The Marriage Act 2010 is an Act of Parliament

Act of Parliament

An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...

 in the United Kingdom. Introduced as a private member’s Bill

Private Member's Bill

A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...

 by Alun Michael

Alun Michael

Alun Edward Michael is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was formerly First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party from 1999 to 2000.-Education:Michael was born at Bryngwran Anglesey, son of...

 MP, it received royal assent on 18 March 2010. It provides the Welsh counterpart to the Church of England Marriage Measure 2008 No. 1.

Prior to the Act, when two people wished to get married in Wales ordinarily at least one of them would have to live in the parish where they would get married. The Act allows couples to use residency of parents or grandparents or regular attendance in the specific Church as a valid condition to be married in that parish.