Writing the Perfect Wedding Vows
- Keep it personal
- Be honest
- Be clear
- Keep it short and simple
- Vow to honor and respect your partner for as long as you both shall live
- Add personal touches
- Practice beforehand
- Bottom line
They’re Important
Wedding vows are an important part of any wedding ceremony. They are a chance for the bride and groom to publicly declare their love and commitment to each other, as well as tell their love story in front of their friends and family. But the question is, “How to write your own wedding vows.” While many couples choose to use traditional wedding vows, which are usually written by someone else or are taken from religious texts, others decide to write their vows. Personal wedding vows should reflect the couple’s relationship and feelings for each other. They should be original – copied vows from elsewhere will likely seem insincere.
Two Worlds Coming Together
To a certain degree, a wedding ceremony plays out like an extended metaphor for what marriage is all about: two hearts coming together to create something stronger than either heart could create alone. So when writing your vows, consider this. What metaphor can be used to show how much each partner loves the other and wants to stay with them forever? Once that has been established, personalize it by talking about how that metaphor represents your love for your partner and what your life will be like as a married couple. And always remember to thank them for loving you back.
Don’t Have to Be Traditional
Wedding vows don’t have to be super formal or traditional – they can be whatever feels the most authentic to you. When writing your wedding vows, there is no one right way to do it. You can go the traditional route and recite well-known vows that have been used for centuries, or you can write something completely original that is specific to your relationship. After all, your wedding vows are a reflection of the love you have for your partner and should be memorable for all the right reasons.
Don’t Be Afraid to Get Creative
So don’t be afraid to get creative when drafting your vows – they should reflect who you are as a couple, not who everyone else expects you to be. If you’re stuck on ideas, try thinking about what marriage means to you. It’s coming together to create something stronger than either heart could create alone. So, when writing your vows, consider this and explain how much each partner loves the other and wants to stay with them forever. And don’t forget to personalize it by talking about specific moments or symbols from your relationship.
Wedding Vows Should Be Heartfelt and Memorable
Choosing wedding vows that are both heartfelt and memorable shouldn’t be difficult if you keep in mind what the occasion is about: love. So spend some time thinking about what that word means to you as well as your partner. By emphasizing love being a choice, it shows how much value is placed on YOU instead of vice versa.
Sell Why You’ll Love Them Forever
Writing wedding vows should be an enjoyable experience that reflects the love between two people. So feel free to get creative, as there is no one right way to do it. This being said, try focusing on why each person chose this relationship in the first place and how they choose to stay with each other forever. Write about specific moments or symbols from your relationship that have meaning to you both. Once you have a strong foundation, it’ll be easy to talk about why you love your partner and want to stay with them forever. And don’t forget to remind your partner in the vows how much they mean to you and why you’re choosing to join your lives together.
Honor Key Moments
Another way of making your vow more personal is by remembering and honoring key moments or symbols from your relationship, like where you went on your first date or when your partner brought you flowers for no reason. Don’t forget that a heartfelt thank-you never hurts, either. As long as love is at the core of your vows, rest assured that it will come alive on your big day.
Writing Them Down
When writing wedding vows, there are a few things to keep in mind. They should be original – copied vows from elsewhere will likely seem insincere. Here are some tips on how to write wedding vows that are meaningful and memorable.
- Keep it personal
Your wedding vows should be about you and your partner, not about anyone else. Avoid using clichés or quotes from other people. Instead, write about what makes your relationship unique and special. Start by brainstorming what you want to say. Jot down all of the thoughts and sentiments that come to mind about your partner and your relationship. This can be anything from why you fell in love with them to what you love most about them. Once you have a good list of ideas, start sorting them into categories. You might want to separate ideas into “ways I want to show my love,” “spiritual beliefs,” and “values we share.” - Be honest
Don’t try to sugarcoat things or say things you don’t mean just because you think they’ll make your partner happy. Make sure the vows are honest with who you are. Put the vows logically so they read well when spoken aloud. Try writing them sentence by sentence, adding transitional words such as “I promise,” “I will,” and “With this ring… “. It can be helpful to try speaking them out loud to yourself or with friends or family members. - Be clear
You want your partner to be able to clearly understand what you’re committing yourself to when he or she hears the wedding vows. Avoid big, fancy words that might be difficult for someone else to understand. - Keep it short and simple
It’s better to have a few vows that everyone can remember than dozens of vows that will go over the heads of most people in attendance at your ceremony. Aim for keeping each vow under ten lines long if possible. There’s no reason why you should have more than 10 sentences per vow anyway. Write shorter sentences with strong verbs rather than longer sentences with weak verbs, so they’re easier to remember. There is no set length requirement (some couples write very short vows, and others write longer ones), but try to keep them around 4-8 minutes long. - Vow to honor and respect your partner for as long as you both shall live
The most traditional vow is “to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish ’till death do us part.” While this isn’t the only way to write wedding vows that will make a powerful impact on your partner during your ceremony, it’s a solid option. You can say any of these vows at any time before or after the phrase mentioned above – not necessarily immediately following it – if you’d like. If you’re going with nontraditional wording, it’s even more important to make sure everything else about your vows is traditional. - Add personal touches
Make sure your vows are personalized for you and your partner—don’t just copy from another source because it’s easier. Vows should reflect why you’re getting married in the first place. If you’re stuck, consider looking at other people’s vows. But be sure to personalize them, so they sound like your own. If you like, you can add personal touches to your wedding vows that will make them special. For example, you could mention how you met, a special moment from your relationship, or something that means a lot to both of you. This is a great way to show your partner that you’ve put a lot of thought into your vows. - Practice beforehand
It’s a good option to practice your wedding vows out loud before the big day so that you’re comfortable saying them in front of everyone. This will help ensure that you don’t get tongue-tied when it comes time to say them for real. Plus, it never hurts to sound extra confident when you’re up in front of all your friends and family. - Bottom line
Writing your vows might be a daunting task, but it’s also a very memorable one. By following these tips, you can create vows that are unique to you and your partner, and that will express your love and commitment in a truly unforgettable way. When writing your vows, always keep in mind why you’re getting married in the first place: out of love. So make sure to express that love as best you can in whatever way you choose. Good luck and have fun with it.