A Dutch court has just delivered a heartbreaking ruling for a couple married in April 2025: their union isn’t legally valid. The reason? Their wedding vows, drafted with the help of ChatGPT, skipped over the mandatory legal jargon required by the state.
The ceremony took place in Zwolle, a picturesque city in the northern Netherlands
Seeking a personal and informal atmosphere, the couple asked a close friend to officiate as a “registrar for a day.” To help craft a meaningful service, the friend turned to ChatGPT to draft the wedding vows and the ceremony speech.
However, a Zwolle court ruled this week that the AI-generated script focused far too much on romance and not enough on the law. According to the judgment, Dutch marriage ceremonies must include a very specific declaration where the couple explicitly accepts the legal rights and duties of marriage under Article 1:67 of the Dutch Civil Code.
The vows used during the ceremony completely missed that mark. Instead of a legal commitment, the groom promised “to stand by [his partner] today, tomorrow, and forever” and to “laugh and grow together.” The officiant even wrapped up the ceremony by declaring the two “not only husband and wife, but above all a team, a crazy couple.” While romantic, the court found these words simply had no legal standing.
This case underscores a growing problem as AI becomes more common in our formal lives. While tools like ChatGPT are perfect for creative writing or speeches, they aren’t programmed to understand the rigid, statutory requirements of the law. The ruling clarifies that poetic intent – no matter how sincere – cannot replace legal formalities.
The couple was shocked by the decision
They argued they never meant to break the rules and pointed out that a professional civil servant was present during the ceremony but never flagged the missing wording. They pleaded with the court to recognize their original date, explaining that changing it would be emotionally painful.
The court wasn’t moved. The judgment noted that while the judge understood how much the original date meant to the couple, the law is the law. “The court understands how important the marriage date listed on the certificate is to the man and the woman,” the ruling stated, “but it cannot ignore the law.”
The couple has since had to hold a new, purely functional ceremony at the town hall to make their marriage official in the eyes of the government. Their original certificate has been wiped from the records. It’s a tough lesson: AI might be a great wedding planner, but it’s a terrible lawyer. When your legal status is on the line, it’s always worth checking the fine print yourself.
