Our registration service prides itself on the quality of the ceremonies we deliver and our registrars use a tried and trusted format to ensure your ceremony runs smoothly.
Your ceremony is the perfect opportunity to personalise your whole day from the start and reflect your personalities and your relationship. This guide is designed to help you create your ceremony step by step, you can say as much or as little as you want during the ceremony. We have included suggested choices for additional words but we also welcome personal touches into the ceremony in your music, readings, vows and promises.
For marriages, some words must be included by law but you can choose to personalise some parts of your marriage or civil partnership ceremony if you wish.
You can access your online ceremony planner here using the username and password provided by the ceremonies team at the time of booking. Alternatively, we can provide a paper planner for you to make your choices and return to us no later than four weeks before your ceremony date.
Music
We suggest you choose five songs to play as your guests arrive. One for when you make your entrance into the ceremony room, two for during the ceremony, one for as you are signing the schedule and a final song as you make your exit.
All our offices have a Bluetooth speaker which can be connected to a phone or tablet and should be operated by a nominated guest. Alternatively, any CDs provided by yourself will need to be with the registrar four weeks prior to the date of the ceremony with a track list. Please note that we have only a limited choice of CDs at the office.
For ceremonies at licensed venues you will need to arrange your music with them directly.
When making your choices, please ensure you avoid any religious content.
Readings
You can choose something that fits your personalities, perhaps a piece by your favourite author or poet, you could even write your own. You can use this opportunity to include a friend or relative in your ceremony to present your reading, alternatively, the registrar will be happy to read it for you. Please make sure your readers have a copy of their words on the day.
As you are having a civil ceremony your music, readings, personal vows and promises cannot be of a religious nature. Please contact us if you are unsure if your music or reading can be included, our ceremonies team will be happy to help you.
Changes can be made at any time up to four weeks prior to your ceremony but after that time the script will be printed ready for your big day. Any changes after that time will not be recognised. You don’t need to change anything in the registrars words sections, we’ve just included this for your information.