The UK Government has today announced a major reform of wedding law in England and Wales, with big implications for couples, celebrants, and the wedding industry. Humanist weddings are at the centre of the discussion. For the first time, the Government has confirmed its intention to legally recognise humanist marriages – a move campaigners have been pushing for over 20 years.
Not quite. Despite headlines celebrating the announcement, nothing has technically changed yet. Couples cannot, as of today, legally marry through a humanist ceremony in England or Wales (although they have been able to in Scotland since 2005 and Northern Ireland in 2018). The law reform process is underway, but it takes time to pass legislation.
The key point is that the Government has committed to delivering this reform – and importantly, and excitingly for me as a Humanist celebrant, there may be a fast-track route for humanist weddings to gain legal recognition ahead of other types of celebrant-led ceremonies.
This is because tere is strong precedent for interim recognition of humanist marriages before full legislation is passed.
This means humanist weddings could become legally binding sooner than many people expect. The Government already has the power to grant recognition by Order, making this a realistic short-term outcome.
A humanist wedding is a non-religious ceremony led by a humanist celebrant. It is completely personalised, focusing on the couple’s values, story, and promises to one another. Humanist weddings are:
Until now, couples in England and Wales who wanted a humanist wedding also needed to have a separate legal ceremony at a registry office, adding cost, stress, and duplication. Now, it looks like they will soon be able to marry however, and wherever they choose.
But it’s important to note, you don’t need to be a card carrying member of Humanists UK in order to hold Humanist Values and have a Humanist Ceremony. In fact, Humanists UK have put together a quiz for people to find out how Humanist they are.
Today’s announcement is not just about paperwork – it’s about freedom, fairness, and choice. Legal recognition of humanist weddings would:
The Government itself has acknowledged the reform as a “major boost to the economy,” highlighting the financial and cultural significance of updating outdated wedding laws.
This reform raises another question – what about independent celebrant weddings?
While the Government has confirmed legal recognition of humanist marriages, other types of celebrant-led ceremonies (such as non-humanist independent and civil celebrant weddings) may take longer to be included.
Campaigners are hopeful the legal framework will eventually extend to all personalised ceremonies, but the fast-track route seems to be opening first for humanist weddings.
No official timeline has been set, but based on previous reforms and international examples, we may see interim recognition within months, not years.
If the Government uses the same Order powers, couples could legally marry in a humanist ceremony far sooner than full legislation might otherwise allow.
If you’re planning a wedding in the next year or two and want a humanist ceremony, here’s what to keep in mind:
I’m super excited to see what the next few months have in store as the details of the wedding reform roll out. But today’s announcement does mark a turning point in how couples in England and Wales can legally marry. Humanist weddings becoming legal will bring the law into the 21st century, catching up with Scotland, Northern Ireland, and much of the rest of the world.
I create ceremonies across North Wales and Cheshire that are personal, meaningful, and unforgettable. If you’d like to chat about your plans – or find out how this law change could affect your wedding – get in touch today.
Modern and uplifting wedding celebrant and funeral celebrant based in North Wales and working across Eryri (Snowdonia), Conwy, Gwynedd, Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham, Anglesey, Llŷn Peninsula, Cheshire, Knutsford, Liverpool, Manchester and the North West.