Submitted by gail on
Night-time weddings will now be possible in future, so if you would like to get married at the top of Blackpool Tower after 6pm, with a carpet of twinkling lights at your feet and a canopy of stars overhead, you can.
Allowing marriages to take place 24 hours a day in England and Wales are part of the Protection Of Freedoms Bill. They will also apply to civil partnerships.
Currently couples can only wed between 0800 and 1800 under the Marriage Act of 1836. This 176 year old law was put in place, when during the dark winter months of the 19th Century only a candle lit the ceremony. To avoid deceptions where some bridegrooms were duped into marrying the wrong bride while her face was veiled, the 6am-6pm rule became active throughout the land and many other parts of the world.
There are no restrictions on the hours of weddings in Scotland and any change in the 0800-1800 timing for Northern Ireland would need to be brought in by the devolved administration.
The Church of England says a relaxation in the times of church weddings would require a change to Canon Law from the General Synod, which meets twice a year. And the Catholic Church has reportedly said it would not conduct late night ceremonies. But the changes are expected to boost the demand for evening civil wedding ceremonies, especially in the summer months and is set to create some interesting and unusual new opportunities for any couple.
However, there will be no prospect of a spur of the moment marriage in Las Vegas-style chapels, where in the past some couples have wed after a night of heavy drinking - you will still have to give at least 15 days advance notice of your planned wedding. Better to be safe than sorry.