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Irish Wedding News

27/06/2014

Outdoor Weddings Could Be Legalised

A change to current laws could allow outdoor weddings to take place in the UK.

The suggestion comes after the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) published a consultation paper which suggests creating a new category of "belief marriages".

This would allow non-religious groups, such as the British Humanist Association, to hold ceremonies outside of a church or a civil ceremony.

Currently, humanist weddings are already conducted in Scotland, but in England and Wales, outdoor marriages are not legally recognised. The only two types of marriage that are considered to be recognised by law are those religious ceremonies in churches and other buildings; and civil ceremonies in registry offices or other registered venues.

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However, while the law says that a majority of weddings in England and Wales have to take place in a building, the MoJ argued that if humanist weddings are permitted, then any associated restrictions – such as where they can take place – must be removed.

If the changes occur, The Telegraph has said couples will be able to marry on a mountain top or river bank, while others have said the infamous 'Jedi' weddings often favoured by Star Wars fans could become a possibility. The MoJ has however said that strict criteria organisations would need to be met in order to qualify.

Justice Minister Simon Hughes is quoted as saying: "The Government considers marriage to be one of our most important institutions and believes it is right for couples to have the choice of a religious or secular marriage ceremony.

"As we committed to do during the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, we are now consulting on whether the law should be changed to allow non-religious belief organisations to conduct legally valid marriage ceremonies."

(JP/MH)

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"A change to current laws could allow outdoor weddings to take place in the UK."