What starts as a fairy-tale wedding abroad can quickly turn into a financial nightmare—especially if you’re not aware of the legal fine print.
That’s exactly what happened to Antonia Medlicott and Tim Pindar, a British couple who thought they were married for over a decade… only to find out they weren’t, at least not in the eyes of the law.
The Ceremony Was Stunning—But Not Legal
Back in 2009, Antonia and Tim flew to Spain for their dream Catholic wedding.
It was a big, beautiful celebration with family and friends, complete with all the bells and whistles.
But there was one big problem—they missed a crucial legal step.
The couple, now 49 and 44, didn’t register their marriage at the local town hall within the required 14-day window.
The Spanish-speaking priest tried to warn them their wedding wouldn’t be legally binding, but since they didn’t speak the language—and he didn’t speak English—the message didn’t get through.
For 13 Years, They Lived As If Everything Was Fine
Months later, Antonia and Tim discovered the truth: their marriage wasn’t official.
But instead of doing something about it, they shrugged it off and carried on with life.
It wasn’t until 2023—13 years later—that they realized just how costly that oversight could become.
A Legal Wake-Up Call From a Lawyer
The moment of truth came during a conversation with a lawyer about their wills.
He broke the news: if one of them died, the other would face a massive inheritance tax bill.
As it stood, they weren’t legally married, so the spousal inheritance tax exemption wouldn’t apply.
According to UK tax law, married couples can pass assets to each other without paying inheritance tax.
Unmarried couples? Not so lucky. Any assets over £325,000 could be taxed at 40%.
For Antonia and Tim, that meant they’d be hit with at least an £80,000 bill on their home alone—plus extra for savings, pensions, and Antonia’s business.
Their Only Option? A Second Wedding
Realizing what was at stake, the couple decided to finally make it official.
But this time, it was far from the sun-drenched glamour of their Spanish wedding.
In 2023, they had a no-frills civil ceremony at their local registry office.
It cost them around £1,000, including a bottomless brunch with six friends.
Antonia wore a brown dress and borrowed a pair of boots from a friend.
It wasn’t the wedding they had dreamed of—but it might’ve saved their financial future.
“We Had No Choice But to Get On With It”
Antonia said she felt frustrated and even a bit bitter about having to remarry just to protect their finances.
“It’s ridiculous,” she said. “A piece of paper shouldn’t make such a massive difference.”
She added that marriage isn’t for everyone, and it felt unfair that unmarried couples can lose out simply because of a technicality—especially when they’ve been living together and sharing everything like any married couple would.
Changes to Pension Rules Could Make Things Worse
The urgency to formalize marriages could become more common.
Claire Trott, head of advice at St James’s Place, pointed out that marriage for tax reasons isn’t new—particularly when pensions are involved.
In fact, her own father married his partner right before retirement to ensure she’d qualify for benefits under his defined benefit pension scheme.
Had they married just weeks later, she wouldn’t have received anything.
And with new plans from Rachel Reeves set to bring pension savings into inheritance tax calculations by 2027, even more couples could be affected if they’re not legally wed.
Is Love Not Enough Anymore?
For couples like Antonia and Tim, it’s a hard pill to swallow—that even after years together, love and commitment aren’t enough to protect your assets.
Sometimes, a marriage certificate isn’t just symbolic—it’s financial survival.