Vow Writing Guide

Writing your own wedding vows? It's a tremendous undertaking, summing up your love, dreams, and promises to your partner in a few short minutes. Overwhelming as it can be, it's well worth it: It's a chance to tell your story, give guests a peek into what makes your relationship tick, and share meaningful words with the person you love.

It's also intimate. After all, you're really baring your heart to the love of your life, and you're doing so in front of your family and closest friends. But you don’t need to worry, I’m here to help you.

From examples and advice to sources of inspiration, I’ll give you everything you need to know to write your own wedding vows.

A vow exchange should be an even one. Instead of thinking about it as a writing competition, get on the same page about your expectations and come to an agreement about the following;

Will you share inside jokes, or would you rather keep things more generic?

Will they lean more humorous or sentimental? Or be a mixture of both?

Do you want to incorporate elements of traditional or religious vows into your own?

FAQ

How long should my wedding vows be?

The ideal length for wedding vows is between one and two minutes. Practice reading the vows aloud (we read at a different pace in our heads) to ensure you're within that timeframe.

Do we need to recite our vows during the ceremony?

For an official Wedding ceremony you will need to publicly announce a short set of legal vows (which your celebrant will provide you with) before the ‘I Do’s’. If you wish to save your personal vows for a more intimate setting, you can choose to recite the legal vows during the ceremony and share your personal vows in private. Some couples also choose to whisper their vows to each other during the ceremony, instead of announcing them to their guests.