Please see the script below, with the legal words that must be said in bold, and the optional words spoken by the couple in italics:

 

‘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); I will conduct the ceremony, and (Registrar’s name) will complete the schedule, which is the legal record of the marriage.

This ceremony will be in accordance with the civil law of this country. This requires the couple to declare their freedom to marry one another. They will then go on to make their marriage vows in which they promise to take each other as partners for life. These vows are a formal and public pledge of their love and a promise of a lifelong commitment to each other.

You have shared in and contributed to their lives in the past, and by witnessing their marriage ceremony today, (Partner 1’s name) and (Partner 2’s name) ask you to share in their future.

(Partner 1’s name) and (Partner 2’s name), marriage is a promise made in the hearts of two people who love each other. Within the circle of its love, it encompasses all of life’s most important relationships.

May you pledge to each other to be loving friends and partners in marriage, to talk and to listen, to trust and appreciate each other, and to respect and cherish each other’s uniqueness.

May you also pledge to support, comfort, and strengthen each other through life’s joys and sorrows.

This place in which we are now met, has been duly sanctioned, according to law, for the celebration of marriages, and we are here today to witness the joining in matrimony of this couple and to share in their happiness.

If there is any person here present who knows of any lawful impediment to this marriage, then they should declare it now.

[1ST READING (OPTIONAL)]

Before you are joined in matrimony, it is my duty to remind you of the solemn and binding character of the vows that you are about to make. Marriage in this country means the union of two people, voluntarily entered into for life, to the exclusion of all others.

I am now going to ask each of you in turn to declare that you know of no legal reason you may not be married to each other.

Please repeat after me:

I do solemnly declare, that I know not, of any lawful impediment, why I (Partner 1’s name) may not be joined matrimony, to (Partner 2’s name).

I do solemnly declare, that I know not, of any lawful impediment, why I (Partner 2’s name) may not be joined matrimony, to (Partner 1’s name).

[2ND READING (OPTIONAL)]

Now that you have both declared that you are free to marry, we have come to the part of the ceremony where you are about to make your marriage contract with each other.

I ask you now in the presence of this company:

(Partner 1’s name), do you take (Partner 2’s name) to be your wife/husband, and do you promise to remain true to them for the rest of your lives together?

Partner 1 answers: I do.

(Partner 2’s name), do you take (Partner 1’s name) to be your wife/husband, and do you promise to remain true to them for the rest of your lives together?

Partner 2: I do

Please repeat after me:

I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, (Partner 1’s name),

do take thee, (Partner 2’s name), to be my lawful wedded wife/husband.

 

I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, (Partner 1’s name),

do take thee, (Partner 2’s name), to be my lawful wedded wife/husband.

[PERSONAL VOWS (OPTIONAL)]

[RINGS (OPTIONAL)]

A ring is the ancient and traditional way of sealing the contract you have just made.  It is an unbroken circle, which symbolises unending and everlasting love, and is an outward sign of the lifelong promise you’ve just made to each other.

Please repeat after me:

(Partner 2’s name), I give you this ring, as a token of our marriage, and a symbol of our love.

I promise to love honour and care for you,

To support you through good fortune and adversity,

Joy and sadness,

And to be your friend, as long as we both shall live.

 

(Partner 1’s name), I give you this ring, as a token of our marriage, and a symbol of our love.

I promise to love honour and care for you,

To support you through good fortune and adversity,

Joy and sadness,

And to be your friend, as long as we both shall live.

[3RD READING (OPTIONAL)]

(Partner 1’s name) and (Partner 2’s name), these vows which unite you as husband/wife and husband/wife, constitute a formal and public pledge of your love for each other.

You have now both made the declarations required by law and have made a solemn and binding contract with each other in the presence of your witnesses, guests and the registrar of marriages.

It therefore gives me great pleasure, to pronounce you are now husband/wife and wife/husband.

Congratulations! You may now kiss each other!’

[SIGNING OF THE SCHEDULE]

[COUPLE DECLARED AS THEY HAVE ASKED TO BE DECLARED ON THE PRE-CEREMONY ORGANISER]