Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash are reportedly not legally married, despite celebrating a lavish £1.2 million wedding at their Essex home, Pickle Cottage, in July 2022. The ceremony, described as “the best day of their lives”, was attended by family and celebrity friends, but it has emerged that the event was not legally binding.
Under English and Welsh law, marriages must take place at a licensed venue. As Pickle Cottage is a private home without a civil ceremony licence, the couple’s wedding was symbolic rather than formal. At the time, Solomon, 36, stated they planned to register the marriage separately, but more than three years on, the legal process has not been completed.
A source told The Sun: “They always intended to do the legal part, but with six kids and busy diaries just haven’t got round to it — life has got in the way. Stacey and Joe obviously knew that their garden wedding wasn’t legal and were upfront about that.”
The revelation follows speculation about the couple’s relationship after Solomon was spotted without her wedding ring. Appearing on This Morning, she dismissed the rumours, joking: “Have I not been wearing my ring? Probably took it off to go to the toilet. Maybe I dropped my ring in the lake… with our marriage!”
Solomon and Swash, 44, began dating in 2016 after meeting on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! They got engaged in 2020 and share three children, Rex, Rose and Belle, alongside children from previous relationships. Their home life is documented in the BBC series Stacey & Joe.
The couple are not alone in facing questions over wedding legality; last week, it was revealed that Olivia Attwood and footballer Bradley Dack’s marriage was also not legally recognised, sparking wider discussion about UK wedding laws.
