Couples allowed to marry in House of Commons

Couples will be allowed to get married in the House of Commons in a historic move.

Up to 40 heterosexual or gay Londoners a year will have the chance to hold civil weddings or partnerships in Parliament's grand surroundings under reforms by Speaker John Bercow.

The first gay wedding at Westminster could come as soon as March or April, when Europe Minister Chris Bryant plans to tie the knot with his partner Jared Cranney, a company secretary.

If there is a rush of applications, couples showing a strong interest in politics or in gothic revival architecture will be favoured.

"We are talking about a handful of weddings a year, realistically," said a Commons source. "The initial application is for 20 a year but there is no reason why there should not be more if the demand is there."

Ceremonies will be held in the historic Jubilee Room, the oldest part of the Palace. Guests could then walk through the 900-year-old Westminster Hall to wedding breakfasts in the Strangers' Dining Room where MPs eat from silver service when the House is sitting.

They would be up close to the architecture of Charles Barry, interior designs of Augustus Pugin, and £300-a-roll wallpaper.

Couples will have to pay a fee, which is yet to be decided and have to arrange for a registrar to attend.

The decision to open up Parliament as a wedding venue was driven by Mr Bercow, who is battling to bring the Commons closer to the public.

Under the laws of civil registrations, an official venue must be available for members of the public to use. Given the choice between allowing ordinary people in or drafting rules to make it a perk for MPs, the Speaker felt strongly that the doors should be as open as soon as possible.

An application for a wedding venue licence at the Commons will be published next week.