Are church weddings legal?

In England and Wales, a church wedding is legally binding if it takes place in a registered religious building and follows the rules for marriage. For Church of England and Church in Wales weddings, you usually need banns read in your home parish for three Sundays, or you can apply for a common licence or a special licence. Other denominations, such as Catholic, Methodist or Baptist, are also registered for marriages, but you must give notice at a register office at least 28 days before the ceremony.

In Scotland, a church wedding is legal if the celebrant is registered and you have submitted your marriage notice to the registrar at least 29 days before. In Northern Ireland, the rules are similar, with notice given to the registrar in the district where the wedding takes place.

If you are having a religious ceremony that is not in a registered building, such as a nikah at home or a humanist ceremony in England and Wales, that ceremony alone may not be legally binding. Many couples then have a short civil ceremony at a register office to make the marriage legal. The rules can change, so always check with your place of worship and with GOV.UK.