Our articles are written by experts in their field and include barristers, solicitors, judges, mediators, academics and professionals from a range of related disciplines. Family Law provides a platform for debate for all the important topics, from divorce and care proceedings to transparency and access to justice. If you would like to contribute please email emma.reitano@lexisnexis.co.uk.
Spotlight
Children and Same Sex Families
Children and Same Sex Families
Children and Same Sex Families: A Legal Handbook
More info
Mental Capacity
Mental Capacity
Mental Capacity: Law and Practice
More info
Evidence in Family Proceedings
Evidence in Family Proceedings
Evidence in Family Proceedings
More info
View All

How Can I Wed Thee? – Let Me Change the Ways: the Law Commission’s Consultation Paper on ‘Weddings’ Law (2020)

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All rights reserved.
Date:23 FEB 2021
Third slide

Professor Chris Barton  A Vice-President of the Family Mediators Association Academic Door Tenant Regent Chambers Stoke-on-Trent

This article considers the Paper's 91 Consultation Questions covering such areas as preliminaries 'officiants' ceremonies locations registrations validity and offences fees and the impact of the provisional proposals. It admires the provisional proposals whereby legal emphasis would shift from the venue(s) to the officiant(s) and allow for greater choice  with regard to the former and the nature of the ceremony while suggesting that the 'small print' might qualify such freedoms. Finally it wonders whether the subject's importance justifies this degree of Law Commission attention and whether rendering weddings more appealing is an appropriate way of seducing cohabitants into marriage.

The full article will be published in the March issue of Family Law. 

Find out more or request a free 1-week trial of Family Law journal. Please quote: 100482.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the full article in Family Law Journal on L+UK® (subject to subscription) here.

Subscribe to Family Law Journal print here.

Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis