Wedding vows are a crucial part of a wedding ceremony, the part where the couple tell their love story and make promises to each other that would last a lifetime. These days, lots of couples are ditching traditional wedding vows to write vows of their own. These modern wedding vows, though sweet, can be difficult to compose.
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Writing does not come naturally to everyone, and this is why some couples might need some help or inspiration to write their vows. Whether short and simple wedding vows, funny wedding vows or even easy wedding vows; it might not be as easy to express yourself with the right words. This is why we have below a few tips for just the right inspiration to help when writing your very own.
Brides Often Ask
How do you start a modern wedding vow?
How you start your vows is really up to you, but for some guidance, you start with talking about your partner and what they mean to you. After this you can move on to the solemn promise you are making to them.
What should you not say in your vows?
Wedding vows are serious promises to your significant other, so there are certain types of words or expressions that have no place in your vows. This includes and is not limited to mentions of exes, gross words, mockery, talks about sex or even about your divorce.
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What Are Wedding Vows?
Wedding vows are solemn promises of commitment a person reads or repeats to their partner, to love, cherish, care for and respect the other for as long as they live. Unlike traditional wedding vows, modern wedding vows are not generic. Each is a unique promise written from the heart and personalized to the receiver of the vows. With wedding vows, you seal and establish your union and partnership in love.
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Modern Wedding Vows Template
You can use this basic template as a guide to writing your wedding vows. This can apply to modern wedding vows non-religious, or religious. Customize it to fit your partner and wishes for your union.
- Talk about your partner. You can list their qualities or even share snippets of the first time you met as a good opening.
- List the reasons why you love them. At this point you can mention how they inspire you, how your life has changed since being together, and why you know that you are making the best choice committing to them forever.
- Make the promise. The crux of the matter; at this point you should read your vow. The promises to love, respect, care for and cherish, but in your own words, of course.
- Use a favorite quote if possible. It can also be a holy verse if you are religious. Either way, a quote that s special to the both of you can convey feelings you have no words to express.
- Declare your love for them. “I love you” means much more on a day like this. So, ending your vows by telling your partner you love them is the best way to go. Nothing else can come close.
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Modern Wedding Vows Tips
Even better than modern wedding vows examples to inspire you, here are tips for writing wedding vows, that can help keep you on track.
- Schedule time to write. While wedding planning might take up most of your time and space, it is important to make time for your vows. Find a quiet time in the morning or evening when you are alone to put your thoughts on paper.
- Read and edit. When you have enough, you can take the rough cuts of your thoughts and feelings written down. Read them and edit them to the point that they begin to make sense, expressing your sentiments to the letter.
- Consider the length. While you don’t want your vows to be short, you don’t want them to be long either. Consider that you’ll be speaking in front of an audience who can get bored, your partner included.
- Be genuine. Speak from the heart. Find the words that express exactly how your feel. After writing them, read them out. Take them for a test drive and see how they sound, if they capture everything that you intend.
- Keep it to yourself. Don’t make your vows public until the wedding day when you are standing in front of your partner. The words would be even more special being for them, and only them.
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3 Questions To Ask Yourself
There’s a lot to consider when writing and reading modern wedding vows, especially if you’re not a trained orator. Some of these questions can help you figure things out.
How do you feel when speaking in front of others?
If you are comfortable speaking in front of others, then you are home free. However, if you are not, then take the time to practice. Practice reading out loud, and practice focusing on your partner and drowning out the crowd. If this doesn’t suffice, you can always recruit the help of the officiant. They can read out the vows to you as questions while you respond in the affirmative.
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Are you ready to add some personal moments to your vow?
If you would like to add personal moments to your vows, how much are you willing to share? You’d need to think about this when writing the words. If you are uncomfortable sharing your personal business with others, you can leave such details out of your vows.
What message should be in your vow?
You can tell personal stories about your journey or focus only on talking about what you mean to each other. You can also just focus on the promises you’ll make. Deciding this will help you understand the type of vows you’ll be writing and the sentiment they will have.
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Non-Traditional Wedding Vows Examples
With modern wedding vows, you do not have the officiant holding your hands and saying the words for you to repeat. This is why it is important that you write what you feel from the heart. Authentic words and promises that you mean to live up to forever. The following modern wedding vows samples could give you some inspiration.
Simple Wedding Vows
When you choose to write your own wedding vows, one option you could take is to write short sweet wedding vows. One way to keep things simple is to keep them short. A quick and straightforward way to declare your love for your partner and make your lifelong promises at the same time. This would be great for a wedding on a short timeline, and also great for that soon to be bride or groom who does not like to beat around the bush.
Another advantage of simple wedding vows is that they are easy to remember. Just state what your partner means to you, tell your love story and make your promises as simple as possible. You can make it romantic or funny, or even both, and enjoy every advantage that the beauty in simplicity brings. There is no worry of nerves or forgetting even one line when you choose the simple vow.
_____, I take you to be my husband/wife from this time onward, to join with you and to share all that is to come, to be your faithful husband/wife, to give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond; a commitment made in love, kept in faith, and eternally made new.
I promise to be there when you need me, to fill your days with sunshine, to comfort you and encourage you, to help you reach your goals, to be your best friend ever and to love you all my life with all my heart.
I, _____, take you, ______, to be my wedded husband/wife. With deepest joy I receive you into my life that together we may be one. I promise you my love, my fullest devotion, my tenderest care. I pledge to you my life as a loving and faithful husband/wife.
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Short Wedding Vows
Some might think wedding vows would need to be long to be great. Others might disagree, however. There are special wedding vows that are short at the same time. Just like the simple wedding vows, short wedding vows have the advantage of going straight to the point. They are also much easier to remember. And so, with short vows, you do not run the risk of taking along a piece of paper or stumbling over your words. You can look into your partner’s eyes while speaking, and make every single word count.
Contrary to what many might believe, this integral part of your marriage ceremony does not have to be long to convey as much meaning as it should. Whether you choose to read non-religious vows, religious vows or romantic ones, they would mean just as much to your partner if the vows are short but well thought out and heartfelt.
On this day, month, day, year, I, _____, join myself to you _____, before this company. May our days be long, and may they be seasoned with love, understanding and respect.
I join my life with yours. Wherever you go, I will go; whatever you face, I will face. For good or ill, in happiness or sadness, come riches or poverty, I take you as my husband/wife, and will give myself to no other.
I give you all of my love from this day forward and assure you that you will never walk alone.
You love is my anchor and your trust is my strength.
I wish for my heart to be your shelter and the comfort of my arms to be your home.
This ring has no beginning or end and neither does my love for you.
Today I give you all that I am and all that I shall become.
Unique And Modern Wedding Vows
While it is easier to go with tradition and recite the traditional vows after the officiant, more and more couples are choosing to make their vows uniquely theirs. This involves writing wedding vows on your own. These unique vows enable couples to tell their story their own way; and personalize their promises, putting a unique spin on tradition. Writing your own vows is a way of placing your own stamp on your ceremony.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with tradition and sticking to the popularly known script. However, a couple should be able to create the type of wedding that they want, and this includes their vows. From funny vows with inside jokes to romantic, tear-inducing vows, to even practical vows that layout promises. Lots of couples are setting their own guidelines in their marriages and writing their own unique, sometimes unexpected, and very modern wedding vows.
I love you, I knew it the minute I met you. I’m sorry it took so long for me to catch up, I just got stuck.
I love you. Very simple. Very truly. You are the epitome of everything I have ever looked for in another human being. There isn’t another soul on this planet who has ever made me half the person I am when I’m with you. I am forever changed because of who you are and what you’ve meant to me.
I, _____, choose you _____, as my husband/wife, in friendship and in love, in strength and weakness, to share the good times and misfortune, in achievement and failure. And I will cherish and respect you through all the changes of our lives, forever giving thanks that we found each other.
Contemporary Wedding Vows
A marriage is a brand-new journey, a new aspect of life. For this reason, some couples choose to make everything new, including their marriage vows. Choosing not to go with the traditional wedding vows, but to write theirs instead. Most modern wedding vows choose this route, and sometimes it can be a challenge finding the right words.
The couple choosing to write contemporary wedding vows might want something funny or something based on their wedding theme. They might even want practical wedding vows, or something with quotes from their favorite movie, writer or songs. Either way, this is usually a couple looking for something unique and fresh. Something that is based on their personalities. Their special way of seeing the world and each other. These could be long and complex wedding vows or even short simple wedding vows. What matters the most is that it means something to the two in question and their lifelong journey together.
As I become your (husband/wife) today, I acknowledge how lucky I have been to find such a beautiful, caring and loving person to share my life with.
I will be honest, devoted and faithful to you.
And take care of you in sickness and in health.
As I look back on the countless memories we have made together, I look forward to many more exciting years to come.
Today, I take my place as your husband/wife. May our days be long, and may they be seasoned with faith, love, understanding, and respect, forever and ever. Today is the beginning of the rest of our lives. I choose to spend today, and all of my tomorrows, with you.
My beloved_____, emptying my heart of all others, I fill it now with you, to love you until the end of my days as my most treasured spouse. I promise that I will love you, hold you, and enjoy you, console you, delight you, astound you when I can, and cherish you dearly.
The potential of a marriage can be viewed through the miniature lens of the couple’s wedding vows. This integral part of every wedding can either be carried out using traditional wedding vows, or fresh vows; written and created by the couple themselves. These modern wedding vows are taking up space in many wedding ceremonies these days, and it is easy to see why.
Whether your wedding vows are modern, traditional or completely outside the box, what matters is that they are authentic. Instead of words inspired by others, dig deep to find the words that best express your love for your partner and your commitment in this moment in time, to last forever.
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