2020 has been hard and quite heartbreaking for brides and grooms who had plans to get married in the year. While some postponed their wedding dates in the hope for a brighter future, others were compelled to cancel the celebrations all together. As we made our way to 2021, things didn’t seem too optimistic either for those postponed their plans as another lockdown was called upon. Amidst the third lockdown, on February 22, 2021, the Prime Minister of the U.K., Boris Johnson unveiled his roadmap to lift the restrictions.
The announcement brings with it a reason to cheer for couples who are looking to tie the knot in 2021. The Prime Minister has given a nod to the revival of small-scale weddings after the third lockdown in the United Kingdom. Under the current mandates, weddings are only permitted under exceptional circumstances with a maximum of six people in attendance. Now, with Johnson’s "one-way road to freedom", he has confirmed a gradual lift for nuptials March onwards, and if things go well by summer 2021, all restrictions will be abolished and weddings with unlimited guests could be allowed. However, all the changes will be based upon four major aspects—vaccine rollout, vaccines reducing deaths, information on the risk of the new variants and no increase in hospitalization.
What Will Weddings Look Like in The Near Future?
If you’re a couple looking to be bound in holy matrimony instantly, you can take a sigh of relief because the PM has given a boost to weddings for the near future in a phased manner.
1. The first phase of unrestricting weddings will begin on March 8, 2021, where weddings with up to 6 people will be permitted.
2. Depending on the success of the first phase, by April 12, 2021, the number of guests allowed at celebration will increase from six to 15. This will also be in line with the re-opening of shops, hairdressers, nail salons, outdoor hospitality venues, which will aid seamless wedding planning.
3. The third step of this lockdown release will come on May 17, 2021, where the Government will increase the number of attendees to 30 allowed at weddings and receptions. In tandem with this, bars and christening ceremonies that were temporarily shut down will also be open.
4. The fourth step, from June 21, he is hopeful that all restrictions on weddings will be put an end to if all goes as per the plan. This means, weddings as we know them, are likely to return in all its glory.
May to September is the peak wedding season in the United Kingdom, and it seems like Johnson is working towards a successful season for 2021. On an optimistic note, it looks like those postponed wedding dates will finally come to life by this summer. Fingers crossed!
Continuing the happy streak, there's also been another development about marriage rules in the UK with Legal body the Law Commission finally acknowledging that marital laws in England and Wales (which date way back to the 1800s) are “ancient” and “unnecessarily restrictive”. Under the current law, couples can only legally wed in a registered building, whether a licensed venue or a place of worship. However, the new potential laws are designed to allow couples to legally marry literally anywhere, meaning nuptials can take place in a lounge, your residential garden, a hotel or even at your favourite cafe.
*Disclaimer: Kindly note, the Government will review the situation in May 2021 before confirming if all restrictions can be removed. This will be contingent on the current situation as well as the four major aspects mentioned above.
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