Sample Civil Ceremony

Are you planning to have a civil ceremony on your wedding day? Here we aim to give you a basic idea of what to expect. Of course, you may add in your own personal readings, vows and messages. However, remember that these cannot have any religious content! Read on to see an example of a civil ceremony order of service...

Sample Civil Ceremony

Pre-Arrival Music 

Entrance Music 

Registrar: "Could I ask you all to stand for the entrance of the bridal party?"

Welcome

Registrar: "Please be seated."

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. May I begin by welcoming you all here today to the lovely setting of the Example Hotel for the marriage of Reg and Rose. Today marks a new beginning in their lives together and it means a lot to both of them that you, their family and friends, are here to witness their wedding vows and celebrate their marriage."

Legal Statements

Registrar: "Who presents this woman to be married to this man?"

Father of the bride: "I do."

Registrar: "Marriage is a desire by two people to share themselves and their experiences with each other, and a willingness to accept each other for who they are. It is making a commitment to friendship and mutual respect and calls for honesty, patience, courage and of course, humour. Marriage is where each partner is there to support each other in all that they do.  Marriage requires closeness and distance – the closeness of a couple growing together and enough distance to allow each partner to be an individual. A good partner in such a marriage will be loving, caring and above all a best friend."

Reading 1 -  View some example wedding readings.

Legal Declarations

Registrar: "It is one of my duties to inform you that this room in which we are now met has been duly sanctioned according to law for the celebration of marriages. You are here to witness the joining in marriage of Reginald Simon Ring and Rose Mary Bouquet. If any person present knows of any lawful impediment why these two people may not be joined in marriage he or she should declare it now."

"Could I ask you both to stand please, and hold hands.  Before you are joined in matrimony here today I have to remind you both of the solemn and binding character of the vows you are about to make. Marriage, according to the law of this country, is the union of one man with one woman, voluntarily entered into for life, to the exclusion of all others.  These vows which unite you as husband and wife constitute a formal and public pledge of your love for one another. I am now going to ask each of you in turn to declare that you do not know of any legal reason why you should not be joined in marriage to each other."

"Reginald, please repeat after me:
I do solemnly declare/ that I know not/ of any lawful impediment/ why I Reginald Simon Ring may not be joined in matrimony/ to Rose Mary Bouquet."

"Rose, please repeat after me:
I do solemnly declare/ that I know not/ of any lawful impediment/why I Rose Mary Bouquet/ may not be joined in matrimony/ to Reginald Simon Ring."

Reading 2

Vows, Promises and Contracting Words

Registrar: "Now the solemn moment has come for these Reg and Rose to contract their marriage before you their witnesses, families and friends – so can I ask you all to stand please and join together for the celebration of their marriage."

"Reg, will you take Rose to be your wedded wife, to share your life with her to love support and comfort her whatever the future may bring?"

Groom:  "I will."

Registrar: "Reginald, please repeat after me:

"I call upon these persons here present/ to witness that I Reginald Simon Ring/do take thee Rose Mary Bouquet/ to be my lawful wedded wife.

Registrar: "Rose, will you take Reg to be your wedded husband, to share your life with him to love support and comfort him whatever the future may bring?"

Bride: "I will."

Registrar: "Rose, please repeat after me:

"I call upon these persons here present/ to witness that I Rose Mary Bouquet/do take thee Reginald Simon Ring/to be my lawful wedded husband."

Ring Exchange

Registrar: "It is an ancient tradition for a bride and groom to exchange rings. This giving and receiving of rings symbolises the continuity of their relationship and the sharing of their lives together. A wedding ring is an unbroken circle which symbolises an unending and everlasting love. We would ask you to wear your wedding rings as an outward sign of lifelong vows and promises that you have both made to each other today."

Groom takes bride's ring and places it on her finger.

Groom: "I give you this ring as a symbol of our marriage and as a token of my love, trust and commitment. 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 lives together."

Bride takes groom’s ring and places it on his finger.

Bride: "I give you this ring as a symbol of our marriage and as a token of my love. I promise that I will respect you as an individual, support you through difficult times, rejoice with you through happy times, be loyal always, and above all, love you as my husband and friend."

Registrar: "Reg and Rose you have both made the declarations prescribed by law and have made a solemn and binding contract with each other in the presence of the witnesses here assembled. It therefore gives me the greatest honour and privilege to announce that you are now husband and wife together."

Bride and groom kiss.

Registrar: "Please be seated while the register is signed."

Signing Of The Schedule

Image credit: Lara Jacques Photography

Signing music

Photographs 

Reading 3

Bride and groom to stand.

Registrar: "I'd like to be the first to congratulate you both on your marriage. May I wish you both a wonderful day today, a very long and happy marriage and all the very best for your future lives together. Congratulations Mr and Mrs Ring!"

Exit music

Now you know how a civil ceremony runs, you are ready to continue your wedding planning! Go through our Guides for Brides wedding ideas to get inspired.