Preparing for a wedding is a time-consuming and often expensive endeavour. For many couples, the process of planning a wedding can be as demanding as it is joyous. The commitment to create a memorable celebration often requires significant time and resources, which can leave little room for other important aspects of life, such as work and personal time off. In the UK, where annual leave is highly valued, there has been growing discussion about the concept of "marriage leave," a unique employee benefit that allows couples to take time off from work to celebrate their weddings and honeymoons without using their precious annual leave allowance.

A bride, for instance, may find herself using up most, if not all, of her annual leave for various wedding-related activities, including dress fittings, the hen party, the wedding day itself and the honeymoon. This can be a delicate balancing act for couples, one that requires them to juggle their work commitments and personal lives seamlessly.

In contrast, some European countries have already embraced the idea of marriage leave. For example, Spanish workers are entitled to 15 paid calendar days off for their wedding, while in France, couples receive four days off for their own weddings and an additional day when their children get married. Malta also grants time off to employees for their weddings.

However, the UK has been somewhat slow in adopting this concept, with most employees relying solely on their annual leave allowance to accommodate their wedding and honeymoon plans. Currently, only 5% of UK employers offer marriage leave as a work perk, according to research from the wedding app Hitched.

Kate Palmer - Director at HR consultancy Peninsula - points out that the UK lacks any statutory laws regarding marriage leave. This is in contrast to countries like Spain and China, where there is a minimum allowance of three days off for weddings. Palmer suggests that this may be because UK employees already enjoy relatively generous statutory annual leave compared to their European counterparts.

She stated:

“Many UK employers will choose to provide staff with a contractual annual leave entitlement over and above the 5.6-week statutory holiday allowance. In addition to annual leave there are also family friendly leave entitlements in place, such as Maternity, Paternity and Shared Parental leave. 

“Neonatal Care Leave and Carer’s Leave will also take effect at some point in 2024. It could be argued that having additional time off specifically to get married or go on honeymoon is not needed on top of existing leave entitlements.”

Despite the lack of a legal mandate, a significant portion of UK workers believes that marriage leave should be introduced. According to the Hitched survey, 67% of respondents supported the idea of marriage leave. This indicates that there is a desire for more flexibility in how employees can use their time off, especially for life-changing events like weddings.

However, there are potential challenges to implementing marriage leave. Some argue that it may lead to discontent among employees who won't benefit from this additional leave. This could impact morale, retention rates and even a company's reputation.

To address this concern, some suggest alternative approaches, such as increasing flexibility around annual leave for all employees. This could involve allowing employees to take longer blocks of annual leave for significant life events, including weddings. Such flexibility could benefit all employees, not just those getting married.

Kate Palmer suggested:

“An employer may be better off looking at increasing their flexibility around the taking of annual leave for all employees where there is good reason to do so. For example, this might include allowing an employee to take 3 weeks annual leave in one block to get married, or to visit family abroad, when the usual cap is two weeks. That way, it is something that will potentially benefit all employees.”

Marriage leave is part of a larger conversation about work-life balance and the importance of employee well-being. While marriage leave specifically benefits couples planning weddings, it highlights the broader need for flexibility in how employees use their annual leave entitlements.

A shift towards more inclusive leave policies, including unlimited leave options, showcases trust in employees and can contribute to a positive workplace culture. When employees feel valued and supported by their employers, it can lead to increased job satisfaction and, ultimately, benefit the company as a whole.

Rachel Weaven - HR Consultant at Face 2 Face HR - agrees. She said:

“I think the world is changing and I think the way in which companies operate is changing, and actually, offering marriage leave is just another way for employers to become more inclusive and create a culture that wants to celebrate their employees.

“When employees feel more valued, guess who benefits – the company!”