Regulation 2 Amendment of the Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986

In the Registration of Marriages Regulations 1986^f1, in form 12 in Schedule 1 (instructions for the solemnization of a marriage in a registered building without the presence of a registrar), after paragraph 5 there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“5A

If the marriage is solemnized on or after 1st February 1997^f2, as an alternative to the declaration set out in paragraph 5, the persons contracting the marriage may make the declaration—

(a)

by saying “I declare that I know of no legal reason why I [name] may not be joined in marriage to [name]”; or

(b)

by replying “I am” to the question put to them successively “Are you [name] free lawfully to marry [name] ?”

and as an alternative to the words of contract set out in paragraph 5, the persons to be married may say to each other “I [name] take you [or thee] [name] to be my wedded wife [or husband]”.”.