The guidance shows that under the new legislation:
Ӣ Same sex couples will be able to get married in England and Wales and those marriages will be recognised in law (subject to meeting legal requirements).
Ӣ Same sex married couples will be treated in the same way as opposite sex married couples in most circumstances.
Ӣ Religious organisations can choose to opt in to conduct marriages for same sex couples. But no one can compel the organisations or their officials to participate in religious marriages of same sex couples if they do not wish to do so. Religious freedom is specifically protected under human rights law.
