Civil service? what happens during one?

Mat the trasher

Does anyone know of the cermony contents for an off site civil cermony? is there a specific cermony, a core few bits or is it completely up to the couple to choose? Is there any website that has a guide, I've searched the net but only getting info about arranging the service, not the actual format, cermony running order and contents.
Has anybody been down this road?

Cheers.

hunnymonster

I've been at two recently. One was lovely, they had a couple of readings from the bride and grooms favourite books, candles, kisses, music etc. It was a little like a religious ceremony but with secular references instead of biblical ones.
The other was awful. I know marriage is a legal contract but the second civil wedding I attended was like a business negotiation. "the law says you have to do X, do you agree?" it was over in 5 minutes.

seamus

The ceremony is relatively short in any case, and the couple generally get to choose the format. As hunnymonster says, you can go for readings, candles and music if you like or you can literally do it with just yourselves and your witnesses and recite a few legal verses and sign your names.

The only rule is that if you are going to have readings, vows or music, none of them can have a religous slant or biase. Which is fair enough - if you want a religious ceremony, go to your church.

MariMel

Hi.....we are having a civil ceremony in a few months time and I like you wasn't sure what to expect until we had our meeting with the registrar a few weeks ago.
I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with how personal we can make the service. Our registrar was a lovely lady who went through the service in detail with us, saying we can have up to 4 ;readings/love poems read out during the service. She suggested that our mothers light our candles at the begining and then we light the larger one at the end from those ones.
She also said that we could have someone in to play some music for us....and that although sometimes in churches you have to shorten the song, we could actually play full songs. We are still toying the idea of having the ring exchanging ceremony in the evening along with our evening guests.
All in all it'll probably not last longer than 30 mins but begining able to add our own touches is wonderful. My future sis in law is writing a poem especially for us. I am not sure if all registrars are as accomodating as the one we have.

Jellyjelly

hey

Just ring 01 8638200 Joyce House, the Births Deaths and Marriage office ask can you get a copy of the ceremony, i'm sure there won't be a problem

J