Reforming Romance: What the Ministry of Justice’s New Wedding Laws Mean for You and the Future of Celebrancy

 By Stuart Morris, Founder of the International College of Professional Celebrants

It’s been a momentous week. On Thursday I joined David Lammy, the Deputy Prime Minister on a paddle steamer on the River Thames to announce it an on Friday morning, I sat down with Colson Smith on BBC Radio Leeds to talk about something I’ve been passionately campaigning for over the last decade: a complete overhaul of our outdated wedding laws. As I shared on air, for too long, loving couples have been forced into a frustrating "two-phase" process, quietly attending a registry office for the legalities before having the meaningful, personalised ceremony they actually want with their families.

Thankfully, the Ministry of Justice has published its consultation paper, Tying the Knot: Reforming weddings law in England and Wales, which lays out a spectacular new vision for marriage in this country. At the International College of Professional Celebrants (ICPC), we know our industry is ready. Here is a breakdown of what these proposed changes mean for couples and professional celebrants alike.

From Licensed Buildings to Authorised People At the heart of the government's reform is a shift away from regulating the building in which a wedding takes place, moving instead to an "officiant-based system". This means the legal power to marry people will reside with the person conducting the ceremony, rather than the venue.

• The Government believes there is no principled reason why weddings should be restricted to a limited category of approved buildings.
• Couples will be able to marry in private homes, provided robust safeguards are in place to ensure the location is safe and dignified as well as preventing sham marriages.
• The proposals state that legally binding weddings will be permitted on inland waters and territorial seas.
• For the adventurous, civil weddings will even be permitted in international waters aboard UK-registered cruise ships, overseen by a newly categorised "maritime officiant".

In short, this reform democratises marriage. It opens up access to locations that are meaningful, accessible, and affordable, bringing down the often exorbitant costs of getting married.

A Victory for Independent Celebrants

At ICPC, we have trained thousands of celebrants through our NOCN-accredited residential courses. We represent over 550 celebrants, and currently, a million people a year attend a ceremony led by someone I've trained. Under this new reform, that expertise will finally be recognised in law.

• The Government has taken the initial view that independent officiants should be permitted to conduct legally binding weddings.
• Allowing independent officiants to conduct legally binding weddings will provide greater choice for couples and support a level playing field between different types of ceremony.
• Independent officiants will be required to belong to a recognised, regulator-approved membership organisation.
• These membership organisations will be responsible for assessing whether applicants are fit and proper, providing training, handling complaints, and monitoring compliance, subject to the oversight of a central regulator.

This perfectly mirrors the work we already do at ICPC, providing top-tier continuous professional development and enforcing high standards. We are fully equipped to support our members as they take on these vital legal responsibilities.

Upholding Dignity and Significance While the rules on location and venue will relax, the Government is very clear that marriage remains a serious, lifelong commitment. To preserve this, the Ministry of Justice has proposed a comprehensive "dignity framework".

• All officiants will have a specific legal duty to uphold the dignity and significance of marriage.
• Officiants will be responsible for assessing whether the chosen location upholds the dignity and significance of marriage.
• Officiants will need to agree the form of the ceremony with the couple to ensure it meets the required standards of dignity.

Inclusivity at the Moment of Consent

One of the most touching aspects of this reform, and one I celebrated on the radio, is how it makes marriage far more accessible to neurodivergent or non-verbal people. The current reliance on complex vows will be simplified.

• For civil ceremonies, the Government proposes using required words that take the form of a short statement of contract, such as: "I [name] accept you [name] as my [husband / wife / spouse]".
• To accommodate inclusivity, limited variation will be permitted through the use of "words to the same effect".
• In religious and non-religious belief ceremonies, the legal expression of consent could even be conveyed through actions instead of words.

Robust Safeguards

Finally, making marriage easier for loving couples shouldn't make it easier for bad actors. The reforms will bolster protections against forced, predatory, and sham marriages.

• The process of civil preliminaries will be separated into a two-stage process.
• Couples will first complete the administrative process of giving notice online.
• This will be followed by a compulsory, separate in-person interview with a registrar focused on safeguarding.

These new laws mark the biggest positive change to marriage in 200 years. My message to our politicians is simply: get on with it. The industry is ready, the couples are ready, and a fairer, more beautiful future for weddings is within reach.