Can you get married outdoors in the UK? I heard it was illegal?

Sorry, but you've heard right. It's a really stupid rule that I've never heard any logical explanation for.

Quote:
"Where can a marriage take place?"

"A marriage can take place in:-

1) A Register Office
2) A church of the Church of England, Church in Wales, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian or Roman Catholic Church in N. Ireland
3) A synagogue or any other private place if both partners are Jewish
4) A Meeting House if one or both partners are either members of the Society of Friends or are associated with the Society by attending meetings
5) Any other religious building provided that the person marrying the couple is registered by the Registrar General - see under Religious marriage ceremonies (England and Wales only)
6) Premises approved by the local authority (See below)
7) A place where one partner is seriously ill and not expected to recover
8) The home of one of the partners if the partner is housebound, for example, has serious disabilities or is agoraphobic
9) A hospital, if one of the partners is unable to leave or is detained there as a psychiatric inpatient
10) A prison, if one partner is a prisoner.

Local authority approved premises
Local authorities in England and Wales may approve premises other than Register Offices where civil marriages may take place. Applications for approval must be made by the owner or trustee of the building, not the couple.

The premises must be regularly open to members of the public, so private homes are unlikely to be approved, since they are not normally open to the public. Stately homes, hotels and civic buildings are likely to be thought suitable. Approval will not be given for open air venues, such as moonlit beaches or golf courses. Generally, the premises will need to be permanent built structures, although it may be possible for approval to be given to a permanently moored, publicly open boat. Hot air balloons or aeroplanes will not be approved."

Richard

It's definitely not illegal! Here is a list of places where a marriage can take place: http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family_parent/family/getting_married.htm#Where_can_a_marriage_take_place

Lots of people have gotten married outside in the UK and allover the world, who told you that?
You can get married in a toilet if you ask for permission from the owner.

In reply to sarah m: Yes, lots of people all over the world get married outside, just not in England. The law for getting married in England is that it has to be in a fixed structure with a roof and it has to be licensed. It is possible to get married outside but only if the two people getting married are inside a fixed structure. There is one place I've found that does an outdoor wedding and it states on there that it must be inside the Gothick Temple as that is the only way it has been made legal: Outdoor Wedding Venues in Suffolk. Yaxley Hall - Garden weddings, getting married outside, open air wedding. Contemporary Suffolk Wedding Venue - Exclusive country house wedding venue in Suffolk, UK. Stylish, contemporary venue for weddings and civil

Another way it is possible is if you hold a ceremony/ celebration outside, then have the second legal wedding afterwards like just going to a registry office afterwards. So you will not actually be married until the second legal wedding.

It's a petty law. I wanted to get married outside, then I found out it would have to be in a fixed structure, I have to have two weddings, or I have to travel abroad. I don't want to do any of these things.