{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-overseas-marriage-armed-forces-order-2014/article-9",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-overseas-marriage-armed-forces-order-2014/article-9.json",
  "legislation": "ukdsi/2014/9780111108802",
  "legislation_title": "The Overseas Marriage (Armed Forces) Order 2014",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-overseas-marriage-armed-forces-order-2014",
  "path": "article/9",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "9",
  "heading": "Solemnization of marriage",
  "text": "(1) Every marriage under this Order must be solemnized in the presence of two or more witnesses none of whom may be the authorised person in whose presence the marriage is solemnized.\n(2) Where it would otherwise not be stated or indicated in the course of the ceremony that neither of the parties to the marriage knows of any lawful impediment to their marriage, then, in some part of the ceremony and in the presence of the authorised person and witnesses, each of the parties is to declare—\n“I solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I A.B (or C.D.) may not be joined in matrimony to C.D. (or A.B.)”.\n(3) As an alternative to the declaration set out in paragraph (2) the persons contracting the marriage may make the requisite declaration either—\n(a) by saying “I declare that I know of no legal reason why I (name) may not be joined in marriage to (name)”; or\n(b) by replying “I am” to the question put to them successively “Are you (name) free lawfully to marry (name)”.\n(4) Where it would otherwise not be stated by each of the parties in the course of the ceremony that they take the other as husband or wife then, in some part of the ceremony and in the presence of the authorised person and witnesses, each of the parties is to say to the other—\n“I call upon these persons here present to witness that I A.B. (C.D) take you (or thee) C.D. (or A.B.) to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband)”.\n(5) As an alternative to the words of the contract set out in paragraph (4) the persons to be married may say to each other—\n“I (name) take you (or thee) (name) to be my wedded wife (or husband)”.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2014/9780111108802/article/9",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-30T15:14:05.264036+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}