Order of Service for Civil Ceremony
A Civil Marriage Ceremony, because of its non-religious context, gives you great scope to choose music from a wide range of sources. Music plays a vital role in adding solemnity and a touch of intimacy to the public nature of your friends and family witnessing your vows to each other.

Below we lay out the Order of Service for Civil Marriages. There is great freedom within this ceremony to choose music that reflects your own taste and the ambience you want to generate on the day. We give a general list of popular pieces and we can respond to any musical request that you may have to make the occasion uniquely personal for you.

Some short recordings of our music are available >>HERE


Order of service



1. Processional/Prelude Music
There are two options for the beginning of this ceremony – you can have processional music to accompany the entrance of the bride or both bride and groom can be seated prior to the beginning of the ceremony and some music is played as a prelude to the introduction by the Registrar.

2. Introduction by the Registrar

3. Music or a selected reading
Many opt for a reading at this point prior to their first Declaration of Vows but a calming piece of music also works very well here.

4. First Declaration

5. Music or a selected reading
Again it is up to your personal preferences to choose either music or a reading/poem which means something to you.

6. Second Declaration

7. Exchange of Rings
We have found that a piece of music, either vocal or instrumental, that highlights unity – your new union – can be very effective at this moment.

8. Music or a selected reading

9. Signing of the Marriage Registration Form
Some background music is appropriate at this time.

10. Concluding Declaration

11. Concluding Music
This can strike a fanfare/celebratory note sending you on into the rest of the day’s festivities and marking the end of the civil formalities.


Music suggestions


Vocal options
The Rose
Fields of Gold
To make you feel my love
The Voyage
Pokarekare Ana
When love is found
Perhaps Love
She moved through the fair
Edelweiss
Songbird
Nella Fantasia
You raise me up
One hand one heart
First time ever I saw your face
Belle Nuit (duet), Offenbach
Flower Duet, Delibes

Instrumental options
Canon in D
Trumpet Voluntary, J Clarke
Air on the G String
Te Deum Prelude
Morning, Grieg
Meditation, Thais
Cinema Paradiso
Tabhair dom do Lamh
The Coolin
Song for Guy, Elton John
Imagine, J Lennon
Your Song, Elton John
Nothing compares 2 U, Prince