If your idea of a dream wedding is tying the knot over a Big Mac, good news. New laws could mean you’ll soon be able to get married in the likes of McDonald’s or your local pub.
The Law Commission has suggested couples should be granted greater choice over where they get married, with plans to reform the laws surrounding ceremonies first launching last September.
And the plans have just inched forwards, with the consultation on the reforms officially closing last week.
At present, laws that date back to the 19th century restrict weddings to certain places, but the new reforms would make quirkier venues (such as your local Maccies) an option.
Currently, couples must have their ceremony at either a place of worship or at a licensed venue. The Law Commission is hoping new laws will allow weddings to occur in a multitude of settings, for example, outdoors or in homes.
Founder of The Marriage Foundation Sir Paul Coleridge said the new reforms should also help couples who don’t want to spend a small fortune on a wedding. After all, the latest figures show the average wedding in the UK costs an eye-watering £31,974.
He said: “The Law Commission’s exciting, new proposed reforms will relax many of the restrictions and open up the process so that couples can design their own wedding and tie the knot wherever they choose whether in their local church or a local pub, a castle, a field or even in McDonald’s.
“For far too long, the perception has been growing that marriage is an out-of-date social arrangement reserved for the better off who can afford a lavish wedding and reception.
“Historically this was never so. As recently as only fifty years ago, everyone wanted to get married, and they normally did, whatever their financial position.”
So where would you choose to get married?