There have been a number of articles recently announcing a drop in the number of divorces, and a drop in the marriage rate (e.g. this UK Legal News story).
I went to a wedding last week. The bride and groom were both from the UK, and intended to live in the UK. But they got married in Cyprus, and have no intention of registering their marriage in the UK. A lot of people seem to want to get married abroad these days. They can guarantee good weather, and a much cheaper venue. By choosing the right location they can save the cost of travelling to their honeymoon. There is a lot going for the decision, as far as the bride and groom are concerned.
I am not sure about the benefits for the guests, particularly the poor, elderly and younger guests. Travelling abroad requires a considerably bigger committment than simply getting up a bit earlier on a Saturday, especially if the wedding is in the school holidays, as this was.
The newlyweds insist that their marriage is fully recognised in British law, but I know that overseas weddings are not always recognised in UK law (particularly immigration law). Also it is certainly not the case that lesbian marriage, recognised in Canada, for example, is equally recognised in UK law.
I am not entirely sure that the law should get involved in a private relationship between two individuals, unless they want it to, but there is certainly a long history of the state being the third party in any marriage contract.
