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Wedding expert reveals why Thurrock leads civil ceremony boom in 2025
With stars like Charli XCX choosing registry office ‘I dos’ this summer, more couples than ever are ditching tradition for modern, flexible celebrations. The quiet wedding trend has shown that modern weddings can be both meaningful and pared back, while the high cost of living across the UK has meant there’s already a propensity for more affordable celebrations – and this is likely to rise. According to Bridebook's UK Wedding Report, just 14% of couples were married at a place of worship in 2025. For some, it’s about affordability. For others, it’s a move towards ceremonies that make more sense in an increasingly secular society.
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Bridebook analysed new ONS data* to uncover where in the UK couples are most likely to choose a civil ceremony over the traditional religious wedding option - with Islington, Brighton and Hove, and Blackpool leading the way.
According to Bridebook's findings, a staggering 83 percent of UK weddings are now civil ceremonies. That's 197,273 couples choosing registry offices, town halls, and bespoke celebrations over the traditional religious route. The remaining 17 percent (just 41,824) were religious marriages.
Thurrock lands in fourth place at 92 percent. Although the number of weddings in this region is significantly smaller, Thurrock remains a hub for non-traditional weddings, thanks to its riverside locations and modern registry offices proposing appealing alternatives to places like London and Essex.
It's perhaps no surprise that London, our culturally diverse, trend-setting, and modern capital, leads the way with the most civil ceremonies (87 percent) when compared to any other region. Several London boroughs rank high in the top list of local authorities, with Islington topping the list at a massive 95 percent. Merton and Bexley aren't too far behind, with a 92 percent proportion of civil ceremonies, landing in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
This might lead us to think that those in the South are comparatively more prone to marrying in registry offices than those in the North. But this isn't just a Southern phenomenon. Despite London and Brighton leading the charge, the North West (84 percent), North East (84 percent), and Yorkshire & Humber (83 percent) actually record higher overall percentages of civil marriages than their Southern counterparts, suggesting that this is a nationwide movement.
Hamish Shephard, Founder of Bridebook, comments: "Couples are ripping up the wedding rulebook - and civil ceremonies are at the heart of it. With 26 percent of couples spending under £10k for their wedding in 2025, affordability is a huge factor, but it's also about freedom. A civil ceremony gives you flexibility: aside from the legal essentials, you can do your day, your way - from the format to the vows to the venue. We've also seen that many couples are expanding their wedding choices, moving beyond a single type of venue to explore diverse options beyond barns, country houses, castles, and stately homes. Only 19 percent of couples are committing to a single type of venue, and civil ceremonies help support this diversity. Lower spending couples are also planning more strategically to stay in budget, with 6 percent opting for affordable venues such as pubs or restaurants. Add in high-profile celebrity weddings like Charli XCX's chic Hackney Town Hall nuptials, and it's no surprise we're seeing this cultural shift play out nationwide."
If you're looking to plan your own registry office wedding or figure out if it fits the vision you have for your big day, then read this registry office ceremony guide
*This analysis draws on the most recent and comprehensive UK marriage data available from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), covering the year 2022.
