Oxfordshire, the place to marry Oxfordshire 2017 | Page 16

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Promises
C H O O S I N G
V O W S
T R A D I T I O N A L ,
&
P R O M I S E S :
M O D E R N
O R
S I M P L E ?
While a civil wedding ceremony has a fairly standard format, there is plenty of scope within it to
make it a personal statement of your love and commitment to each other. The minimum vows for a
legal civil wedding are included below, under legal declarations and contracting words.
You can choose which version suits you best from each one: a, b or c and you repeat these words
after the Registrar so you do not need to remember them.
LEGAL DECLARATIONS CONTRACTING WORDS
(a) Traditional
I do solemnly declare that I know not of any
lawful impediment why I (your full name) may
not be joined in matrimony to (your partner’s
full name). (a) Traditional
I call upon these persons, here present, to
witness that I (your full name) do take thee
(your partner’s full name) to be my lawful
wedded wife/husband.
(b) Modern
I declare that I know of no legal reason why I
(your full name) may not be joined in marriage
to (your partner’s full name). (b) Modern
I (your full name), take you (your partner’s full
name) to be my wedded wife/husband.
(c) Simplified
The Registrar asks: “Are you (your full name)
free, lawfully, to marry (your partner’s full
name)?” You reply: “I am”.
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4
(c) Simplified
I (your full name) take thee (your partner’s full
name) to be my wedded wife/husband.
Oxfordshire: The place to marry