Today, couples no longer write their wedding vows in the ink of their hearts. They delegate this writing task, however personal, to their pocket-sized Baudelaire: chatGPT. Whether to combat writer's block, avoid awkward phrasing, or simply out of laziness, they entrust this romantic prose to AI. But it was in a completely different context that AI caused a wedding to fail in the Netherlands.
Writing wedding vows with AI is a common practice.
Students aren't the only ones using AI to write essays and complete homework assignments. Now, engaged couples are turning to this modern magic to write their wedding vows and express their feelings. Far from being swept away by romantic passion or possessing a natural gift for prose, they ask chatGPT, their modern-day servant, to create a tailor-made text, careful not to arouse too much suspicion. And this little bit of sentimental deception is commonplace. According to a survey by Index Digital, nearly a third of British newlyweds admitted to using AI to help write their vows.
Family and friends also simplify the process of making lengthy speeches by sending their requests to these compliant robots. However, AI isn't always reliable. Even if it seems miraculous, it has its limitations. Beyond giving the impression of a sloppy job, lacking personality and commitment, it doesn't always take legal requirements into account. Because while marriage is a pact of eternal love , it is first and foremost a legal status, and it doesn't take much to undermine its compliance.
In April 2025 in Zwolle, in the north of the Netherlands, a couple married in front of a relative, who officiated the ceremony as mayors usually do. They said "I do" looking into each other's eyes, but the law said no.
A wedding cancelled because of chatGPT, a first
The reason for the annulment? A legally baseless argument. Certainly, these vows rival the poetry of yesteryear and sound sweet to the ear, but they ring hollow in the eyes of the law. In other words, they have no value and represent…nothing. And the touching metaphors failed to soften the hearts of the court, uncompromising in its adherence to the rules.
“Do you promise to be by [woman’s name]’s side today, tomorrow, and forever?” the man was asked first. “To laugh together, to grow together, and to love each other no matter what?” “To continue to support each other, to tease each other, to hold on to each other, even in difficult times?” the woman was then asked. Then, palm to palm, the couple said in unison, “Not just husband and wife, but first and foremost a team, a crazy couple, each other’s love and each other’s home!”
An emotional speech that flirted with being irrelevant under Dutch law. "The aforementioned speech demonstrates that the man and woman did not make the declaration required by Article 1:67, paragraph 1, of the Dutch Civil Code," the court concluded. This article stipulates that the future spouses declare that they will fulfill all legal obligations related to marriage. The final verdict? The court did not favor the couple, who were thus unable to finalize their application and become married. "Consequently, the marriage between the man and woman was not formalized. This means that the marriage certificate was wrongly registered with the civil registry," the judgment reads. In short, in this "pre-prepared" speech, chatGPT omitted the most important element and simply glossed over everything.
Will AI-generated wishes soon be subject to broader sanctions?
While AI can be quite useful for wedding planning, suggesting decoration ideas, offering entertainment tips, and creating a personalized playlist, it's best used in moderation. This case, which has crossed borders, serves as a cautionary tale, even a wake-up call. Even though marriage is a personal event, a highlight of one's life, it still has its limits. There are boundaries. The two partners, now required to revise their plans and redo the ceremony, know what to expect. And, by extension, couples around the world do too.
“During a civil ceremony, couples must recite the prescribed declaratory words, confirming that there is no legal impediment to marriage, and the contractual words, which legally bind them as spouses. These words are enshrined in law and cannot be replaced by AI-generated or personalized vows,” explains lawyer Simarjot Singh Judge in HuffPost UK . A word to the wise.
AI excels in many areas, but wedding vows require human review and an emotional signature. Otherwise, the happiest day of a lifetime can quickly turn into a nightmare.
