On your wedding day, exchanging vows is a momentous
occasion. Learn how to write wedding vows that express your true love and
appreciation for your significant other.
What Are Wedding Vows?
Wedding vows are the words exchanged aloud by two people
during their wedding ceremony as a promise of love and commitment. Wedding vows
are intended to provide a meaningful foundation for the newlyweds' life
together.
The couple expresses their love and appreciation for each
other in front of their friends and family by exchanging wedding vows. On their
wedding day, couples typically say their vows near the end of the ceremony
before exchanging wedding rings.
3 Types of Wedding Vows
Wedding vows differ by religion and personal preference.
While some couples choose romantic wedding vows, others choose funny wedding
vows or a cultural exchange. The three main types of wedding vows are listed
below.
1. Personal vows: Couples who opt for personal vows create
their own pledges from scratch. Personal vows are nonreligious vows that
include romantic statements as well as humorous anecdotes about the couple's
life together. Each partner expresses what they appreciate about their partner,
followed by an explanation of how they intend to cherish their partner. Because
they are written by the couple, these vows are sentimental and one-of-a-kind.
2. Religious vows: Traditional nuptial vows differ by
religion. Each religion has its own set of wedding vows for the ceremony.
Couples who choose to marry in a formal religious setting frequently read
prewritten vows provided by the officiant. Religious wedding vows include
formal language and phrases like "in God's name" and "until
death do us part."
3. Mixed vows: Some couples include anecdotes in their
traditional wedding vows. Mixed vows are a way to make religious vows more
personal. The tone of mixed vows varies, with some couples adding inside jokes
for levity and others keeping the solemnity of traditional phrases.
Examples of Wedding Vows
Consider the following wedding vow examples as inspiration:
Catholic vows: "I, __, take you, __, to be my
(husband/wife/spouse). I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in
sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my
life."
Funny vows: œI promise to love and cherish you for the
rest of our lives”even when you™re having a bad hair day! You™re the peanut
butter to my jelly, the ice to the cream, but most of all, you™re my best
friend and soulmate. Today, and every day of the rest of my life, I promise to
protect our love.
Hindu vows: "Let us take the first step to provide
for our household a nourishing and pure diet, avoiding those foods injurious to
healthy living. . . . Let us take the sixth step for self-restraint and
longevity. Finally, let us take the seventh step and be true companions and
remain lifelong partners by this wedlock."
Personal vows: œOur love story started the first time
you asked me out. That day forward I knew you were the one. You make me a
better person, and for that, I promise to love and support you through every
good and hard time for the rest of your life.
Protestant vows: "In the name of God, I, ___, take
you, ___, to be my (husband/wife/spouse), to have and to hold from this day
forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in
health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn
vow."
Quaker vows: "In the presence of God and these,
our friends, I take thee to be my (wife/husband/spouse), promising with divine
assistance to be unto thee a loving and faithful (husband/wife/spouse) so long
as we both shall live."
Romantic vows: œOur love is the most important thing in
my life. Your heart is my home and your arms are my shelter. I promise to
choose you for all the days of our lives.
How to Write Wedding Vows
Writing your own wedding vows allows you to express your
love for each other in front of your family and friends. Consider the following
steps to avoid writer's block and to generate personal vows:
1. Go over some sample wedding vows. For ideas, look into
different wedding vow templates. Reviewing sample wedding vows is a great place
to start when deciding on the structure of your wedding vows. You can also look
up marriage and love quotes to help you come up with ideas and themes.
2. Make a list of the qualities you admire in your partner.
Make a list of everything you like and admire about your partner. Set aside
five to ten minutes to jot down as many details as you can. You can mention
these personality traits and sentiments in your vows later.
3. Outline your love story. Consider your time together
as a couple. Consider how you and your partner have evolved since the first
time you met. Small anecdotes about happy memories are common in romantic
wedding vows. Make another list to brainstorm and outline memorable moments for
you.
4. Decide on your promises. The promises you make
constitute the majority of your vows. Be specific about how you will keep your
promises when outlining them. Depending on your tone and phrasing, you can make
your promises romantic, solemn, or humorous. Consider incorporating religious
or cultural promises into your speech if you want to incorporate traditional
elements into your marriage vows.
5. Write your vows. Begin your vows by expressing your
feelings for your partner. Share an anecdote about your relationship after
you've stated these characteristics. You can also discuss how much you've grown
as a couple. End your wedding vows by making promises to each other and
acknowledging the good and bad times you will face together in the future. You
can write your vows in an official vow book to keep as a wedding keepsake, or
you can simply type them out on a blank sheet of paper to read at the ceremony.
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