Almost one-third (32%) of UK newlyweds said they’d used AI tools to help write their vows, according to an Index Digital survey. Personally, I have to confess that stat gives me a bit of an ick. But my emotions aside, a Dutch court has raised another question about AI-assisted vows: what do they do to the contract of marriage, legally speaking? Recently, the district court of Overijssel in the east of the Netherlands ruled that  “no marriage has been established” after a couple’s registrar used ChatGPT to help him write vows. These failed to meet the legal terms required by Dutch law, the court found (the couple insist that their registrar only used AI to check the legality of their speech, not to write it). That meant their marriage was deemed invalid, though they have since legally remarried. “The intent and legal meaning of those words matter” Kirsty Cameron, marketing manager from Scriveiner , said this ruling should give couples pause for thought. It “highlights a very real cultural tension we’re seeing right now,” she said. “It shows that using generative tools to craft something as important as ‘I do’ carries real consequences beyond just wording, because the intent and legal meaning of those words matter, generating the question: if AI writes your vows, who actually owns them?” Various AI companies are currently facing copyright lawsuits as some companies argue that the data AI models are trained on includes copyrighted material taken without permission. And legal firms have cautioned that, although large language models can create very professional-sounding legal documents, they carry a lot of risk as they can lack contextual judgement, risk inaccuracies and non-compliance, and can offer “surface-level quality” without “legal robustness”. Could AI-generated vows invalidate marriage in the UK? Simarjot Singh Judge, solicitor and founder of Judge Law , told HuffPost UK: “In the UK, a marriage isn’t made legally valid by personalised vows, whether written by the couple or assisted by AI. “What makes a marriage legally binding is compliance with the Marriage Act, including both parties giving their free consent and reciting the mandatory statutory wording during the ceremony. “In a civil ceremony, couples must say the prescribed Declaratory Words, confirming there is no lawful impediment to the marriage, and the Contracting Words, which legally bind them as spouses. These words are set in law and cannot be replaced by AI-generated or personalised vows.” But, he added, “as long as those legal declarations are made correctly and both parties understand and consent to the marriage, the use of AI-assisted vows alongside them would not invalidate a UK wedding”. There’s also the emotional element to consider “There’s a growing trend in the UK where couples are turning to AI to help with wedding planning, including speeches and even vows, because it gives them a starting point or structure,” Cameron continued. The Index Digital study found that 37% of couples planning their wedding used AI to create checklists, 32% to draft vows, and another 32% to write RSVP and thank you notes. “But AI can’t capture your lived experiences, personal memories or the unique way you express love. It can suggest phrases, but it can’t be you,” said Cameron. “Those words are shared not only with your partner but with your community, your family and sometimes even legally required to have meaning. That’s something AI simply isn’t built to hold. “This legal shock in the Netherlands could be a wake-up call: your vows shouldn’t just sound heartfelt, they should be heartfelt, and they need to come from you.” Related... 'I Cancelled On My Friend's Wedding. Is He Taking The P*ss With His Response?' Italian Wedding Soup Has Gone Viral, And It's The Ultimate Comfort Food 'My Friend's Wedding Is Costing Me Thousands. How Do I Tell Her I Can't Afford It?'