Couples who wish to marry under the stars in the moonlight maybe just maybe are about to have their wish granted with the ban on night time weddings being lifted.
Current laws in the UK (The Marriage Act 1836) state that a wedding ceremony has to take place between the hours of 8am and 6pm. The Church of England rules are not intended to be changed but it appears that civil ceremony restrictions are possibly set to be removed under the new proposals which are part of Protection of Freedoms Bill. These changes will allow marriages to take place 24 hours a day in England and Wales and will also apply to civil partnerships.
There are currently not the same time restrictions in Scotland. The changes are expected to boost the demand for evening civil weddings especially during the summer months
Although England has a long way to go before they match up to the 24 hour weddings of Las Vegas - the new proposals will not allow last minute weddings as you get at the chapels in Las Vegas as at least 15 days notice will will be required.
(Image courtesy of bbc.co.uk)
What do you think about these proposed changes. Do you fellow planners think they will be popular? In reality we wonder how keen Registars will be to perform ceremonies at midnight and how much it will actually cost people to have a Registar come out to perform a ceremony at that time? There are all kinds of practical implications involved with having ceremonies at unusual times but as planners we would welcome the opportunity to work with couples who want a wedding which is out of the ordinary - it could make for more creative and unique weddings.
Perhaps the general public don't understand that you CAN have a ceremony event now at any time of the day or night and at whatever venue you wish by having your legal ceremony perhaps with just the bride and groom with two witnesses in your jeans the day before your "wedding" - here you say the legal vows but you don't event need to exchange rings. You can there hire a bespoke ceremony company/celebrant who will write a personal ceremony for you (with or without your involvement) and you can have that ceremony in front of your family and friends, exchange rings, say whatever you like and you are not bound by the restrictions of the laws we have in this country. Maybe generally its not well known enough yet that this kind of service exists and perhaps a change in the law is not really needed - just better promotion of ceremony companies and more promotion from local Councils of that service rather than a change in the law. Will a change in the law put ceremony companies out of business?