WritingYourOwnWeddingVows........Helpful Hints

All wedding vows are promises and you should not underestimate the power of the moment that you commit your future to another person.

Whether you are having a religious or civil ceremony, you should read in advance the vows you will be reciting, to ensure you are fully comfortable with them.

Civil and humanist ceremonies allow more room for personalisation of what you say, but even with a religious ceremony there is scope for minor changes.

To bring a more personal flavour to your wedding vows, start by asking yourselves a few key questions… 

• Why are you getting married?
• What does marriage mean to each of you?
• What do you love about your partner?
• What qualities do you most admire about him/her?
• What are your similarities, your differences?
• How do you complement each other?
• What do you want to achieve in the future?
• What do you want to say in front of your family & friends about your relationship and future together?
• Are there any appropriate words (i.e. from a song or a poem) that says something special about your relationship, that could be included?

Popular words used are….

adventure, aspirations, beginning, blessed, bond, challenges, comfort, committed, complement, complete, devoted, enduring, faithful, forever, friendship, future, goals, growth, happiness, honest, hope, inspiration, journey, joy, learning, loyalty, nurture, partner, promise, share, soul mate, strength, togetherness, true, trust, understanding, unity, understanding, unity, values, wishes.

Vows can be worked on separately or together, whatever suits you best. You could recite exactly the same vows to one another, or say something individual.

Remember, as with any readings you select, you must check with the celebrant that they are happy with your vows, before the big day.

Good Luck with your vow writing!