Ceremony vows, readings and music

Civil ceremonies must follow a set format and include legal wording, but you can still make your ceremony personal and meaningful to you.

You can choose your legal words and personal promises, include approved readings and select music for different parts of the ceremony.

Marriage ceremonies

During a marriage ceremony, you must say legal declarations and contracting words from the wording options below. The registrar says your chosen words aloud, and you repeat them.

There is no need to learn anything in advance.

Choose your legal declaration

Choose one of the following options of the legal declaration.

Traditional

"I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I (your full legal name) may not be joined in matrimony to (your partner's full legal name)."

Modern

"I declare that I know of no legal reason why I (your full legal name) may not be joined in marriage to (your partner's full legal name)."

Simplified

The registrar asks: "Are you (your full legal name) free, lawfully, to marry (your partner's full legal name)?"

You reply, "I am."

Choose your contracting words

Choose one of the following options of the contracting words.

Traditional

"I call upon these persons, here present, to witness that I (your full legal name) do take thee (your partner's full legal name) to be my lawful wedded wife/husband."

Modern

"I (your full legal name), take you (your partner's full legal name) to be my wedded wife/husband."

Simplified

"I (your full legal name) take thee (your partner's full legal name) to be my wedded wife/husband."

Please note that we must use the terms husband and wife in the legal contracting words in accordance with the sex as shown on your birth certificate (i.e.' wife' if female, 'husband' if male). If you or your partner is a transgender person and hold a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC), we will use the terms husband and wife in accordance with your affirmed gender recorded on your GRC. If you do not hold a GRC, you will be referred to in accordance your sex recorded at birth. This applies to the legal words only. We will use your preferred pronouns and terms throughout the rest of the ceremony.

Personal marriage promises

After saying the legal declaration and contracting words, you can exchange rings or gifts and make personal promises. Please choose one of the promises below.

• I promise that I will respect you as an individual, support you through difficult times, rejoice with you through happy times, be loyal to you always and, above all, love you as my wife/husband and friend
• I promise to care for you above all others, to give you my love and friendship, support and comfort, and to respect and cherish you throughout our lives together
• I give you this ring as a token of my love and friendship
• I give you this ring as a token of our love and marriage, as a symbol of all that we share and in recognition of our life together
• I promise to love and respect you. Helping our love grow, always being there to listen, comfort and support you, whatever our lives may bring
• I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage, and as a symbol of our love. I promise to care for you, to respect and cherish you, throughout our lives together
• I give you this ring as a sign of our love, trust and marriage. I promise to care for you above all others, to give you my love, friendship and support, and to respect and cherish you throughout our life together
• I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and affection, wear it with happiness and pride – now and always

If you choose an enhanced ceremony at an approved venue or register office, you can write your own promises. These must not be religious (for example, “for better or worse, for richer or poorer”) and must be submitted to the registrar for approval at least 4 weeks before the ceremony. You can also add some personal information about yourselves and your story.

Once you have been declared legally married, we will ask you to carefully check the marriage schedule. Then you, your partner, your witnesses, and the two registrars will sign the schedule with a fountain pen containing registration ink.

If you have chosen to purchase a commemorative certificate, everyone will sign this too, and it will be presented to you by the registrar as the ceremony comes to an end.

Civil partnership ceremonies

Legal civil partnership declaration

During the ceremony, you can choose to read, repeat or confirm the legal declaration below.

• I declare that I know of no legal reason why we may not register as each other's civil partner. I understand that on signing this document we will be forming a civil partnership with each other

Personal civil partnership promises

After the legal declaration, you can exchange rings or gifts and make personal promises. You can choose one of the examples below.

• I will seek to build a strong, loving relationship based on kindness, understanding and trust that are already part of us both
• I promise to love you in good times and bad, to cherish and care for you, to live with you in love and harmony, whatever the future may bring
• I promise to share my life with you as an equal partner, and to ensure that our love and friendship continue to grow
• I promise to love you above all others, to cherish and respect you throughout our lives together

If you choose an enhanced ceremony at an approved venue or register office, you can write your own personal promises. These must not be religious (for example “for better or worse, for richer or poorer”) and must be submitted to the registrar for approval at least 4 weeks before the ceremony. You can also add some personal information about yourselves and your story.

Once you have made the legal declaration, we will ask you to check the civil partnership schedule carefully, then you, your civil partner, your witnesses and the registrar will sign the schedule with a fountain pen containing registration ink.

If you have chosen to purchase a commemorative certificate, everyone will sign this too and it will be presented to you by the registrar as the ceremony comes to an end.

Music

You can include music at different points during the ceremony, including:

• Arrival of guests
• Entrance into the ceremony room
• Signing of the legal schedule
• Departure from the ceremony room

Music for a civil ceremony must not include hymns or other religious music.

If your ceremony is in a register office ceremony room, nominate a guest to operate the music, please bring your music with you on a portable device that can connect to our Bluetooth speaker.

If your ceremony is at an approved venue, please discuss your music with them. If you are having live music, discuss where the musicians will be, if you are having recorded music, check what equipment is available and who will operate this.

Readings and poems

If you choose an enhanced ceremony at an approved venue or register office, you can include up to 3 readings and/or poems. You or one of your guests may want to write something original or you can choose an extract from your favourite book or a classic reading. 

If you need inspiration, there are hundreds of readings for civil ceremonies online, so you can be sure you will find something that feels special to you. 

All readings must not be religious and must be submitted to the registrar for approval at least 4 weeks before the ceremony.