Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at their countryside home four years ago, but it has since emerged that the couple are not legally marriedDaniel Bird Assistant Celebrity and Entertainment Editor
09:36, 02 Apr 2026Updated 09:37, 02 Apr 2026
Stacey and Joe never got around to legalising their marriage(Image: staceysolomon/Instagram)
Bombshell claims that Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash did not legally marry have left fans reeling. The Loose Women star and her “husband”, former EastEnders actor Joe, splashed their big day across social media back in 2022.
The pair said “I do” at a ceremony surrounded by their closest friends and family in the grounds of their historic home, Pickle Cottage. However, the property was not able to host a legal wedding because it was a private family home, meaning Stacey and Joe would have needed to register their marriage elsewhere.
However, they planned to head to a registry office to sign all the legal paperwork to make their marriage official. But the couple who have become known for their family image never got around to doing this.
Stacey previously revealed why she and Joe didn’t legally marry in their ceremony at home(Image: Instagram)
The couple said ‘I do’ in July 2022(Image: staceysolomon/Instagram)
At the time of the wedding, Stacey was asked on social media: “So excited for you and your family. Being nosey, but I always wanted to get married at home, and I didn’t think you could? How does it work?” The star who found fame on The X Factor responded: “Lots of you asking this…
“To get married anywhere legally, the place has to have a ‘civil ceremony’ licence. One of the requirements for this license is that the premises must be made ‘readily available’ for ceremonies.
“As this is our private family home and we need it to remain that way we couldn’t go for that option. So we are having a relaxed private blessing in front of our closest friends and family and a ceremony of our love to each other and we will register our marriage legally after… Hope that helps.”
However, sources claim that life got in the way of Stacey and Joe, meaning they never got around to heading to the registry office together. “They always intended to do the legal part, but with six kids and busy diaries just haven’t got round to it — life has got in the way,” a source told The Sun.
The source also claimed that fans of Stacey and Joe, who boast a combined following of eight million and document their family life through their reality show Stacey & Joe on the BBC, will feel as if they have been “misled” by the news.
However, Stacey and Joe hadn’t misled their followers, given that she previously acknowledged she and Joe were not legally married during their lavish ceremony. Their big day was a star-studded affair, with Loose Women’s Linda Robson attending, given she’s a close friend of Joe’s mum.
Former The Only Way Is Essex cast member James Argent also sang at the ceremony with his band. Speaking about their big day, Stacey and Joe said: “Forever. Me and My Husband. I don’t think I will ever get used to saying that. It all feels like a dream.”
She later shared a quote from Dr Seuss reading: “You know you’re in love when you don’t want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”
A follow-up post read: “The most special day that we didn’t ever want to end. We love you all and the special community we’ve built on here so, so much and couldn’t wait to share these moments with you.”
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