Civil Partnership Ceremony

There is no legal requirement for couples to hold a ceremony; if preferred, the relationship may be registered simply by each partner and their witnesses signing the Civil Partnership Schedule in the presence of the Registration Officer.

First, the Registration Officer must interview each partner to check the information that was provided when the Notices were taken. This will take place in a private area of the venue.

If a ceremony is being held, the Registration Officer will welcome everyone and give a brief introduction.

Following the personalised section of the ceremony, during which the couple may make their own vows and exchange rings, each partner speaks the following declaratory words in turn:

"I declare that I know of no legal reason why we may not register as each other's Civil Partner. I understand that on signing this document we will be forming a Civil Partnership with each other."

For registrations without a ceremony, these words need not be spoken aloud.

You will be asked to check the Civil Partnership Schedule very carefully and then invited to sign the entry, followed by your witnesses.

If an interpreter was used during the ceremony, he or she will sign as a witness to the Civil Partnership.

There will be an opportunity for guests to take photographs of the couple signing their schedule before the Registration Officer declares them to be Civil Partners in law and brings the ceremony to a close.

Civil Partnerships are registered on-line and only after the schedule has been signed and witnessed. The Civil Partnership Certificate cannot be issued until the registration is completed, so we may not be able to present it to you as part of the ceremony. If this is the case, certificates will be sent to you by post.