Christian couple: ‘Forget the party, we’re just asking to get married’

A Christian couple are calling for “small weddings” to be allowed to take place in Wales once again, after they were forced to postpone their marriage.

Ian Choi and Elizabeth Facer had planned to get married this month, but Facer said it has been hard to communicate to people that “we’re not asking for a party, we’re asking to be able to get married”.

Currently, weddings can only take place in Wales under exceptional circumstances, such as if one person is terminally ill.

Regulations

As professing Christians, Choi and Facer explained that they are not willing to live together before marriage and so “just want to get married legally as soon as possible”.

They have started a petition on the issue and have postponed their wedding for another week in case the Welsh Government’s review of its coronavirus regulations this Friday eases restrictions.

A Welsh Government official said that the current measures are in place to “help limit the spread of the virus” and that all restrictions will be reviewed at each designated period.

‘Profoundly affected’

Last week, campaign group Coalition for Marriage (C4M) called on the Government to end the ban on weddings in Great Britain.

In a blog post, C4M said that many lives have been “profoundly affected” by the ban, with the cancellation of ceremonies having had “significant financial consequences for many”.

Writing ahead of last week’s changes allowing small weddings in Northern Ireland, the pro-marriage group said that, while sensible guidance for public health needs to be observed, “ways need to be found for people to get married once again”.

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