A British couple have tied the knot in one of Abu Dhabi’s first-ever civil ceremonies for non-Muslims.

Craig Lindsey and Sarah Goodman, both 39, decided to take advantage of new laws in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that were introduced in November 2021, allowing non-Muslim tourists and residents to marry in a civil ceremony.

Craig and Sarah, who were in the process of organising their move to Dubai, also in the UAE, applied online for the ceremony, which took place one day after their arrival in the Middle Eastern country.

The couple, who come from the English county of Essex, became husband and wife after an eight-year engagement period on Wednesday, 8th February.

The civil ceremony took place at Abu Dhabi’s new Non-Muslim Family Court and was wrapped up within minutes

The happy groom said: “We decided to get married here because we want to have a civil marriage not a religious one.

“We are moving to Dubai so decided it would be nice to have it in the UAE.”

After the short ceremony, lasting around five minutes, the Essex couple were given a signed and rubber-stamped marriage certificate.

According to The National, 18 couples have already tied the knot in Abu Dhabi under the recent law change.

In December 2021, a Canadian couple became the first to get married at the new court in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The new family law also includes equal rights for males and females, joint custody of children, and the speeding up of divorce procedures.

Meanwhile, sharia continues to apply for citizens and most Muslims.