It would be nice, if I could offer a brief, succinct, clear update on the current situation as regards weddings. As with so many rulings currently, it’s just not as simple as that!
Legal Ceremonies
A Court very recently decided that humanists should be able to conduct legal weddings. It was felt that they had suffered discrimination and should now be free to proceed – but the decision would remain in the hands of the government.
A Law Commission review is due to be published next month. Part of that review is considering whether civil celebrants, in addition to humanists, can be allowed to conduct legal weddings.
This may seem relatively insignificant, but the proposed change should be for the better in the long run and offer couples greater choice.
Legal Weddings
There is a certain amount of confusion regarding the new announcement that weddings at venues are now allowed, but that there can be no reception.
It must be made clear that weddings conducted by civil celebrants are not currently classed as “legal”.
However, that doesn’t prevent you from holding a celebrant wedding ceremony! This needs to be part of the reception or party after the (legal!) wedding. How practical is this, I wonder, especially as it is unclear whether this is law or guidance?
My feeling is that it is probably best to wait until after 15th August to hold a gathering. The limit of 30 will still apply, but a service can then be held in an open space. This is dependent on there being only two family bubbles present. The civil celebrant counts as one bubble, and so would a photographer, say!
Could we have a situation where a photographer records the celebrant conducting a wedding for a couple who aren’t even allowed to be there?!
What a strange world we’re living in at the moment!
Anyway, I hope I’ve cleared all that up for you now …!
Photo: iandooley on Unsplash