For a marriage to be considered legally binding in England and Wales, couples have been forced to marry at an approved venue. Now things are about to change. Couples will soon be able to marry at home, at a pub, or on a cruise ship, under what the government is calling the biggest shake-up in marriage laws in almost 200 years. The government says it wants to update “outdated” marriage laws to make weddings more affordable and to give couples more choice over where they say “I do.” Under the proposal, couples could legally marry almost anywhere, as long as the ceremony location is approved by a registered officiant. However, ceremonies deemed to be "gimmicks" that risk trivializing the legal act of marriage would not be allowed under what the government calls a "dignity framework.” The proposal also requires that food and drink — including alcohol — should not be consumed during the ceremony. Signing the paperwork and consenting to the marriage in the presence of an officiant would be the main legal requirements during a civil ceremony under the new proposal.
