circumstances.

Before the change, the minimum age was 16 — but 16 and 17-year-olds could marry with parental consent. This had been the position since at least the Marriage Act 1949 and arguably since much earlier.

The change had three practical effects:

1. Parental consent for marriage is abolished. There is no longer any age at which a parent or court can consent to a marriage on behalf of a minor. 18 is the minimum, full stop.

2. The offence of child marriage is extended. Under previous law, a marriage of a 16 or 17-year-old with parental consent was legal. Under the new law, facilitating a marriage of anyone under 18 in England and Wales is a criminal offence regardless of consent. This closes a loophole that some communities had exploited.

3. Forced marriage provisions are strengthened. The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 already criminalised forced marriage. The 2022 Act reinforces that no marriage of a minor can be valid, removing the argument that parental consent legitimised a marriage.

Scotland raised its minimum age to 16 with parental consent decades ago but has not yet raised it to 18 without exceptions. Northern Ireland also raised its minimum to 18 in parallel with England and Wales.

For context: the UK government estimated that approximately 170 marriages of 16 and 17-year-olds took place in England and Wales in the final year before the change. That number is now zero.

Change 2: Outdoor ceremonies legalised (July 2022)

The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Outdoor Ceremonies) Act 2021 came into force in England on 1 July 2022 and in Wales on 1 October 2022. It permitted outdoor areas at approved premises to host civil ceremonies.

Before July 2022, all civil ceremonies in England and Wales had to take place inside a permanent, roofed structure. A hotel garden, a walled garden, a terrace — all beautiful, none of them legal ceremony spaces.

After the change, a venue can apply to its local authority to extend its approved premises licence to cover outdoor areas. Once licensed, those outdoor spaces can host legally binding civil ceremonies.

What did not change:

• The requirement for an approved premises licence
• The registrar-conducted ceremony requirement
• The prohibition on religious content in civil ceremonies
• The Church of England’s separate rules (still requires a consecrated building)

The practical effect has been significant. Weddings Hub data shows that at least 380 venues in England had extended their approved premises licences to cover outdoor spaces within 18 months of the change — and that number is growing as venues invest in outdoor ceremony infrastructure.

For a detailed look at how this works in practice, see our full guide to outdoor wedding ceremonies in England and Wales.

Change 3: Pending — the Law Commission’s 2022 recommendations

The Law Commission published “Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law” in July 2022. It followed a three-year review and was the first fundamental examination of England and Wales’s wedding law framework since 1971.

The core finding: the current system is “unnecessarily restrictive, complex and inaccessible.” The Commission made 56 recommendations. The most significant:

Replace the premises-based model with an officiant-based model. Currently, the legal validity of a marriage depends primarily on where it takes place — a register office or approved premises. The Commission recommended switching to a system where validity depends primarily on who conducts the ceremony — any approved officiant.

Legalise humanist and independent celebrant ceremonies. Under the recommended system, humanist and independent celebrants could be approved to conduct legally binding ceremonies. The approval process would be run by an independent regulator.

Remove the approved premises requirement. Under the recommended system, a marriage could take place anywhere — a private garden, a beach, a park, a private home — as long as the officiant is approved and the required notice process is followed.

Simplify the notice process. The current 28-day notice requirement would be retained, but the process would be streamlined. An online portal would replace the in-person register office visit in most cases.

Modernise registration. Paper marriage registers would be replaced with digital records, eliminating the signing of a physical register at the ceremony.

The Commission estimated that approximately 100,000 couples per year in England and Wales would choose a humanist or independent celebrant ceremony if the option became available. This would represent the largest structural change to marriage law since 1949.

As of May 2026, the government has not introduced legislation to implement the recommendations. The reform requires primary legislation — an Act of Parliament — which has not yet been timetabled. Couples should not plan on the basis of any change happening before their wedding date.

What has not changed: the key restrictions still in place

Despite the two confirmed changes since 2021, several significant restrictions remain in force:

Humanist ceremonies are still not legal. In England and Wales only. Scotland has recognised them since 2005; Northern Ireland since 2018.

Private location ceremonies are still not legal. You cannot marry legally in a private garden, on a beach, in a park, or in any location that is not a licensed approved premises. The outdoor ceremony change only extended the outdoor spaces of existing licensed venues.

Independent celebrant ceremonies are still not legal. A ceremony conducted by a non-registrar, non-religious-minister celebrant carries no legal force in England and Wales. The two-ceremony approach is still required.

Religious restrictions remain. Religious organisations other than the Church of England and certain long-standing exempt bodies (Jewish, Quaker) must still register their buildings and have a registrar present. A mosque, gurdwara, or temple cannot conduct a legally binding ceremony through a religious officiant alone.

How England and Wales compares to Scotland

The contrast between English/Welsh marriage law and Scottish marriage law is stark:

Feature	England and Wales	Scotland
Minimum age	18 (no exceptions)	16 (with parental consent)
Outdoor ceremonies at licensed venues	Yes (since 2022)	Yes
Ceremony at any location	No	Yes (Registrar General approval)
Humanist ceremonies legal	No	Yes (since 2005)
Independent celebrant ceremonies legal	No	Yes (approved officiants)
Approved premises requirement	Yes	No

Scotland’s more flexible system is the result of a 1977 law that was forward-looking enough to allow the Registrar General to approve any location and any type of officiant. England and Wales have been updating a 1949 Act piecemeal ever since.

The practical consequence: many couples who want a humanist ceremony, a beach wedding, or a private garden ceremony choose Scotland as their wedding location — a trend that is visible in Scottish tourism data.

What this means for your 2026 wedding planning

If you are planning a wedding in England or Wales in 2026 or 2027, here is the practical position:

If you want a civil ceremony at a register office or licensed venue: no change from before 2022, except that you may now have more outdoor options at existing venues.

If you want an outdoor ceremony at a hotel, country house, or barn: check whether the venue’s approved premises licence covers its outdoor areas. If it does, you can hold a legally binding outdoor ceremony there.

If you want a humanist ceremony: you need two ceremonies. Book the register office ceremony (typically weekday, 15-30 minutes, £57-£150) and a humanist celebrant for your main ceremony. See the full guide on humanist weddings in England and Wales.

If you want to marry on a beach, in a private garden, or in any non-licensed space: you need two ceremonies. The legal ceremony at a register office, followed by your celebration ceremony at your chosen location.

If you want to marry in Scotland: you have significantly more options, including humanist ceremonies, beach and hillside ceremonies, and ceremonies in any location approved by the Registrar General for Scotland.

The broader picture: why the reform has stalled

The Law Commission’s recommendations are broadly popular with the wedding industry, with couples, and with celebrant bodies. The government’s 2022 response said it would “carefully consider” the recommendations. No legislation followed.

Several factors have complicated the timeline:

Parliamentary capacity. Major legislation competes for parliamentary time. Marriage law reform, however popular, is not a high political priority compared to economic legislation, defence, or health.

Religious organisation concerns. Some religious bodies have expressed concern that a fully officiant-based system could require them to register celebrants through a secular body, or could change the legal status of their existing arrangements. These concerns have slowed the consultation process.

Registration system overhaul. The Commission’s recommendation to replace paper registers with digital records requires a significant investment in the General Register Office’s technology infrastructure.

The most optimistic realistic timeline for legislation is 2027-2028. Couples planning 2026 weddings should plan entirely on the current legal framework.

For more on ceremony options and costs, see the guide to how to plan a wedding and the wedding planning timeline. For understanding venue licence requirements, see our guide to exclusive-use wedding venues.

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Frequently asked questions

What changes to UK marriage law have happened since 2020?

Two confirmed changes: the minimum marriage age rose to 18 with no parental consent exceptions (from 27 February 2023), and outdoor civil ceremonies at approved premises became legal in England from 1 July 2022 and Wales from 1 October 2022.

Is humanist marriage legal in England and Wales in 2026?

No. Humanist ceremonies are still not legally recognised as of May 2026. The Law Commission recommended legalisation in 2022, but no legislation has been passed. Couples must still use a two-ceremony approach.

What is the current minimum age for marriage in England and Wales?

18, with no exceptions, since 27 February 2023. The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 raised the minimum from 16 (with parental consent) to 18 in all circumstances.

What did the Law Commission recommend for wedding law reform?

The 2022 report recommended an “officiant-based” system allowing any approved officiant to conduct a legally binding ceremony anywhere. Humanist and independent celebrant ceremonies would be legalised. The approved premises requirement would be removed. No legislation based on this has been passed.

Can I get married anywhere in England and Wales in 2026?

No. You must still marry at a register office or an approved premises. Since July 2022, outdoor areas at approved premises can be used. You cannot hold a legal civil ceremony in a private garden, on a beach, or in any location that is not part of a licensed approved premises.

How does England and Wales compare to Scotland on marriage law?

Scotland is considerably more flexible. Couples can marry at any location with Registrar General approval. Humanist, civil, and religious ceremonies are all legally valid. Humanist ceremonies have been recognised since 2005.

When will the new wedding law come into effect in England and Wales?

There is no confirmed timeline as of May 2026. The most optimistic realistic estimate is 2027-2028. Plan on the current legal framework.

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Related reading: Humanist Weddings: Are They Legally Recognised? | Outdoor Wedding Ceremonies: The 2022 Law Change | Civil Partnership vs Marriage UK | How to Plan a Wedding | Wedding Planning Timeline