Writing Your Own Vows

Vows are solemn promises that are an essential part of a marriage/civil union or commitment ceremony.

While it may seem daunting to publicly expose your feelings, vows are one of the most special parts of your ceremony. They are a wonderful chance to express yourself to your partner.

You might think of your vows like writing a letter to your loved one, as opposed to crafting a speech.

This is your chance to tell them what they mean to you and to make some commitments for your relationship…not a funny speech to make all your guests laugh. Don’t worry….that will happen completely naturally!

Some Top Tips:

• Start writing early. Don’t leave your vows to the night before the big day. Try taking small notes in the lead up to your wedding and then collate them into sections.

·       If you struggle to write without a prompt, flicking through old photos is a great way to spark memories & evoke emotions.

·       Your vows can be as short or long as you like. The 2 min mark is a great length. Chat to your partner so that you can aim for similar lengths. It helps with the flow of this section and can feel awkward if someone else has written 10min vows and the other 1 min!

·      Practice speaking out loud! You will need to speak more slowly than you can read your vows, so speaking aloud will help you decide your final length.

·       Never memorise your vows!  This will add ridiculous pressure! And unless you’re only saying a line or two, this is completely unrealistic!

·       If you are worried about being emotional, I suggest practicing regularly so that you can de-sensitise yourself. But also….it really doesn’t matter! It will make them all the more meaningful.