More Than Just the Legal Bit – How to Personalise Your Registrar-Led Ceremony

 

When couples book their wedding with a registrar, many assume they’re signing up for a simple, standard script just the legal words, a quick exchange of rings, and then off to the party. But here’s the secret: a registrar-led ceremony can be so much more than that.

As a wedding registrar in the North of England, I’ve seen couples transform their ceremonies into deeply personal, emotional, and unforgettable moments, all while keeping things legally binding. 
If you think you have to choose between a legally recognised ceremony and a meaningful, customised one, think again! Here’s how you can bring personality and heart into your ceremony without stepping outside the bounds of a registrar-led wedding.

1. Your Vows – More Than Just ‘I Do’
Yes, there are a few legal words that must be said, but beyond that? The vows you exchange can be as personal, romantic, or even humorous as you want them to be.
✨ Ideas to personalise your vows:

• Write your own vows (or tweak traditional ones to reflect your personalities).

• Share a memory, a promise, or something unique about your relationship.

• If you’re nervous about speaking, ask the registrar to phrase them as questions so you just say, “I do!”

💡 Example: Instead of the usual “I promise to love and cherish you,” you could say, “I promise to always make you tea exactly how you like it and to pretend to listen when you talk about football.”

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2. Readings: Bring in Words That Matter to You
You don’t have to stick to formal poetry if it’s not your style! Readings are a great way to bring in something meaningful, and your registrar can include almost anything, except religious content (due to legal restrictions).
📖 Ideas for readings:

• A passage from your favourite book or film.

• Lyrics from a song that means something to you.

• A funny or heartfelt quote that sums up your relationship.

• A reading by a close friend or family member to make it even more special.

💡 Example: A couple I married recently chose a passage from Winnie the Pooh because it reminded them of their friendship before they fell in love, everyone in the room teared up!

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3. Music: Set the Right Mood
You’re not limited to traditional wedding marches! Music can make a huge difference in setting the atmosphere.
🎶 Ways to include music:

• A meaningful song for walking down the aisle.

• A special piece of music while signing the register.

• A fun, upbeat song for your exit as newlyweds!

💡 Example: I once had a couple walk down the aisle to Can’t Help Falling in Love and exit to Signed, Sealed, Delivered perfect for the occasion!

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4. Involving Family & Friends
Your ceremony isn’t just about you, it’s about celebrating with the people you love.
👥 Ways to include them:

• Have a close friend or family member do a reading.

• Involve children or pets (if allowed at your venue!).

• Acknowledge loved ones who couldn’t be there with a moment of reflection.

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5. Adding a Special Moment
Want something unique? There are lots of symbolic gestures that can be included in a registrar-led wedding.
💍 Ideas for unique touches:

• A sand ceremony (becoming increasingly popular and can add modern twist to a traditional ceremony. It can also be a wonderful way to show a visual representation of the joining of a couple or blending of families.)

• A handfasting (to take place after the legal vows).

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Your wedding ceremony is more than just a formality. It is the moment where you say this is us. And with a registrar-led ceremony, you can still add love, laughter, and personal touches while keeping things official.
If you’re planning your wedding, don’t settle for ticking the box. Talk to your registration office ask about options, and create a ceremony that truly reflects you. Because at the end of the day, it’s more than just the legal bit: it’s the start of your forever.
💬 What personal touches are you adding to your ceremony? Let me know in the comments!

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Love Rekindled: A Remarkable Reunion Wedding After Divorce

 Love Finds a Way – Even After Divorce

In my nine years as a wedding registrar, I’ve been privileged to witness hundreds of weddings, each one special in its own way.

A few weekends ago, I conducted a ceremony that will stay with me for a long time.

It was only the second time in nearly a decade that I’ve seen a couple remarry each other after divorcing. And what made it even more moving was the simplicity and emotion that was evident in the ceremony room.

The couple had originally married in 19**, in a church ceremony surrounded by loved ones. Life, as it sometimes does, brought challenges, and in 2011, after 2* years of marriage, they divorced.

But their story didn’t end there. Just one year later, they found their way back to each other.

They realised that, despite everything, they were better together. That they still loved each other and always had. In 2025, they decided to make it official again, and this time, it was just the two of them, their two grown-up children acting as witnesses, and their grandchildren.

No grand announcements, no fuss. In fact, they hadn’t told anyone else about their plans, not family, not friends, not colleagues. The ceremony was held at our local registry office, intimate and full of meaning. 

After they left the Registry Office, they were heading out for pizza as a family. 

Then, and only then, they planned to text their wider circle: 

“We got married. Again.”

As a registrar, I like to remain calm and composed, but I’ll admit this one got me. The bride and groom were visibly emotional throughout, their eyes brimming with tears. It wasn’t just about vows or paperwork; it was about the rare chance to start again with the same person, wiser and more certain.

These are the stories I cherish most: the unexpected ones, the second chances, the quiet declarations of lifelong love.

Weddings come in all shapes and sizes, but sometimes the smallest ones carry the biggest feelings.

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Heartfelt Ukrainian-Romanian Wedding Ceremony | Registrar Reflections

A Saturday Morning Ceremony Filled with Love 💜💛

There are days in my role as Deputy Superintendent Registrar (DSR) that stay with me  and a couple of Saturday's ago was certainly one of them.

At 10:30am on what turned out to be a beautifully sunny Saturday morning, I had the honour of conducting a wedding ceremony at my local registration office that triggered me to write this blog.

The couple, a lovely pairing of Ukrainian and Romanian heritage, had chosen to keep things really simple — a decision that made the entire event feel all the more sincere and meaningful.

With just ten guests joining them, the room was filled with warmth, affection,  laughter, nervous smiles and so much joy.

Bouquets of flowers had been constructed from bunches of flowers from the local Tesco.

English was a second language for both the bride and groom, so we kept the ceremony straightforward and personal, allowing their love — not the words — to do most of the talking. And truly, it did.

We rehearsed the pronunciation of their names ahead of the ceremony and the thumbs up from the Groom during the ceremony made me smile that I had nailed it! Phew!

Their family and friends couldn’t have been kinder. Each thank you, each smile, each handshake, each hug shared with me after the ceremony reminded me why I love what I do.

While I often travel to beautiful venues across the county, which is a fabulous part of my role, sometimes it’s these smaller, more intimate ceremonies that shine the brightest and stay with me long after I have driven home.

This couple didn’t need grand flower arches or elaborate speeches. What they had was something far more powerful: genuine connection, heartfelt emotion, lots and lots of love and the unwavering support of those closest to them.

They left the office hand in hand, smiling, on their way to celebrate over a traditional Romanian meal with their guests (they invited me to go along which was such a lovely thing for them to do, I politely declined)

I left with my heart full, reminded that love in its simplest form is often the most profound.

There was truly no place I would rather have been on a Saturday morning.

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