16 July 2026
Government consultation follows years of industry lobbying to allow legal wedding ceremonies onboard UK boats whether moored or underway
British Marine has welcomed the Government's launch of a landmark consultation to modernise wedding law in England and Wales, describing the proposals as a major step forward for both couples and the UK's leisure marine industry.
The consultation, launched by the Government and highlighted during the Deputy Prime Minister's visit to British Marine member Hobbs of Henley today (Thursday 16 July, 2026), proposes the biggest overhaul of wedding legislation in almost 200 years. If implemented, the reforms would move regulation away from licensed buildings and instead focus on authorised officiants, giving couples the freedom to legally marry in a far wider range of locations – including onboard canal boats, passenger vessels, yachts and other boats whilst afloat.
They say you can’t put a price on love – but too often, the cost of weddings puts this commitment out of reach. That’s why I’m reforming archaic rules, so couples have more freedom to say ‘I do’ on their own terms, while strengthening safeguards to protect the meaning and permanence of marriage. Seeing Hobbs of Henley today has brought these proposals to life. Under our plans, unique options like this could offer couples a truly personal place to celebrate one of the most important days of their lives.
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, David LammyFor British Marine, the announcement marks the culmination of more than six years of engagement with Government and the Law Commission to remove legislation that has prevented wedding ceremonies from taking place onboard vessels unless they are permanently moored.
The trade association has long argued that the current law unnecessarily restricts personal choice while limiting the ability of passenger boat operators, inland waterway businesses and yacht charter companies to offer complete wedding experiences that meet modern customer expectations.
Recognising the potential economic and tourism benefits, British Marine first engaged with the Law Commission in 2019 as it began reviewing marriage law. In 2020, the association hosted a dedicated roundtable with members of its Passenger Boat Association, including Hobbs of Henley, to demonstrate the commercial opportunities that reform could create for marine businesses across the UK.
British Marine’s evidence informed the Law Commission's landmark report, Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law, published in 2022, which recommended removing restrictions based on licensed buildings and instead allowing weddings to take place in any suitable location approved by an authorised officiant.
British Marine has continued to press successive governments to implement those recommendations which were included in its Industry Priorities 2024–2029, published ahead of the 2024 General Election.
British Marine strongly welcomes the launch of today’s consultation that signals the Government’s clear intent to modernise UK wedding law and give people greater freedom of choice over where they get legally married. The reforms will be a great boost to UK’s leisure marine sector, enabling operators to expand their offer to include unique wedding experiences whilst cruising in some of our most iconic waters - from onboard passenger boats on the River Thames and in day boats on Lake Windermere, to sailing on charter yachts around Britain’s spectacular coastline. They also have the potential to benefit UK registered vessels operating internationally, allowing them to offer legal wedding ceremonies whilst cruising in international waters. This is good news for UK’s marine industry which already helps generate over £17 billion annually to the national economy. By removing outdated restrictions, these reforms will help create new revenue streams for the industry which supports both inland and coastal communities. We look forward to working with Government to ensure the final legislation delivers these benefits while maintaining the integrity of the marriage ceremony.
Brian Clark Director of Member Services at British Marine
Left to right: Joanna Richardson, External Relations Manager, British Marine, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, David Lammy, Jonathan Hobbs, Managing Director of Hobbs of Henley and Brian Clark, Director of Member Services at British Marine.
We welcome this proposed change in the law as our wedding business has declined over the last twenty years as organisers increasingly want a one-stop-shop venue where both the ceremony and reception can take place together. The amount of wedding business we have lost when couples discover the legal ceremony cannot take place onboard has been considerable. These reforms will allow operators like ourselves to offer exactly the experience today's couples are looking for and provide a welcome boost to the passenger boat industry at a difficult time for hospitality. We'd like to thank British Marine for lobbying so hard to bring about this important change.
Jonathan Hobbs Managing Director at Hobbs of HenleyThe Government believes the reforms will not only give couples greater freedom over where they choose to marry but also help reduce wedding costs while boosting Britain's wedding, tourism and hospitality sectors.
For the leisure marine sector, the proposals have the potential to unlock an entirely new market for passenger boat operators, inland waterway businesses and yacht charter companies by enabling them to offer complete wedding experiences onboard while cruising. The reforms would also support the growth of marine tourism by giving couples access to unique wedding venues across the UK's rivers, lakes, canals and coastline.
British Marine will continue to engage closely with Government throughout the ten-week consultation, which runs until 24 September 2026, to help ensure the final legislation fully delivers on the recommendations of the Law Commission and the opportunities identified by the marine industry.
British Marine campaign timeline:
- British Marine has campaigned since 2019 for reform of marriage legislation to allow legal wedding ceremonies to take place onboard boats whilst afloat.
- In 2020, British Marine hosted a Law Commission roundtable with members of its Passenger Boat Association, including Hobbs of Henley, to demonstrate the economic opportunities that reform could create.
- The Law Commission's report, Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law, was published in July 2022 and recommended moving away from regulating approved venues towards regulating authorised officiants.
- British Marine's call to allow marriage ceremonies onboard boats afloat formed part of its Industry Priorities 2024–2029, published ahead of the 2024 General Election.
- The UK leisure marine industry contributes more than £17 billion annually to the UK economy.
- The Government's consultation on reforming wedding law launched on 16 July 2026 and closes on 24 September 2026.