The government has launched a consultation on proposals to reform weddings law in England and Wales for the first time in almost 200 years.
The plans would move the legal focus away from fixed venues and towards the people conducting and taking part in ceremonies. Ministers said this could allow couples to marry in places including forests, beaches, castles, canal boats and cruise ships at sea.
About 470,000 people marry in England and Wales each year. The government said existing law dates back centuries and does not always reflect modern life, including the way different faiths and belief groups are treated.
The proposals are also intended to reduce costs by giving couples more choice over where they marry. The government said the average wedding in England costs more than £20,000, with venue hire typically about £6,000 before catering.
Ministers said current costs are a barrier for some couples, with half of unmarried men and a third of unmarried women in relationships citing cost as a reason for not marrying.
The government said the reforms would allow interfaith couples to celebrate both faiths and traditions in a single legally recognised ceremony. It also said safeguards would remain, with officiants required to meet strict requirements before conducting weddings.