How much say do we have in the ceremony content?

The short answer is “You can have exactly what you want!”

There is a legal question that a Marriage Officer is required to ask you but he or she can work that into any ceremony that is performed. I guess it is worth knowing that the ceremony and the legal bit are actually separate things but most often are done together. So as long as the legal bit (the question to both of the couple) is taken care of the rest can be whatever you want. 

While that is fantastic, because choice always is, it can be daunting to try and write or put together a ceremony from scratch. This is where the experience of the Marriage Officer is very helpful. I always offer two ceremony scripts which gives some contrast and a place to start. I can further suggestions as required but from there a couple are free to edit, change, re-write or conceptualise from scratch. 

Again, having said all of this, all marriage officer’s are different and there a certainly some who resist the desire to make ceremonies personal or change what they are used to doing. Establish early on with your marriage officer what his or her approach will be.