In some of the biggest changes proposed by the government to update the rules and regulations around marriage, it looks like the traditional signing of the wedding register is going to go. The government proposals include that a couple registers the wedding a couple of days later in person – a bit like when registering the birth of a child.

THANK GOD!! Now, don’t get me wrong, I love some of the little moments that happen whilst the registry signing is going on but do you know what – it’s the 21^st century – do the entire bridal party need to troop to a rubbish little back room at the back of a church to sign a green book anymore? Do I need to dodge the registrars so I can actually photograph the signing of said green book? Can we now drop the awkward “posed” photo of people holding a pen looking like they are going to scratch out the works of Shakespeare?

Does this mean that as photographers we won’t have the stupid dance that we do with registrars about what we can and can’t take photographs of (although in Birmingham I love our registrars – they’re ace)?

Hopefully, this will mean ceremonies of all types can become more personal, less rigid and most of all – more human. A wedding should be fun – though the way they are conducted by some members of the clergy and some registrars – you’d think you were at a funeral.

Let’s move with the times and lose some of the shackles of tradition that have hung around for 100s of years.. can a bride make a speech – HELL YES. Should a man and woman be able to enter a civil partnership – HELL YES. Does it matter which side a bride/groom stand on – HELL NO! Can a bride and groom see each other before the wedding – for the love of emotional moments – HELL YES! Should a same sex couple be able to get married in church  HELL YES!

I’m sure lots of photographers will bemoan the loss of tradition (and it’s probably the photographers who say things were better when it was just film) but let’s get with the times.