This couple used ChatGPT to write their wedding vows, but the court declared the marriage invalid

ChatGPT

• Dutch couple's marriage annulled due to AI-generated vows not being legal
• Court ruled ChatGPT-written vows lacked required formal marital commitment
• Marriage removed from registry; couple may need new ceremony with proper vows

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A wedding day is supposed to be unforgettable. For one Dutch couple, it was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.

According to a report by Reuters, a couple from Zwolle had their marriage annulled after a judge ruled that the ceremony did not meet the basic legal requirements of a wedding. The reason was not cold feet or paperwork trouble, but a vow that leaned a little too heavily on artificial intelligence.

The couple were married on April 19 last year. Instead of a traditional script, the person officiating their ceremony used a speech generated by ChatGPT. The tone was playful and modern, filled with warmth and humour. When asked if they would continue supporting each other, teasing each other and embracing each other even when life gets difficult, the couple happily said “I do”.

The officiant then declared them not just husband and wife, but a team, a crazy couple, and each other’s love and home base. It sounded romantic, contemporary and very much in tune with the times.

There was just one problem. Under Dutch law, that wording does not actually count as a legal marriage vow.

In a ruling published this week, a Dutch court said the couple had not formally sworn to fulfil their marital duties, which is a requirement for a valid marriage. While the couple argued that they had every intention of being married regardless of the exact phrasing, the judge said intention alone was not enough.

“The court understands that the date in the marriage deed is important to the man and woman, but cannot ignore what the law says,” the ruling noted.

As a result, the court ordered that the marriage be removed from the Zwolle city registry. In legal terms, the wedding never happened.

The names of the couple were not disclosed, in line with Dutch privacy rules, but the case has already sparked amused reactions online. It also serves as a gentle reminder that while AI can help write emails, essays and even love letters, it may not yet be the best choice for legally binding life events.

For the couple, the fix is likely simple. A new ceremony, a more traditional script, and perhaps fewer jokes generated by a chatbot. Love may be timeless, but the law, it turns out, still prefers its vows very clearly worded.