On the big day

Statutory ceremony at the Oxfordshire Register Office

This is a simple ceremony for the couple and two witnesses only, with no personalisation. Please arrive 20 minutes before the start of the ceremony. The ceremony officer will need to meet each partner individually before the ceremony to conduct pre-ceremony interviews and complete the legal preliminaries. Your witnesses will be invited to join you in the room shortly before the start of the ceremony. Neither you or your witnesses are required to bring any form of ID or documentation.

The ceremony consists of a few opening words, simplified declaratory and contracting words which you repeat. You can exchange rings and repeat our short ring promise if you wish. No readings, music, commemorative certificates, additional guests, or photographers can be included.

Classic Register Office ceremony

What time to arrive

To help the day run smoothly and to time, please allow plenty of time for traffic, parking and any photographs you would like before the ceremony. Guests, photographers and videographers should arrive 20–30 minutes before the ceremony starts. You may also wish to choose a few pieces of non-religious music to play as guests take their seats.

Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the ceremony begins. The ceremony officer will meet each partner separately and privately before the ceremony to complete the pre-ceremony interviews and legal preliminaries. If you would prefer not to see each other beforehand, we suggest one party arrives 20 minutes before the ceremony and the other 10 minutes before

Pre-ceremony interview

Before the ceremony, the ceremony officer will meet each of you separately to conduct the pre-ceremony interview. They will ask you questions to make sure that the details recorded on the legal marriage or civil partnership schedule are correct and spelled correctly. They will also ask you to confirm that you are happy to proceed with the ceremony. This is a legal process but also chance to ask any last-minute questions. You do not need to bring ID or documents to your ceremony.

If you have legally changed your name since giving notice, please contact us for advice before your ceremony.

Once the pre-ceremony interviews are completed, we can then proceed with your ceremony. 

Entrance of the couple 

You can choose how you would like to make your entrance into the ceremony room. You may wish to be accompanied by a family member or a friend, you may wish to enter together as a couple, or include bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls or page boys. You may prefer no entrance at all, and we can begin the ceremony with you already in the ceremony room. 

You may also choose a special piece of non-religious music to accompany your entrance. 

Welcome, legal declaration and contracting vows 

Once you have made your entrance, your ceremony officer will welcome you and begin the ceremony. You can be formally presented to your partner by a family member or friend if you wish. 

For marriage ceremonies: you will have already pre-chosen your legal declaratory and contracting words.  There is no need to memorise these in advance as the ceremony officer will say them in short chunks and ask you to repeat them.   

For civil partnership ceremonies, you are not legally required to say anything.  You can choose to read, repeat or acknowledge the legal declaration.  

Ring promise (also known as vows) 

If you wish, you may exchange rings or gifts and choose one of our eight ring promises to say to each other. You can repeat them after the ceremony officer or write them down and read them to each other.  

Once you have made the legal declarations, exchanged rings and/or promises, the ceremony officer will declare that you are married/have formed a civil partnership.  You may like to share a kiss if you wish.  

Enhanced ceremony at a Register Office or an Approved Venue 

What time to arrive 

To help the day run smoothly and on time, please allow plenty of time for traffic, parking and any photographs you would like before the ceremony. Guests should arrive 20–30 minutes before the ceremony starts. You may also wish to choose a few pieces of non-religious music to play as guests take their seats. 

Arrive at least 30 minutes before the ceremony begins. The registrar will meet each partner separately and privately before the ceremony to conduct the pre-ceremony interviews and complete the legal preliminaries. If you would prefer not to see each other beforehand, we suggest one party arrives 20 minutes before the ceremony and the other 15 minutes before. 

Pre-ceremony interview 

Before the ceremony, the registrar will meet each of you separately to conduct the pre-ceremony interview.  They will ask you questions to make sure that the details recorded on the legal marriage or civil partnership schedule are correct and spelled correctly.  They will also ask you to confirm that you are happy to proceed with the ceremony. This is a legal process but also chance to ask any last-minute questions. You do not need to bring ID or documents to your ceremony. 

If you have legally changed your name since giving notice, please contact us for advice before your ceremony. 

Once the pre-ceremony meetings are completed, we can then proceed with your ceremony. 

Entrance of the couple 

You can choose how you would like to make your entrance into the ceremony room. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like.  You may wish to be accompanied by family member or a friend, you may wish to enter together as a couple, or include bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls or page boys. You may prefer no entrance at all, and we can begin the ceremony with you already in the ceremony room. 

You may also choose a special piece of non-religious music to accompany your entrance. 

Welcome, legal declaration and contracting vows  

Once you have made your entrance, your ceremony officer will welcome you and begin the ceremony.  You can be formally presented to your partner by a family member or friend if you wish

For marriage ceremonies, you will have already pre-chosen your legal declaratory and contracting words.  There is no need to memorise these in advance as the ceremony officer will say them in short chunks and ask you to repeat them.   

For civil partnership ceremonies, you are not legally required to say anything.  You can choose to read, repeat or acknowledge the legal declaration. 

Readings 

There are opportunities throughout your ceremony to include up to 3 readings. These can be short poems, extracts from a book or something personal someone has written for the occasion.  Please note that readings cannot contain any religious content 

Rings and personal vows or promises 

If you wish, you may exchange rings or gifts, and make ring promises to each other. You can choose a ring promise from our list or you can write your own. You can repeat them after the ceremony officer or write them down and read them to each other.  

Once you have made the legal declarations, exchanged rings and/or promises, the ceremony officer will declare that you are married/have formed a civil partnership.  You may like to share a kiss if you wish.  

Signing of the legal marriage or civil partnership schedule 

Both partners, your witnesses and the ceremony officers will sign the legal marriage or civil partnership schedule.  

If you have pre-purchased a commemorative certificate, you will also sign this.

• Commemorative civil partnership certificate (pdf format, 833KB)
• Commemorative marriage certificate (pdf format, 825KB). 

Please note - that a commemorative certificate is a keepsake of your special day and is not a legal marriage or civil partnership certificate. 

You may wish to choose a few pieces of non-religious music to play while the schedule is being signed. 

Photographs 

Photographers or videographers are welcome to photograph and video during the ceremony.

Our recommendation is that you do not take photographs or video whilst the legal marriage or civil partnership schedule is signed, however you may do so if everyone listed on the schedule consents to their details being photographed or videoed. 

The couple's exit 

Once the legal paperwork has been completed, the ceremony officer will bring the ceremony to a close. They will offer you their congratulations, present you with your commemorative marriage certificate if you have ordered one, and present you to your guests according to your wishes.   

You may like to choose a special piece of non-religious music to be played for your exit, except for a ceremony taking place at The Oxfordshire Register Office. 

Confetti

Some approved venues have restrictions on confetti; please discuss this with venue staff. 

At register offices, biodegradable confetti is permitted outside of our buildings. No petals or confetti are permitted inside the ceremony room. 

Registering your marriage or civil partnership and your certificates 

After your ceremony, the ceremony officer will return the signed marriage or civil partnership schedule to our office. We will then register it on the national registration system within 15 working days of your ceremony. 

Once registered, your legal marriage or civil partnership certificate will be issued and posted to you by Royal Mail second-class post.

If you did not order certificates before your ceremony or would like extra copies, you can order them after your ceremony.

Outdoor ceremony 

Please note. It is not possible to hold an outdoor ceremony on the grounds of our register offices. 

If you would like to hold your ceremony outdoors, please speak to your venue first, as not all venues can offer a suitable outdoor space. You and your venue will also need a ‘Plan B’ in case of inclement weather, including suitable indoor arrangements for all your guests. If the weather means the ceremony cannot safely take place outside, it must be held indoors in the licensed ceremony room. 

The ceremony officers will make the final decision on the day. You will also need to complete an Outdoor Ceremony Agreement at least four weeks before your ceremony. Without this agreement, the ceremony cannot take place outdoors. 

Example format of the ceremony

• guests' arrival
• the couple's entrance
• welcome and presentation
• opportunity for a reading, a song or music – at an enhanced or approved venue
• legal statements and contracting vows
• opportunity for a reading, a song or music – at an enhanced or approved venue
• exchange of rings or gifts and personal promises or vows
• signing of the legal marriage or civil partnership schedule
• photographs
• opportunity for a reading, a song or music – at an enhanced or approved venue
• presentation of the commemorative certificate and conclusion
• the couple's exit  

• Who to notify after your ceremony