While discussing the royal wedding, someone asked if it would’ve been possible for it to have been held outside. A woman who had lived in England when Charles and Diana got married said that it was illegal, but wasn’t sure if that was just for royals.
Doing some research, I found that it is indeed illegal to get married outside of a permanent built structure. Additionally, the premises must be regularly open to members of the public; i.e., not a private home.
The website I found this info at doesn’t cite the exact law, nor the reasons for it. So, do any UK dopers know why you can’t get married outside?
I’m guessing it’s because Catholics aren’t supposed to get married outdoors and a lot of UK common law is based on Catholic rules/traditions with the serial numbers filed off (see also: when we have bank holidays).
The “regularly open to the public” bit I’m assuming is for the same reason that notice has to be posted for 40 days (or banns read): to allow people who know of a cause, or just impediment, why the couple shouldn’t be married to say so.
I didn’t know that Jewish religious weddings can take place in private homes, though! That’s interesting.
This is accurate information anymore. It used to be that weddings could only take place in religious buildings and registery offices – so indoor by default. People usually arranged for the photos to take place outdoors however.
The rules were relaxed a few years ago so that all kinds of premises could be licensed for weddings – including outdoor venues. However, see the comment about the weather for indoor weddings continuing to be more frequent.
Wasn’t there a thing where Charles and Camilla wanted to get married at Windsor Castle, only if they did that they’d have to open it up to anybody who wanted to get married for a certain time?
But AWB’s link, from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau so one would hope that it’s official and reasonably up-to-date, says:
Approval will not be given for open air venues, such as moonlit beaches or golf courses. Generally, the premises will need to be permanent built structures
The CAB information is correct. Marriages outside of churches and Registration Offices were legalised in the 90’s but the intention was to only liberalise the law to a limited extent.
As I understand it there were two considerations in limiting where marriages or civil partnerships could be performed - 1) marriage/civil partnership is a public event in England so the venue has to be open to the public and the public have to know that it is a venue for marriages and 2) it is a serious committment - not something to be done lightly. This was interpreted by the Registrar General who issued guidance to local councils (who licence the venues) on what would be suitable. So no private houses as not public, not outdoors or in tents as not a fixed place known to the public, and not in a beach hut as too frivolous! (Moonlit beaches are definitely out as weddings must be before 6 pm - again so that they are in the light of day and not hidden away - though the coalition government has announced a Protection Of Freedoms Bill that is meant to do away with lots of old restrictions including the ban on evening weddings.)
Having said that there is a fair amount of leeway. My neice was married last year and it was effectively out of doors - may have been technically in the building as under a porch but all the guests were outside.
There are churches in America who, officially or unofficially, will refuse or discourage outdoor weddings. When my wife and I got married in the Episcopal church, one of the first things the priest told us is that this was a religious ceremony, and was appropriately celebrated at an altar in a church. And, that wedding ceremonies are condsidered public worship services to whom anyone can attend. We were welcome to hold our reception wherever we wanted and invite or not invite anyone we pleased, but the ceremony would take place inside the church and be open to the public.
Quite a lot of “outdoor” wedding venues get round this using small summerhouse/gazebo type structures like the one pictured here. This also provides some protection for the wedding party and officiants (though not the rest of the guests) should the weather behave as it so often does here.
