Civil partnership is a written contract, which means you do not have to make verbal vows to each other; you can just sign the schedule with your witnesses if you prefer, although we always offer our couples the choice of a ceremony or a simple signing.
Please see the simple civil partnership ceremony script below, with the words in italics that the couple will repeat after the registrar:
WELCOME
Good morning/afternoon everybody, and on behalf of (Partner 1’s name) and (Partner 2’s name) I would like to extend a warm welcome to (name of the venue).
My name is (Registrar’s name) and I am a deputy superintendent registrar for Islington and City of London. I will conduct the ceremony, and (Second registrar’s name), the registrar, will complete the schedule, which is the legal record of the civil partnership.
You have shared in their lives in the past, and by witnessing their civil partnership today, (Partner 1) and (Partner 2) ask you to share in their future.
It is a formal and public pledge of your love, and a promise of lifelong commitment to one another.
However, if any person here present knows of any impediment to this civil partnership, they should now declare it.
1ST READING (OPTIONAL)
Please can I call forward (Reader 1’s name) with their reading.
[READING]
Thank you (Reader 1), you may take your seat.
VOWS 1 (OPTIONAL)
(Partner 1) and (Partner 2), before you are joined in this civil partnership it is my duty to remind you both of the solemn and binding character of this union. I will ask you to declare that you are free to for a civil partnership with one another.
(Partner 1), please repeat after me:
I, (Partner 1), declare that I know of no legal reason why I may not register as (Partner 2)’s civil partner. I understand that on signing this document I will be forming a civil partnership with (Partner 2).
(Partner 2), please repeat after me:
I (Partner 2) declare that I know of no legal reason why I may not register as (Partner 1)’s civil partner. I understand that on signing this document I will be forming a civil partnership with (Partner 1).
2ND READING (OPTIONAL)
Please can I call forward (Reader 2’s name) with their reading.
[READING]
Thank you (Reader 2), you may take your seat.
VOWS 2 (OPTIONAL)
Now that you have both declared that you are free to form a civil partnership, we have come to the part of the ceremony where you take each other as partners. Please face each other for these words and hold hands.
(Partner 1), please repeat after me:
I, (Partner 1) take you (Partner 2), to be my civil partner.
(Partner 2), please repeat after me:
I, (Partner 2) take you (Partner 1), to be my civil partner.
PERSONAL VOWS (OPTIONAL)
(Partner 1) and (Partner 2), you have chosen to make personal vows to each other on this special day.
(Partner 1), would you please read your vows to (Partner 2).
[PERSONAL VOW]
(Partner 2), would you please read your vows to (Partner 1).
[PERSONAL VOW]
RINGS (OPTIONAL)
A ring is an unbroken circle and is an outward sign of the lifelong promise you have made to each other.
(Ring bearer’s name), please could you come forward with the rings? Please give the ring for (Partner 2) to (Partner 1).
(Partner 1), please place the ring partway onto (Partner 2)’s finger and repeat after me:
(Partner 2) I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion.
(Ring bearer), please could you give the ring for (Partner 1) to (Partner 2)?
(Partner 2), please place the ring partway onto (Partner 1)’s finger and repeat after me:
(Partner 1), I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion.
3RD READING (OPTIONAL)
Please can I call forward (Reader 3’s name) with their reading.
[READING]
Thank you (Reader 3), you may take your seat.
SIGNING OF THE SCHEDULE
Please can I ask the couple to come over to the table to sign the schedule, which will be the legal record of their civil partnership?
[COUPLE SIGN]
Can I ask the two witnesses to please come forward to sign the schedule?
[WITNESSES SIGN]
[REGISTRAR SIGNS]
PRONOUNCEMENT
(Partner 1) and (Partner 2), you have now signed the Civil Partnership Schedule that is required by law and you have made solemn promises to one another in the presence of your family and friends, your witnesses, the registrar and myself. It now gives me great pleasure to declare that you are legal civil partners.
Congratulations! You may now kiss each other!
CONCLUSION
On behalf of myself and (Second registrar), we would like to congratulate you both and wish you a long and happy life together.
Guests, if you would please like to be upstanding, and put your hands together to congratulate (couple’s names as they have asked to be declared on the pre-ceremony organiser)!
[COUPLE EXITS, FOLLOWED BY THE GUESTS]