recognise HUMANIST MARRIAGEs
Every couple should be able to mark their wedding day with a ceremony that’s unique and special, and that reflects their beliefs about getting married, love, and commitment. Religious people in the UK can already do this with a legally binding religious ceremony.
Unfortunately, marriage law in England and Wales is unfair to non-religious couples. Couples who choose to have a non-religious, humanist wedding will have to jump through extra hoops in order to legally tie the knot. We’re working to bring equality to the law by bringing legal recognition to marriages conducted by Humanist Ceremonies celebrants.
What are humanist weddings?
A humanist wedding is a non-religious ceremony that is personal and conducted by a humanist celebrant.
It is entirely hand-crafted and reflective of humanist beliefs and values of the couple, conducted by a celebrant who shares their beliefs and values.
In England, Wales, and the Isle of Man, humanist marriages still aren’t legally recognised
This means non-religious couples wanting a humanist ceremony are treated unfairly. They’re forced to jump through extra hoops to make their big day count, because their ceremony isn’t legally recognised.
In 2020, a High Court judge ruled that this was discrimination. As of 2026, the UK Government has done nothing to address this.
Humanist marriages are extremely popular across Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Republic of Ireland.
Humanist couples face an expensive compromise
As a result of this discrimination, couples wanting a humanist ceremony face a compromise.
They can have just a civil marriage, which will be a completely standard, ‘off the peg’ affair. Or they can have a much more personal and fitting humanist ceremony as well as a civil registration, and pay the extra costs that come with doubling up like this.
A humanist wedding is different from a civil marriage ceremony. Each humanist ceremony is uniquely tailored and crafted to each couple and their story. It reflects their positive humanist beliefs and values about love, marriage, and their promises to each other, and is conducted by a trained humanist celebrant.
Couples who have humanist weddings see that day as the epitome of their love and commitment to each other, and all they want is the same legal recognition for that as is given to every religious person in our country.
Legal recognition is a matter of freedom of choice
The current situation is a denial of freedom of choice. It sees thousands of non-religious couples discriminated against in England and Wales each year. The UK Government can take simple, immediate steps to fix this – and we’re campaigning to see this happen.
Humanist ceremonies have long been legally recognised in the Republic of Ireland and Scotland. In Scotland they are now more popular than Christian marriages. Since 2018, humanist ceremonies have been recognised in Northern Ireland and in Jersey, and in Guernsey since 2021.
When Parliament chose to legalise same-sex marriages in 2013, it also gave the UK Government the power to legally recognise humanist marriages in England and Wales. But since then, we’ve seen three Government reviews – and no real action.
In England and Wales, it is already the case that every year more couples choose a Humanists UK wedding than any religion bar the Anglicans and Catholics.
A fight we won’t give up on
We’ve been campaigning for legal recognition for decades. Most recently, we have:
- Secured legal recognition in Northern Ireland, Jersey, and Guernsey
- Worked with MPs, peers, and members of the Senedd to put pressure on the UK Government
- Polled the public for their view – 69% support legal recognition, only 12% oppose (amongst religious people, a majority were in favour too)
- Supported six couples to take a landmark case to the High Court
Join us in making a difference
Want to support the campaign? You can help us by taking a simple action today – and support legal recognition of humanist marriages in every part of the UK.
Humanist Ceremonies is the name of Humanists UK’s network of 600 highly trained and accredited celebrants across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the crown dependencies who can help you to create your perfect wedding day. Thousands of couples every year choose a humanist ceremony in England and Wales, in the absence of legal recognition, simply because it offers so much more. Most consider their humanist ceremony their ‘real’ wedding, and approach the register office as a legal formality.
Humanist wedding photo credits courtesy of Grant Lampard Photography.