Kensington and Chelsea Register Office
Chelsea Old Town Hall, King’s Road, London, SW3 5EE
MarriageCeremony Abridged
Welcome and Introduction
Good Morning / Afternoon to everyone present today. On behalf of ________ and
________, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you the warmest welcome to the
Chelsea Old Town Hall here in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for this very
special occasion: their marriage ceremony.
My name is ________, and as a Deputy Superintendent Registrar for the Royal Borough
of Kensington and Chelsea, it is my privilege and pleasure to be leading you through this
ceremony today. With me is my colleague, ________, the (deputy) registrar of marriages,
who will record the details of this marriage in the register and assist the couple and
witnesses with the signing.
This place in which we are met has been duly sanctioned according to law for the
celebration of marriages and civil partnerships. We are gathered here today to witness
the joining in matrimony of ________ and ________, in (registrar confirms name of venue
on authorities), and if any person here present knows of any lawful impediment to this
marriage, they should declare this now.
(Partner 1) – Would you please confirm your full names?
(Partner 2) – Would you please confirm your full names?
As there have been no objections to your marriage we may now proceed with the
ceremony and registration.
The civil ceremony is split into three parts. The first is when ________ and ________
declare that there is no legal reason why they cannot be married today. They will then
say the contracting words to each other, joining them in union as husband/wife and
husband/wife, and finally they will exchange rings.
Optional Reading
(Ask the couple to stand)
Vows
……….. and ………. before you are joined in matrimony I have to remind you of the
solemn and binding character of the vows 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 there is no reason why you may
not marry each other.
Please repeat after me:
TRADITIONAL VOWS (A)
I do solemnly declare / that I know not / of any lawful impediment /
why I ________ / may not be joined in matrimony / to ________.
MODERN VOWS (B)
I declare / that I know / of no legal reason / why I ________ / may not be joined in
marriage / to ________.
SIMPLIFIED VOWS (C)
Registrar asks:
“Are you ________ free lawfully to marry ________?”
Bride/Groom replies “I am”.
And so we have now reached the solemn moment when ________ and ________ will
contract their marriage before you, their witnesses gathered here today. Would you all
please stand.
Please turn to face each other and repeat after me:
TRADITIONAL VOWS (A)
I call upon / these persons here present / to witness that I ________ / do take thee
________ / to be my lawfully wedded wife / husband.
MODERN VOWS (B)
I ________ take thee ________ to be my wedded wife / husband.
SIMPLIFIED VOWS (C)
I ________ take you ________ to be my wedded wife / husband.
You may be seated.
Exchange of Rings
The ancient and traditional way of sealing the marriage contract is by the exchanging of
rings; in marriage, the wedding ring is an outward sign of the vows and the life-long
promises that you have made to one another today.
________ would you please bring forward the rings.
Please repeat after me:
I give you this ring / as a symbol of our marriage / and as a token of my love.
Ceremony Conclusion
________ and ________ you have both made the solemn and binding vows and
declarations prescribed by law and have exchanged rings in the presence of your family
and friends gathered here today.
It now gives me great pleasure to say congratulations to you both and to declare that
under the law of this country you are now legally united in marriage. (Optional: You may
kiss.)
Optional Reading
Thank you.
________ and ________, your first duty as a married couple is to sign the register, and
so I invite you both to take a seat at the registration desk.
[NOTE TO REGISTRAR: Part 1 takes a seat then signs. Party 2 then takes the seat
and signs. Witness 1 takes the seat and signs. Witness 2 takes the seat and signs]
I would now like to invite the two witnesses to take a seat and also sign the register.
(Registrars then sign).
Presentation of Certificate
Guests gathered here today, would you all please stand.
On behalf of my colleague ________ and myself, I would like to wish you all the best for
a long and happy life together. Contained here within is your certificate – I hand this to
both of you together for future safe-keeping.
Please give a round of applause to the newlyweds, ________ and ________.
Please now gather on the stone steps outside to congratulate the newlyweds.
