Bid for humanist marriage rights to be heard at High Court in Belfast

A landmark legal bid to secure official recognition of a humanist wedding is due to be heard in Belfast on Friday.

Laura Lacole is due to wed Republic of Ireland soccer player Eunan O’Kane in Northern Ireland.

She is challenging the General Register Office for Northern Ireland for refusing to officially authorise the ceremony.

Ms Lacole said: “Eunan and I are both humanists, so we want to have an intimate marriage ceremony which is encompassing of who we are as individuals, the values we hold, how we go about life, and our viewpoint on life.

“We want it to be personal to us and the love we have for each other.

“So, of course, not being able to have legal recognition for that ceremony is an issue for us, and we want to do something about that for ourselves and other people in our position. That is why we are taking this case.”

Any couple in Northern Ireland wishing to have a legally recognised marriage ceremony can only choose a religious wedding or a civil ceremony.

Anyone wishing to have a humanist wedding must also have a separate civil registration, the Humanists UK lobby group said.

This is also the case in England and Wales, but not in Scotland or the Republic of Ireland.

Humanists chief executive Andrew Copson added: “Religious people currently have the legal right to marry in a ceremony that reflects their most fundamental views of the world, but humanists cannot do likewise.”

The case is due to be heard at the High Court in Belfast.

In the Republic humanist marriages gained legal recognition in 2012 and by 2015 around 6% of marriages were humanist.