Make Your Voice Count: Marriage Law Reform Action Plan for Celebrants

The Give Couples Choice Movement has issued an urgent call to action for independent celebrants ahead of the upcoming Marriage Law Reform consultation. With just weeks until the consultation begins, now is the time for every celebrant to step up and make their voice heard.

Change is finally on the horizon. After years of campaigning, the Government confirmed in October 2025 that it will reform wedding law in England and Wales, with a public consultation on the details launching in early 2026. This represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform how couples can celebrate their marriages.

The proposals put forward in the Law Commission’s 2022 report included sweeping changes that would shift from our current ‘buildings-based system’ to an ‘officiant-based system’. This means the power to conduct legal marriages would lie with qualified officiants rather than specific buildings or locations. The implications are huge: couples would finally have the freedom to marry in meaningful locations, and ceremonies could be led by the celebrants who truly understand their vision.

The Stakes for Independent Celebrants

Here’s where it gets critical. While humanist celebrants will almost certainly gain the right to conduct legal marriages (following a 2020 High Court ruling that deemed their exclusion discriminatory), the future for independent celebrants remains uncertain.

This matters because independent celebrants serve couples who would otherwise be left behind by the system. You’re the only option for:

• Interfaith couples wanting to blend their traditions
• Spiritual ceremonies that don’t fit within specific religious frameworks
• Same-sex couples wanting to include religious or spiritual elements
• Anyone seeking a truly personalised ceremony that reflects their unique beliefs

Without independent celebrants being included in the reform, wedding law would still exclude thousands of couples from the ceremony they deserve. You already know this – you see it every day in the couples who come to you precisely because the current system doesn’t serve them.

However, the case for independent celebrants isn’t guaranteed. Religious leaders and traditionalists are likely to oppose your inclusion, and MPs need to understand why you’re essential. That’s why the next few weeks and months are absolutely crucial.

Related: Marriage Law Reform Update October 2025

The Power Is in Your Hands

The good news? You have real power here. As a celebrant, you’re not just advocating for yourself – you’re speaking on behalf of every couple you’ve served and every couple you’ll serve in the future. That’s a lot of voices, and MPs need to hear them.

The Give Couples Choice Movement has outlined five essential actions that every independent celebrant needs to take right now. These aren’t suggestions – they’re vital steps to ensure you’re included in this historic reform.

Five Actions Every Celebrant Must Take

1. Read the Wedding Law Reform Recommendations

First things first: you need to understand exactly what’s being proposed. The Law Commission’s full report runs over 400 pages, but don’t panic – they’ve also published a summary report and an at-a-glance overview that breaks down the key recommendations.

Why does this matter? Because you can’t make a compelling case unless you truly understand the proposals. When you speak with your MP, journalists, or couples, you need to demonstrate that you’re informed and professional.

It’s also important to note that the Law Commission hasn’t explicitly recommended that independent celebrants be included. Instead, they’ve designed a comprehensive framework that could include independent celebrants if the Government chooses to permit it. This distinction matters when you’re having these conversations.

Find the reports here: https://lawcom.gov.uk/project/weddings/

The Give Couples Choice Movement (GCCM) has produced an evidence-based policy paper specifically supporting independent celebrants. Download your copy from the GCCM website – it will be a valuable resource to share with MPs and media.

2. Sign Up to the Register

The GCCM is creating a register of all independent celebrants who want to support this campaign. This isn’t about which organisation you trained with or belong to – it’s about standing together as a unified voice.

Why sign up? Because there’s real strength in numbers. With an estimated 3,000-4,000 independent celebrants operating across the UK, we represent a significant professional community. The register helps ensure good representation across all parliamentary constituencies and keeps you updated on campaign developments.

This is your opportunity to be counted. It takes just a few minutes to complete the form, but it makes a tangible difference to the campaign’s impact.

Sign up to the register: Visit the GCCM website

3. Contact Your MP

This is perhaps the most important action on the list. Your MP needs to hear from you directly about why independent celebrants must be included in the reform.

Some MPs will be immediately receptive; others might need more convincing. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get an instant positive response. Remember, it’s your MP’s job to represent the interests of their constituents – that includes you as a working professional and all the couples in your area who deserve choice in their wedding ceremony.

How to get started:

• Find your MP’s contact details at https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
• Request a meeting – many MPs hold regular surgeries in the community
• Prepare your key points about why independent celebrants are essential
• Be professional, informed, and passionate

Coming soon: The GCCM is producing updated guidelines for celebrants to use when contacting and meeting with MPs. These will include key talking points and advice on structuring your conversation effectively.

4. Discuss the Reform with Your Couples

Your couples are your strongest advocates. They chose you for a reason – they wanted something the current system couldn’t provide. Their voices carry enormous weight with MPs and the media.

While we can’t promise that reform will happen in time for their wedding day (realistically, most engaged couples will need to follow the current system), we can ask them to support the campaign for future couples.

A simple email from your couples to their MP explaining why they valued your service and why independent celebrants should be included can make a real difference. Some couples might even have connections to people in Westminster or the media – you never know where that conversation might lead.

What to do:

• Explain the campaign to your couples during meetings
• Ask if they’d be willing to email their MP in support
• Provide them with key points to include
• Share any campaign materials the GCCM produces

Coming soon: The GCCM is producing a leaflet that celebrants can share with couples at meetings and wedding fairs. This will summarise the campaign and provide a clear call to action.

5. Shout It from the Rooftops

You’re celebrants – you know how to tell a story and engage an audience. Now’s the time to put those skills to use in this campaign.

Whether you’re active on social media, write blogs, appear on podcasts, or speak at industry events, use your platform to spread the word about the upcoming consultation and why independent celebrants matter.

One crucial tip: Keep it positive. Yes, the current system is frustrating, and the uncertainty is stressful, but MPs need to see solutions, not just complaints. They need to hear from well-informed, professional celebrants who are united in campaigning positively to give couples choice.

Use these hashtags:

• #SupportIndependentCelebrants
• #WeddingLawReform
• #GiveCouplesChoice

The GCCM will be sharing visual assets that you can use on your websites and social media channels. In the meantime, start creating informed, positive content that helps build momentum.

Why This Matters to AMC

At the Academy of Modern Celebrancy, we’ve trained over 1,000 celebrants who are out there making a real difference in couples’ lives. We see first-hand the incredible value you bring – the care, creativity, and dedication you pour into every ceremony.

This reform represents a chance to finally give you the recognition you deserve and to serve your couples even better. Imagine being able to conduct not just the ceremony, but the legal marriage too. Imagine your couples not having to split their celebration between a registry office and their dream location. That future is possible, but only if we act now.

We’re proud to support the Give Couples Choice Movement’s campaign, and we encourage every AMC graduate and current student to get involved. This is your profession, your livelihood, and your couples’ happiness at stake.

Time to Take Action

To recap, here are your five essential actions:

1. Read the recommendations: https://lawcom.gov.uk/project/weddings/
2. Sign up to the register: Visit the GCCM website
3. Contact your MP: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
4. Discuss reform with your couples
5. Create informed, positive content using the campaign hashtags

The consultation launches in early 2026 – that means time is of the essence. The GCCM is working hard to produce the resources you need to make change happen. The question is: will you join them?

Your voice matters. Your experience matters. Your couples matter. Let’s make sure the Government hears that message loud and clear.

Together, we can give couples the choice they deserve.

For more information and to join the campaign, visit the Give Couples Choice Movement website. Stay connected with the AMC community through our Facebook groups and weekly Q&A sessions for updates and support throughout this campaign.