Joyful Words exchanged at a wedding, the powerful and the joyful
Such a simple question yet one which has so many connotations for couples planning their wedding. Farsighted couples planning on having a celebrant officiate their wedding ceremony are often perplexed by what they can, or cannot, say and worry unnecessarily that they will be repeating the words required in law at their legal service at the registry office.
Today, October 1st, 2025 saw live streaming from the BBC all day from Old Marylebone Town Hall, a London registry office favoured by celebrities since it opened one hundred years ago on this day. Marylebone Registry Office Centenary offered one hundred couples the opportunity to say the words exchanged at a wedding, the necessary legal ones in any case, in front of eight guests (and if they liked two pets) for a one off cost of £100. All of the ceremonies were undoubtedly glorious, heartfelt and most definitely photogenic, after all the media were there in force and this iconic London venue is truly, well, iconic.
Words exchanged at a wedding explained 😉
Independent Wedding celebrants in the UK cannot yet marry people officially in British law. What they can do is write a moving, heartfelt, fun (if asked for!) one hundred percent unique wedding ceremony tailored exactly to what their couples want, using the words they want to explain and the words they want to commit to their love and marriage. 10 great reasons why you should book a celebrant for your wedding ceremony
Juliette by the sea holding a folder full of the words she has written for a couple to exchange at their wedding ceremony Photo Credit Holly Hock Photography
Part one – the legal words exchanged at a wedding
These are the statuary words which officially marry two people in UK law and have no wiggle room whatsoever for personalisation or amendments. None, whatsoever, despite whatever anyone says otherwise. They have to be spoken by a registrar in a council officiated registry office or licensed venue. If a couple want their marriage to be recognised by the law, this service must take place (although when you do it is completely up to you).
Factually it can be achieved, as the couples did in Marylebone on the centenary celebrations, in less than half an hour, with just two witnesses for minimal cost. If, like in the centenary celebrations at Marylebone Town Hall, you have more guests the cost rises proportionally. Unlike the celebrations on the telly today in London, extra words are not added on by the registrar, those extra words ( still not unique to the couple) are an extra cost and are by no means personalised. These words are called Declaratory and Contracting words ( sexy huh?)
The next paragraph shows you the exact words for a legal wedding ceremony, and note this, only the words in bold are actually the ones needed!
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.
This place in which we are now met, has been duly sanctioned, according to law, for the celebration of marriages
If there is any person here present who knows of any lawful impediment to this marriage, then they should declare it now.
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.
Are you (Partner 1’s name) free lawfully to marry (Partner 2’s name)?
Partner 1: I am.
Are you (Partner 2’s name) free lawfully to marry (Partner 1’s name)?
Partner 2: I am.
Now that you have both declared that you are free to marry, we have come to the part of the ceremony where you take each other as husband/wife and husband/wife. Please repeat after me:
I, (Partner 1’s name), take you (Partner 2’s name), to be my wedded wife/husband.
I, (Partner 2’s name) take you (Partner 1’s name), to be my wedded wife/husband.
(Partner 1’s name) and (Partner 2’s name) 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.
Image of a person waiting for a registrar to exchange statuary wedding words
Part two – words exchanged at a wedding- the joyful, delicious, personal ones

Juliette by the sea celebrant reading words exchanged at a wedding written by her personally for the couple Hayne Wedding venue, Devon Photo credit Lucy Lloyd Photography
The joyful, delicious, personal, enthusiastic and sexy (!) words exchanged at a wedding are the ones written by your wedding celebrant. If a marriage is what couples do legally as an expectation of law and society, and we should recognise the legal ramifications inherent in marriage, well then a wedding is the awesome, delicious, exciting and yes magical expectation and expression of your love.
However you choose to celebrate your wedding ceremony, with a celebrant the choice and the decision are all yours. A trained and qualified wedding celebrant is a professional and, dare it be said, an important supplier and indeed friend, on your wedding day. They will take your love and your values, your vows and your dreams and creatively crafts the words that you will exchange with passion, love and soul.

Juliette by the sea celebrant congratulating the beautiful bride Daisy after her bespoke wedding ceremony at Mapperton House Weddings, Dorset Mapperton Weddings