The legalities behind Love is Blind UK: understanding marriage, prenuptial agreements and divorce

The reality TV show “Love is Blind” has captured the attention of audiences around the world, and its UK adaptation has brought its unique concept to British shores. The show revolves around couples who meet, date, and even get engaged—all without ever seeing each other. It is only after a proposal is made that they meet in person and decide whether to marry. While the show's premise is intriguing, it raises important questions about the legal implications of the marriages that result from it.

Legal status of marriages on Love is Blind UK

One of the most pressing questions is whether the marriages that occur on Love is Blind UK are legally binding under English law. The answer is a bit complex. In reality, while the show presents the marriages as real, they are not legally binding until all the legal formalities of marriage are completed.

In the UK, for a marriage to be legally recognised, it must meet several requirements. These include giving notice of the marriage at least 29 days before the wedding, being married in approved premises and by an authorised officiant, and having the marriage registered with the General Register Office. The ceremonies on Love is Blind do not necessarily meet these requirements during filming, particularly the 29-day notice period. As a result, the marriages depicted on the show are often symbolic or ceremonial rather than legally binding. To make the marriage official, the couple would need to undergo a civil ceremony following the show's conclusion. However, Netflix have confirmed that the weddings are in fact, legally binding.

The role of prenuptial agreements

Given the unusual and accelerated nature of relationships formed on Love is Blind UK, prenuptial agreements (pre-nups) could play a significant role in protecting the interests of the parties involved. It is not always fully understood that by marrying one another, this gives rise to financial claims against one another and in the event of a divorce, each spouse shall have financial claims against the other in relation to capital, pensions and income.

A pre-nup is a legal document that outlines how a couple’s assets will be divided in the event of a divorce. While pre-nups are not strictly legally binding in England and Wales, they are increasingly being upheld by the court, provided they meet certain criteria.

In a scenario where contestants on Love Is Blind UK want to create a pre-nup, the process would likely unfold as follows:

Timing of the agreement

Before filming: ideally, the pre-nup should be drawn up and signed before the contestants enter the experiment, as the premise of the show involves getting engaged without seeing each other. However, the contestants may come up against some difficulties at this stage, due to the fact that they will not even know the name of the person they are potentially marrying, therefore some vital information may not be available to include in the pre-nup at this point.

During filming: if the agreement is signed after they meet and decide to get married, it should be done in good time before the legal wedding ceremony (ideally at least 28 days prior), which usually occurs after the show.

Legal considerations

Legality: Pre-nups are recognised and can be enforceable in the UK, but they must meet certain legal standards to hold up in court. Both parties must voluntarily agree to the terms without any pressure, and each are to fully disclose their financial assets and liabilities, so they have sufficient information to make an informed decision as to whether or not they wish to enter into the agreement.

Independent legal advice: Each contestant should have their own solicitor to review the agreement and ensure their interests are protected and that the agreement has the correct legal requirements. This is very important because courts may not uphold the agreement if it's deemed unfair or if one party didn't fully understand the terms or was forced into the agreement.

Content of the agreement

Assets and debts: The pre-nup would outline how each contestant's assets and debts would be handled in the event of a divorce. This includes property, savings, investments, and any outstanding debts.

Earnings and inheritance: It could also address how future earnings, including any income or deals stemming from their participation in Love Is Blind UK, and any inheritance would be treated.

Spousal support: The agreement might also cover whether either party would be entitled to spousal support after a divorce.

Review clause: It is common to build in provision for the agreement to be reviewed, either after a period of time has elapsed (say three or five years), or when a specified ‘trigger’ event occurs, for example the birth of a child, or in the event of any health concerns that impact on the finances or ability to work.

Filming and confidentiality

Confidentiality clauses: Given that the show involves a lot of public exposure, the agreement could include confidentiality clauses related to any income or opportunities arising from the show, protecting each party's future privacy and financial interests.

Public image: It might also consider the impact of their public personas, which could become an asset or liability, depending on how the show portrays them.

Impact of the show

Public scrutiny: The nature of reality TV means that any legal agreements could come under public scrutiny, especially if the couple do divorce after the show. This could influence how the agreement is perceived by the public and potentially by a court.

Emotional and social factors: Since Love Is Blind UK is based on the emotional connection, there might be an emotional hesitation or backlash against the idea of a pre-nup, both from the other contestant and from viewers.

Enforcement

Post-show legal marriage: The pre-nup would only come into effect if the couple legally marry. Since the final legal wedding typically happens after the show's filming ends, the agreement could only be relied upon after that point.

Legal options if the marriage doesn’t work out

If a couple from Love is Blind UK does decide to legally marry but later finds that the relationship is not sustainable, they have several options:

Annulment

If a couple realises shortly after the wedding that they should not have married, they may seek an annulment. However, annulments are only granted under specific circumstances, such as if the marriage was not consummated or one of the parties was under duress.

Divorce

With no-fault divorce now available, couples can file for divorce without needing to prove wrongdoing. The process involves submitting a divorce petition, after which there is a minimum waiting period of 20 weeks before applying the next stage, which is known as the conditional order stage, which is then followed by another six weeks before the final order (which is the order that brings your marriage to an end) can be applied for. However, a divorce application cannot be submitted within the first year of marriage, which means the contestants would have to wait a year before being able to progress with a divorce.

Legal separation

If a couple is not ready for divorce, but they want to live apart, they can seek a legal separation. This does not legally end the marriage but allows the couple to formalise arrangements for living separately, including financial support and any necessary arrangements for the children, if relevant.

Mediation and collaborative law

Couples are encouraged to resolve disputes amicably, often through mediation or collaborative law processes, which can help avoid the need for contentious court proceedings.

While Love is Blind UK offers a fascinating social experiment, the legal implications of the marriages portrayed on the show are less straightforward. Should the contestants wish to protect their assets before marrying someone they have never met face-to-face, then they should be considering entering into a pre-nuptial agreement. If the marriage does not work out, the availability of no-fault divorce provides a less acrimonious and more efficient route to dissolution. Ultimately, while the show presents an unconventional path to marriage, couples still need to navigate the conventional legal processes to ensure their marital status and rights are protected.