London:
The British government mentioned Sunday it will permit outside non-religious wedding ceremonies in England and Wales for the initial time, boosting a sector really hard-hit by the pandemic.
Up to now, England and Wales have only permitted Jewish and Quaker weddings outdoors, though other people have to marry in a area or a fixed permanent structure. Scotland does permit outside weddings.
Justice Minister Robert Buckland told Sky News the reform gave “greater flexibility” for weddings to “have more guests in a safe way”.
Under the new guidelines, from July 1 men and women in England and Wales will be capable to have non-religious weddings and civil partnership ceremonies outdoors or “under a partially covered structure” at authorized venues such as hotels, the Ministry of Justice mentioned.
The guidelines are short-term, operating to April next year, even though the government mentioned it would seek the advice of on whether or not to make them permanent.
It referred to as this a “boost to the wedding sector”, permitting all elements of weddings to take spot outdoors for the initial time.
The rule alter delivers more flexibility “especially during the pandemic,” the government mentioned, while its commitment to alter the guidelines predates the virus.
Wedding organisers and owners of venues have complained that restrictions on celebrations for the duration of the pandemic have made their enterprises unviable.
Wedding planner Sarah Haywood, spokeswoman for the UK Wedding Taskforce campaign group, tweeted: “Some good news! Let’s keep it coming”.
The government mentioned it was taking into consideration additional broadening the guidelines on weddings such as permitting a wider variety of places and for weddings to be held remotely “in a national emergency”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who himself got married in May, delivered welcome news to couples this month when he scrapped a 30-guest limit on weddings, with permitted numbers now dependent on the size of premises. However guests are nonetheless not permitted to dance at weddings.
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