For most couples in England, the legal ceremony still has to happen in a register office, a place of worship or a licensed venue. That could change. Between 16 July and 24 September 2026 the government ran a consultation, widely reported as "Tying the Knot", on moving to a system where the person conducting the wedding is licensed rather than the building. If it goes ahead, gardens, fields and family homes could become legal wedding locations. This guide explains what's proposed, what isn't law yet, and how to plan an outdoor wedding in the meantime.
What the consultation proposes
The core idea is simple: instead of approving buildings, approve officiants. A trained, regulated officiant would be responsible for making sure the marriage is legal, wherever it takes place — subject to the location being safe and dignified.
That would bring England closer to the system Scotland has used for years, where couples can already marry outdoors and in private places with an authorised celebrant.
Is it law yet?
No. A consultation is the start of the process, not the end. The government still has to publish its response, and any change would need legislation and new regulations. Bridebook's coverage suggests 2027 at the earliest, and quite possibly later.
We'll update this page when the government responds. Until then, plan as if the current rules apply.
How couples get a garden wedding today
The most common route is to do the legal part separately — a short ceremony at a register office, often with just two witnesses — and then hold the celebration, with a non-legal ceremony led by a celebrant, wherever you like. Registry office weddings are growing fast: Bridebook reports they rose to 12% of UK weddings in 2025, up from 9% in 2024.
Guests rarely notice the difference. The vows, the walk down the aisle and the party all happen in the garden; the paperwork happened on a Tuesday.
What a garden or field wedding actually needs
A private garden isn't a venue, so everything a venue normally provides has to arrive on a van: shelter, toilets, power, lighting, a bar and somebody licensed to sell alcohol.
This is where a self-sufficient bar makes life easier. Our converted horsebox arrives ready to serve and suits most sites with level, firm access. For the wider picture, see our mobile bar hire page.
Lighting matters more outdoors than anywhere else, because the sun eventually sets. Festoon over the dancefloor and soft uplighting on trees and marquee walls — see Lunar Rig — turn a field into a room after dark.
If alcohol is being sold, a Temporary Event Notice is usually needed for an unlicensed site. We support that process as part of wedding bar hire.
Planning now for a future change
If you're engaged now and dreaming of a garden wedding in 2027 or 2028, there's no harm in planning for it — just keep the register office as your back-up for the legal part.
Book the things that don't depend on the law first: the date, the marquee, the bar, sound and lighting. Those are the same whether the legal ceremony happens in the garden or across town.
Tell us your site and your guest count and we'll tell you honestly whether the horsebox fits, what power you'll need and what the bar should look like.
More wedding planning: weddings by Lunar Events Group