One of the UK’s leading celebrant trainers has taken part in the government’s launch of a consultation that could transform how weddings are conducted in England and Wales. Stuart Morris, whose work has focused on giving couples more meaningful and inclusive ceremonies for more than three decades, joined Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy at the official announcement of the proposed reforms.
Stuart Morris, 58, from Malham, North Yorkshire, founded The International College of Professional Celebrants (ICPC), now recognised as the world’s largest training organisation for wedding and funeral celebrants. On 16 July he joined David Lammy aboard a boat on the Thames, where he led a public discussion as ministers unveiled plans to modernise marriage legislation that has remained largely unchanged for almost two centuries.
Speaking about the existing legislation, Stuart said: “The current law is a patchwork, with some provisions dating back a thousand years.”
Stuart’s involvement follows years of work alongside the Ministry of Justice and Baroness Levitt through the Wedding Celebrancy Commission. As one of the Commission’s founders and an executive board member, he has contributed to discussions surrounding long-term reform.
Research commissioned by the Commission through the Open University explored changing public expectations around weddings and reviewed international models, including Australia’s long-established system of legal celebrant-led marriages. The evidence became part of the Law Commission’s recommendations published in 2022 and has informed the current consultation.
Highlighting the inconsistencies in the law, Stuart said: “Couples who marry in Las Vegas have their marriage recognised when they return to Britain. Yet they cannot legally choose an independent celebrant to conduct the same ceremony in a Yorkshire barn or even in their own garden. Couples deserve greater freedom over who conducts one of the most important moments of their lives.”
He added that the current framework often disadvantages same-sex couples, interfaith couples and others seeking a ceremony that genuinely reflects their values.
“Many people have little option beyond a basic statutory ceremony, while more personalised experiences often come with significantly higher costs. The law should support couples rather than limit their choices.”
Looking back on his career, Stuart said: “My first funeral was for a young woman whose family could not afford to bring her home. I wanted to ensure she was remembered with dignity and compassion. That same principle guides every wedding ceremony. Every couple deserves an occasion that reflects their lives, not outdated legislation.”
The government says its proposals are intended to widen choice, reduce costs and provide new opportunities for venues across the wedding, tourism and hospitality industries, while strengthening safeguards that protect the institution of marriage. Nearly 470,000 couples marry each year under legislation that many believe no longer reflects the diversity of modern Britain.
If implemented, the proposals would allow couples to marry legally in a far greater range of settings, including beaches, woodlands, castles, canal boats and cruise ships, while placing greater emphasis on the authorised officiant rather than the building itself. Ministers also believe the changes could help reduce the financial barriers faced by couples planning a wedding.
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy said:
“They say you can’t put a price on love, but too often, the cost of weddings puts this commitment out of reach. That’s why I’m reforming archaic rules, so couples have more freedom to say ‘I do’ on their own terms, while strengthening safeguards to protect the meaning and permanence of marriage.”
The consultation also aims to establish a more consistent legal framework for different faiths and belief groups, enabling ceremonies that better reflect modern families and diverse traditions.
Through ICPC, Stuart has trained celebrants who now conduct ceremonies for more than one million people each year across the UK. The organisation has 50 percent more active members than any other celebrancy body in the country. Stuart is also preparing to publish Hello, I Love You, Goodbye, a book examining the importance of ceremonies throughout life, with the first four chapters already available at hilyg.uk.
The public consultation is now open at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/tying-the-knot-reforming-weddings-law-in-england-and-wales. The consultation will run from July 16 to September 24, lasting 10 weeks.
