Gay marriages are to be allowed in churches and other religious buildings.
The decision will be made as part of government plans to be launched by culture secretary Maria Miller next week.
Under the proposals, religious organisations which do not want to host same-sex weddings will be given an absolute guarantee they will not be forced to do so.
The announcement threatens to put Prime Minister David Cameron on a collision course with some of his own backbenchers, who insist that marriage should be allowed only between a man and a woman.
The decision will be made as part of government plans to be launched by culture secretary Maria Miller next week.
Under the proposals, religious organisations which do not want to host same-sex weddings will be given an absolute guarantee they will not be forced to do so.
The announcement threatens to put Prime Minister David Cameron on a collision course with some of his own backbenchers, who insist that marriage should be allowed only between a man and a woman.