Depending where your ceremony is taking place(please see the "ceremony wording" page for full details)it may be possible for you to have one or two readings by family or friends as part of your ceremony 

You do need to remember that what you are planning is a civil ceremony and that we are therefore advised by the Registrar General that under no circumstances can any part of the ceremony have any religious connotation. Examples of tracts that are not appropriate are extracts from the Bible, the Koran, the Torah, the Prophet (by Gilbran), and Howard's End. Moreover the Registrar General considers that the omission or selective reference from any piece would not alter it's religious character.

Having said all that this still leaves you millions of readings to choose from. Perhaps you might have some Shakespeare or some Wordsworth, maybe you prefer something from Winnie the Pooh by A A Milne or a poem by Pam Ayres?! You will be asked to supply a copy of the text, the title and the author for approval. You will also need to state the name of the person doing the reading for you. A booklet containing suitable readings is available to purchase from all Cambridgeshire Registration Offices.

Depending where your ceremony is taking place (please see the "ceremony wording" page for full details) it may also be possible for you to add personalised vows to your ceremony, the same general criteria as for readings apply (above). These are normally best included with the wording used for the exchange of rings. You will be asked to supply a copy of the wording you would like for approval. You will also need to decide if you will learn the words, recite them off a card you write out or would prefer to be prompted by the Registration Officer conducting your ceremony