The Wedding Vows
The wedding vows are the central and most important part of the wedding ceremony from a personal, relational and legal perspective. It is the same area of importance as an oath.
Wedding vows include statements of promise and intentionality. Vows are not conditional, therefore statements such as, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, are promises that have intentionality and specificity built into them.
By the vows that you speak, you are creating a family, a belonging, and a place in life that is greater than yourself.
I remember when my wife and I wrote our own vows, which was the thing to do 50 years ago. Our officiant insisted on reviewing what we were planning to say in place of the traditional wording. He wanted to be sure we included words that had all of the components of a life long unconditional commitment. So we were careful to include words that described what we each intended to commit ourselves to in order to build a life long relationship built on, yes love, but also determination, and the strength of holding to the promises that we were making.
One of the examples of wedding vows below are the vows that my wife and I spoke to each other fifty years ago. I guess it worked!
When you take a vow, you hold yourself accountable. You do not place blame, fault, or responsibility on someone else. Vows include promises and statements that give assurance that you will do something, that the other person can depend on it, and on YOU.
Vows are sacred, as they say something about your personal sense of integrity, worth and trust. They are the expression of your whole being that includes your mind, body and spirit. The vows express that this commitment gives you new meaning in life.
It is still common to write your own wedding vows. If you chose to write your own vows keep in mind the elements of what is intended for this foundational and most important part of the wedding ceremony.
5 Things to include when writing your own wedding vows
1. Reference your own name as well as the name of the person to whom you are making a commitment.
2. Mention of the seriousness, sacredness, solemnity and importance of what is taking place. It gives credibility to what you are about to say.
3. Make specific promises, commitments, and assurances that are unconditional.
4. Include statements that indicate you are taking personal responsibility and accountability for shaping the future relationship.
5. Use words and expressions of assurance, integrity and trust.
Examples of wedding vows
The following are a few examples of wedding vows. You will want to make edits in order that the vows express who you are, your promises and your commitments.
Wedding vows example 1
(The groom will repeat after the minister)
I, (Groom), take you, (Bride) to be my wife,
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness or in health, in sorrow or in joy,
to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live.
(The Bride will repeat after the minister)
I, (Bride), take you, (Groom) to be my husband,
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness or in health, in sorrow or in joy,
to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live.
Wedding vows example 2
(To be repeated after the minister)
I, (Groom), take you (Bride), to be my wedded wife,
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness or in health.
I promise to be with you in all that is to come,
to love and to respect, to care and to console.
I promise to be faithful to you and honest with you.
I will share my thoughts and my life with you.
I pledge myself and all I have, and all I am to you in love.
I, (Bride), take you, (Groom) to be my wedded husband,
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness or in health.
I promise to be with you in all that is to come,
to love and to respect, to care and to console.
I promise to be faithful to you and honest with you.
I will share my thoughts and my life with you.
I pledge myself and all I have, and all I am to you in love.
Wedding vows example 3
(The Groom will repeat after the minister)
I, (Groom), bring to you, (Bride),
my love, my life, and all that I possess.
I commit myself to you, from this day forward.
You can know with assurance,
that, whatever comes our way, be it blessing or crises,
sickness or health, riches or poverty, joy or sorrow,
I am yours forever.
You will be my wife from this day forward.
Though death will one day separate us,
I am, and will always be, your loving husband.
(The Bride will repeat after the minister)
I, (Bride), bring to you, (Groom),
my love, my life, and all that I possess.
I commit myself to you, from this day forward.
You can know with assurance,
that, whatever comes our way, be it blessing or crises,
sickness or health, riches or poverty, joy or sorrow,
I am yours forever.
You will be my husband from this day forward.
Though death will one day separate us,
I am, and will always be, your loving wife.
Wedding vows example 4
(The Groom will repeat after the minister)
(Bride), you have accepted my invitation to be my wife.
In return, I give to you my life and my love.
I will be with you in good times,
and I will be with you in bad times.
I will be with you in wealth,
and I will be with you in poverty.
I will be with you in health,
and I will care for you in sickness.
Together we will meet all that comes our way.
When we must part in death, you will have with you always,
the sum of my love made greater by our union today.
(The Bride will repeat after the minister)
(Groom), you have accepted my love and asked to be my husband.
In return, I give to you my life and my love.
I will be with you in good times,
and I will be with you in bad times.
I will be with you in wealth,
and I will be with you in poverty.
I will be with you in health,
and I will care for you in sickness.
Together we will meet all that comes our way.
When we must part in death, you will have with you always,
the sum of my love made greater by our union today.
Wedding vows example 5
(The Groom will repeat after the minister)
I, (Groom), take you, (Bride),
as my lawfully wedded wife, and the mother of my children.
I will be with you, (Bride), from this day forward,
through good times and bad,
through joy and through sorrow, in health and in sickness,
in riches and in times of want.
I will be with you in your strength and in your need.
I will be there to talk with you, to share with you, and to dream with you.
We will lean upon each other. I will not leave you.
Together we will meet life’s challenges and grow strong.
(The Bride will repeat after the minister)
I, (Bride), Take you, (Groom),
as my lawfully wedded husband, and father of my children.
I will be with you, (Groom), from this day forward,
through good times and bad,
through joy and through sorrow, in health and in sickness,
in riches and in times of want.
I will be with you in your strength and in your need.
I will be there to talk with you, to share with you, and to dream with you.
We will lean upon each other. I will not leave you.
Together we will meet life’s challenges and grow strong.
Wedding vows example 6
(The Groom will recite by memory)
I, (Groom), in quietness of words spoken
through the voice of my heart, do take you, (Bride),
not only for this day,
but for the time in space God has purposed us on earth.
From this day forward,
may our love continue to grow in accordance with God’s love,
until death sets us apart.
(The Bride will recite by memory)
I, (Bride), in quietness of words spoken
through the voice of my heart, do take you (Groom),
not only for this day,
but for the time in space God has purposed us on earth.
From this day forward,
may our love continue to grow in accordance with God’s love,
until death sets us apart.
Wedding vows example 7
(The Groom will recite from memory)
In the quietness of this sacred hour,
I, (Groom), do take thee, (Bride), to be my lawfully wedded wife.
I take thee to have and to hold.
I take thee not just for today, but from this day unto eternity,
knowing that my love shall forever grow.
Though our ship may be tempest tossed,
we will conquer the storms hand in hand,
and when passing through golden valleys,
may we walk in the joy of the Lord.
I give thee my life and my love, all that is mine to give.
I will love thee, and cherish thee until death sets us apart.
In taking thy hand in mine, and placing both in God’s,
nothing else now matters, unless it is ours to share.
(The Bride will recite from memory)
In the quietness of this sacred hour,
I, (Bride), do take thee, (Groom), to be my lawfully wedded husband.
I take thee to have and to hold.
I take thee not just for today, but from this day unto eternity,
knowing that my love shall forever grow.
Though our ship may be tempest tossed,
we will conquer the storms hand in hand,
and when passing through golden valleys,
may we walk in the joy of the Lord.
I give thee my life and my love, all that is mine to give.
I will love thee, and cherish thee until death sets us apart.
In taking thy hand in mine and placing both in God’s,
nothing else now matters unless it is ours to share.
Wedding vows example 8
I, (Groom), now take you, (Bride),
as my wife, and mother of my children.
From this day forward, I will be with you,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy,
to love, to cherish, and to treat with respect,
till death separates us.
I, (Bride), now take you, (Groom),
as my husband and father of my children.
From this day forward, I will be with you,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy,
to love, to cherish, and to treat with respect,
till death separates us.
I'm Getting Married: Now what do I do?
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