Writing Your Wedding Wow Factor: A Guide To Crafting Memorable Vows

Writing your own wedding vows is a daunting task, but it's also a tremendous opportunity to express your love and commitment to your partner in your own words. Here are some tips to help you craft awesome wedding vows that will make your big day even more memorable:

Start with a Plan

Before you begin writing, it's important to have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you want to say it. Discuss with your partner the length, tone, and format of your vows to ensure you're on the same page. Do you want to include humour or keep it serious? Will you be exchanging traditional vows or writing personalised messages? Having a plan will make the writing process smoother and help you stay focused.

Voice Admiration

Use your vows to express your affection and appreciation for your partner. Tell them how much they mean to you and why you want to spend the rest of your life with them. It's your chance to be sappy and gush about your partner in front of your loved ones!

Share Stories and Inside Jokes

Include anecdotes, romantic stories, or funny accounts of your relationship. These personal touches will make your vows more engaging and meaningful for your partner and your guests. Just be mindful of including too many inside jokes that only a few people will understand.

Make Solid Promises

Your vows are more than just words—they are a lifelong commitment to your partner. Voice the commitments you intend to keep throughout your marriage, both in good times and bad. Promise to support, encourage, and love each other unconditionally. These promises will be the foundation of your married life together.

Keep it Concise

While you may have a lot to say, try to keep your vows concise and to the point. Aim for a length of around two to three minutes, or 250-300 words. This will ensure your vows are impactful without being overly long.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Don't wait until the wedding day to say your vows for the first time. Practice reciting them aloud, alone or in front of a trusted friend. This will help you refine your delivery, work on your pacing, and ensure your vows are clear and easy to understand.

Seek Inspiration

If you're feeling stuck, look for inspiration from various sources. Read examples of real wedding vows, watch marriage scenes in movies or TV shows, or turn to poetry, books, or songs for eloquent words about love. You can also draw inspiration from your own experiences and the unique aspects of your relationship.

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to writing wedding vows. Make them personal, heartfelt, and true to who you are as a couple. Happy writing!

How to start writing your vows

Writing your own wedding vows is a beautiful way to express your love and commitment to your partner. Here are some tips to help you get started on crafting heartfelt and meaningful vows:

Start Early

Give yourself ample time to write your vows—don't leave it until the last minute! Starting early will allow you to write, revise, and take breaks in between drafts. It's also a good idea to have a final copy of your vows at least three weeks before the wedding.

Discuss Expectations with Your Partner

Before you begin writing, talk to your partner and make sure you're on the same page. Discuss the length of your vows, the tone, and how personal you want them to be. Decide whether you'll write your vows together or separately, and whether you'll share them with each other before the wedding or keep them a secret until the ceremony.

Brainstorm and Jot Down Your Thoughts

Start by jotting down all your thoughts, feelings, and memories associated with your partner and your relationship. Write about the traits you admire in them, memorable moments you've shared, and the reasons why you love them. You can also make a list of promises you want to make and the kind of future you envision together.

Include Stories and Personal Touches

Consider including romantic, funny, or inspiring stories or anecdotes in your vows. Share how you knew your partner was "the one," recount a humorous first date story, or talk about how you overcame challenging times together. These personal touches will make your vows more engaging and meaningful for your partner and your guests.

Make Solid Promises

Your vows are a lifelong commitment that you're making in front of your loved ones. Voice the commitments you want to uphold throughout your marriage, both during the good times and the bad. Promise to support and be there for your partner, and include specific ways in which you plan to do so.

Keep it Balanced

While it's important to be heartfelt and sincere, avoid making your vows too lengthy or overly sentimental. Keep a balance between expressing your love and making solid promises. Aim for your vows to be around two to three minutes long, or approximately 250-300 words.

Practice and Seek Feedback

Don't wait until the wedding day to say your vows aloud. Practice reciting them in front of a mirror or ask a trusted friend or family member to listen and give you feedback. This will help you refine your vows, improve your delivery, and ensure that your words flow smoothly.

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to writing wedding vows. Make them personal, speak from the heart, and don't be afraid to infuse them with your unique personality and style. Happy writing!

How to include humour in your vows

Humour in your wedding vows can be a great way to showcase your personality and that of your partner. It can also be a way to dial down the seriousness of the moment and make the ceremony more relatable, personal, and enjoyable. Here are some tips on how to include humour in your vows:

Don't Be Clichéd

Avoid gimmicky one-liners that might come across as awkward and out of place. Instead, stick to more meaningful promises and sprinkle humour into your vows with more depth. For example, you can talk about how your partner has always supported you and add a funny memory related to that. This will make your vows playful without being cliché.

Embrace Humour as a Theme

If your partner's sense of humour is one of the things you want to highlight in your vows, embrace it as a theme. Talk about how their sense of humour has positively impacted your relationship and share some funny anecdotes to illustrate this. This will create funny wedding vows without you trying too hard to make jokes.

Include Nicknames

Using nicknames in your vows is a cute way to add light-hearted meaning. Start and/or end your vows by addressing your partner using their nickname. Just make sure to stick with names you wouldn't be embarrassed to say in front of your guests and remember that your future grandchildren might watch the wedding video someday!

Be True to Your Personality

If you're usually the entertainer in your family or the one who's always making people laugh, your wedding vows should reflect that. To capture your personality, record yourself talking about your relationship, partner, and future marriage. Then transcribe the recording and use it as material for your vows. This will help you sound authentic and capture your natural tone and phrases.

Include Family Jokes

While inside jokes between you and your partner might confuse your guests, family jokes can be a great way to add humour to your vows. Choose funny family anecdotes that have been talked about for years and are light-hearted and not too personal. This will bring more joy to your vows and help your guests feel included.

Seek Inspiration

If you're struggling to find the right balance between humour and sincerity, seek inspiration from pop culture, including movies, TV shows, books, and songs. You can quote or adapt a passage from your favourite book or film to express your feelings in a humorous way.

How to keep your vows concise

Keeping your wedding vows concise can be challenging, especially when you want to express your love and commitment to your partner in the best way possible. Here are some tips to help you keep your vows concise and meaningful:

Start Well in Advance

Give yourself ample time to write your vows. Starting early allows you to gather your thoughts, reflect on your relationship, and make thoughtful revisions. Aim to have a final draft at least three weeks before your wedding day. This will help you avoid last-minute stress and give you time to practice reciting your vows.

Discuss Expectations with Your Partner

Before you begin writing, talk to your partner about what you both envision for your vows. Discuss the length, tone, level of personalization, and whether you want to include any specific elements, such as humour or religious references. Being on the same page will ensure your vows complement each other and create a cohesive ceremony.

Focus on Quality over Quantity

Selective editing is crucial to keeping your vows concise. Aim for a length of one to two minutes per person. Choose only the most important details, such as significant milestones in your relationship or meaningful moments that strengthened your bond. This will help you stay focused and ensure your guests remain engaged.

Avoid Absolute Words

When making promises, steer clear of absolute words like "always" and "never." Instead of vowing to do something all the time or never at all, focus on more achievable and flexible commitments. This will make your vows more realistic and adaptable to life's unpredictability.

Seek Inspiration

If you need a creative boost, seek inspiration from various sources. Read traditional vows, poetry, books, or even watch movies or TV shows. You can also draw from your own experiences by journaling or reflecting on memorable moments in your relationship. Using a combination of these sources will help you craft vows that are both meaningful and concise.

Practice and Refine

Once you've drafted your vows, practice reciting them aloud. This will help you identify areas that need refinement, such as tongue-twisters or run-on sentences. It will also give you a sense of timing and allow you to adjust the length accordingly. Remember, your vows should be concise, clear, and easy for your guests to follow.

How to make your vows personal

Writing your own wedding vows is a beautiful way to express your love and commitment to your partner. Here are some tips to make your vows personal:

Start with a Statement

Begin your vows by stating who your partner is to you. Are they your best friend, your lover, your partner in crime, or your everything? Setting the tone with a statement like this will help you and your guests understand the depth of your love and connection.

Share What You Love About Your Partner

Think about what it is you love about your partner and what has led you to promise forever. When did you realize you were in love? What do you miss when you're not together? Jot down your ideas and the things that stand out to you. You don't have to say everything, but focusing on a few key points will make your vows more impactful.

Tell a Story

Bring your love to life by sharing a personal story or anecdote. This could be a romantic, funny, or inspiring narrative that showcases your unique bond. It will not only make your vows more memorable but also give your guests a deeper insight into your relationship.

Make Promises

Lay out the specific ways in which you will show your love and commitment. For example, "I vow to always support you" or "I promise to be your navigator and best friend." You can also include religious wedding vows or wedding bible verses if you're celebrating your faith.

Add a Touch of Romance or Humor

Depending on your style, you can add a touch of romance or humor to your vows. Use romantic wedding vows to express your devotion, or add a light-hearted joke or anecdote to keep things fun and true to your personality.

Mention Your Future Together

Talk about the specific things you will do together and how your love will help you through life's challenges and adventures. Reassure your partner that you'll be there for better or for worse, in sickness and in health.

End with a Promise of Forever

Conclude your vows with one last declaration of your everlasting love. You can use traditional phrases such as "as long as we both shall live" or "until death do us part."

Remember, when writing your vows, it's essential to start early, surround yourself with memories, and seek inspiration from various sources. Keep your partner in the loop regarding the style and tone you're aiming for, and don't be afraid to make your vows personal and unique to your relationship.

How to deliver your vows on the day

Practice makes perfect

Practising your vows is the best way to ensure you deliver them with confidence on the big day. Read them aloud – this will help you to spot any areas that might need reworking, and will also give you a sense of the vows' overall structure and flow. Practising will also help you to get a sense of the right speed at which to deliver your vows.

Indicate pauses and intonation

Your vows are filled with meaning, so it's important to speak clearly and at a steady pace. Indicate any pauses in your vows, and think about where you might want to place emphasis on certain words or phrases. This will help you to engage your audience, and will give your partner and guests time to react to what you're saying.

Ask a trusted friend to listen

Asking a close friend to listen as you practise will help you to refine your vows. They can give you constructive feedback, and help you to ensure that your vows have the desired effect.

Make a fresh copy for the ceremony

When you're at the altar, your guests will be able to see what you're reading from. Make sure you have a fresh copy of your vows, printed or written in a vow book.

Stash them in a safe place

Keep your vows in a safe place in the lead-up to the wedding, and make sure your partner doesn't see them!

Frequently asked questions