<P> Marriage in England and Wales is available to both opposite - sex and same - sex couples and is legally recognised in the forms of both civil and religious marriage . Marriage laws in England and Wales have historically evolved separately from marriage laws in other jurisdictions in the United Kingdom . There is a distinction between religious marriages, conducted by an authorised religious celebrant and civil marriages conducted by a state registrar . The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 (c. 30) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which legalised same - sex marriage in England and Wales . The legal minimum age to enter into a marriage in England and Wales is sixteen years, although this requires consent of parents and guardians if a participant is under eighteen . Certain relatives are not allowed to marry . For foreign nationals, there are also residency conditions that have to be met before people can be married . Same - sex marriage was introduced under the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in March 2014 . </P> <P> Wedding ceremonies can either be conducted by "authorised celebrants" (usually, but not always, a minister of religion) or by an "authorised registrar". To be legally binding, they must take place with at least two other competent people present as witnesses . The marriage register is signed by the couple, the celebrant and two witnesses . Civil marriages may not take place in religious venues, but since the Marriage Act 1994 may take place in other licensed venues . </P>

At what age can you marry in the uk
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