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NSS urges minister to update "unfair, confusing and restrictive" wedding laws in England and Wales. Photo by Brittney Weng on Unsplash (cropped) The new government should update wedding laws in England and Wales for greater freedom and fairness for couples of all religions and beliefs, the National Secular Society has said. In a letter to Frederick Ponsonby, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, the NSS said it was "crucial" to reform wedding laws to ensure they meet the needs of "our diverse 21st century society". The NSS called on the Government to adopt recommendations made by the Law Commission in 2022 to update current "archaic" wedding laws. In England and Wales, different laws and restrictions apply depending on whether a wedding is Anglican, Jewish, Quaker, another religion or not religious at all (a civil wedding or partnership). Unless the wedding is Jewish or Quaker, it must take place in either a registered place of worship or an approved venue for civil marriage. The NSS said this system is "unfair, confusing and restrictive", and prevents couples from having a ceremony reflecting their own wishes and beliefs. The NSS worked closely with the Law Commission in formulating its recommendations for […]