A Dutch court has just handed down a heartbreaking ruling for a couple who married in April 2025: their marriage is not legally valid. The reason? Their wedding vows, written using ChatGPT, bypassed the mandatory legal jargon required by the state.
The ceremony took place in Zwolle, a picturesque town in the north of the Netherlands
Looking for a personal and casual atmosphere, the couple asked a close friend to act as “officiant for a day.” To create a meaningful service, the friend turned to ChatGPT to write the wedding vows and ceremony speech.
However, a court in Zwolle ruled this week that the AI-generated script focused far too much on romance and not enough on the law. According to the ruling, Dutch wedding ceremonies must contain a very specific declaration in which the couple expressly accepts the legal rights and obligations of marriage under Article 1:67 of the Dutch Civil Code.
The vows taken during the ceremony completely failed to achieve this goal. Instead of a legal commitment, the groom promised to “stand by (his partner) today, tomorrow and forever” and “laugh and grow together.” The master of ceremonies even ended the ceremony by saying that the two were “not just husband and wife, but above all a team, a crazy couple.” Although these words were romantic, the court found that these words simply had no legal validity.
This case highlights a growing problem as AI becomes more prevalent in our formal lives. While tools like ChatGPT are perfect for creative writing or speaking, they are not programmed to understand the strict legal requirements. The ruling makes it clear that poetic intentions – no matter how sincere they may be – cannot replace legal formalities.
The couple was shocked by the decision
They argued that they never intended to break the rules and pointed out that a professional official was present during the ceremony, but never drew attention to the missing wording. They asked the court to recognize their original date, saying a change would be emotionally painful.
The court was not moved. The ruling noted that while the judge understood how much the original date meant to the couple, the law was the law. “The court understands how important the marriage date listed in the certificate is for the man and the woman,” the ruling says, “but it cannot ignore the law.”
Since then, the couple has had to hold a new, purely functional ceremony at City Hall to make their marriage official in the eyes of the government. Your original certificate has been deleted from records. This is a difficult lesson: AI may be a great wedding planner, but it is a terrible lawyer. When your legal status is at stake, it’s always worth taking a look at the fine print yourself.
