George Boyle
Wedding vows are promises exchanged between a couple during their wedding ceremony. In the Church of England, these vows are legally binding and cannot be changed or modified. The vows are made before God and in front of the couple's family and friends. The Church of England has three legally approved forms of words for a marriage service, with most weddings using the words from The Marriage Service from Common Worship (2000). The original wedding vows, as printed in the Book of Common Prayer, include the phrases to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Legally binding | Yes |
| Can be modified | No |
| Can be personalized | Yes |
| Declarations | Yes |
| Rings exchanged | Yes |
| Official vows | Cover all things we hope for from a good marriage |
| Additional readings | Yes |
| Venue | Registered religious building |
| Language | Thee, Thou, You |
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What You'll Learn
- The Church of England wedding vows are legally binding and cannot be changed
- The vows are made before God and in front of family and friends
- Couples can add extra readings, poetry, or Bible extracts to the ceremony
- The vows are made after exchanging rings, a symbol of unending love
- The vows are based on biblical principles, focusing on a couple's commitment to each other under God's guidance
The Church of England wedding vows are legally binding and cannot be changed
The vows are spoken before God and in front of family and friends. They are a solemn commitment and a promise of lifelong faithfulness. The traditional vows are as follows:
> I, (name), take you, (name), to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow.
The exact wording may vary slightly, but the core elements remain the same. The vows are introduced by the minister, who invites the couple to join hands, and then each person makes their vow, facing their partner and holding their right hand.
While the official vows cannot be changed, couples can include additional readings, poetry, or Bible extracts to personalise the ceremony.
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The vows are made before God and in front of family and friends
The wedding vows in the Church of England are steeped in tradition and have been spoken by countless couples over the centuries. These vows are made before God and in front of family and friends, symbolising a couple's commitment to a shared life. While the specific vows are legally binding and cannot be changed, couples are free to add their own personal touches to the ceremony with additional readings, poetry, or music.
The traditional vows in a Church of England wedding are as follows:
> I, [name], take you, [name], to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow.
These vows are exchanged while the couple holds hands, facing each other. The vows are a sacred promise of lifelong faithfulness and commitment, inviting God to be at the heart of their marriage.
Before exchanging vows, the couple will also make 'Declarations', confirming their commitment to love and care for each other in a way that will please God. This part of the ceremony includes the following:
> I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I [name] may not be joined in matrimony to [name]. I call upon these persons here present to witness that I [name] do take thee [name] to be my lawfully wedded wife/husband.
The exchanging of rings symbolises the completion of the marriage vows, representing a couple's unending love and the lifetime commitment they have just promised to each other before God and their community.
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Couples can add extra readings, poetry, or Bible extracts to the ceremony
The wedding vows for the Church of England are legally binding and cannot be changed or modified. However, couples can personalise their ceremony by adding extra readings, poetry, or Bible extracts.
The Church of England recognises that a wedding is a solemn commitment as well as a time of good wishes, feasting and joy. Couples can choose to include additional readings, poetry, or Bible extracts to reflect this.
There are three legally-approved forms of words for a marriage service in the Church of England. Most weddings use the words from The Marriage Service from Common Worship (2000), which is in contemporary language and offers the most flexibility in the choice of readings and prayers. Some couples, however, opt for a ceremony that uses older language, such as 'thee' and 'thou' instead of 'you'. In this case, a service from the Book of Common Prayer (1662) is also a legally approved service. There is also a slightly updated version of the 1662 service, known as Alternative Services: Series One, which was used by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their wedding.
Couples can work with their vicar or member of the clergy to choose readings, poetry, or Bible extracts that are meaningful to them and their relationship. These additional elements can be used to express a couple's commitment to one another and their faith.
The inclusion of extra readings, poetry, or Bible extracts allows couples to add a personal touch to their wedding ceremony while adhering to the traditional and legally binding vows of the Church of England.
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The vows are made after exchanging rings, a symbol of unending love
In the Church of England, wedding vows are promises made by each partner during a wedding ceremony. The vows are legally binding and cannot be changed or modified. They are spoken before God and in front of family and friends. The couple promises to love and care for each other in a way that will please God, and the rings they exchange are a symbol of this unending love.
The Church of England wedding vows are:
> I, (name), take you, (name) to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law/ordinance. In the presence of God, I make this vow.
The vows are made after the couple turns to face each other, joining hands. The bride and groom take each other's right hand and say their vows. The groom then places the ring on the bride's finger, and the bride does the same for the groom if they are exchanging rings.
The wedding vows in the Church of England are deeply rooted in faith and are based on biblical principles. They are an eloquent and traditional way to express one's faith and commitment to one another. The couple can also include additional readings, poetry, or Bible extracts as part of the ceremony to make it more personalised and meaningful.
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The vows are based on biblical principles, focusing on a couple's commitment to each other under God's guidance
The wedding vows used in the Church of England are based on biblical principles and are legally binding. They are deeply rooted in faith, focusing on a couple's commitment to each other under God's guidance. The vows are spoken before God and in front of the couple's family and friends. The bride and groom face each other and hold hands, turning to each other to recite their vows.
The vows themselves have a traditional order and wording and cannot be changed or modified. They are as follows:
> I, [name], take you, [name], to be my [wife/husband], to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow.
The above vows are the main vows used in the Church of England, but there are three legally-approved forms of words for a marriage service. Most weddings use the words from The Marriage Service from Common Worship (2000), which is in contemporary language and offers the most flexibility in the choice of readings and prayers. Some couples opt for older language, such as 'thee' and 'thou', in which case they may use the Book of Common Prayer (1662) or the slightly updated Alternative Services: Series One, which was used by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their wedding.
While the official vows cannot be changed, couples can include additional readings, poetry, or Bible extracts as part of the ceremony.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the wedding vows are legally binding and cannot be changed or modified. However, you can include additional readings, poetry, or Bible extracts as part of the ceremony.
The main vows are as follows: "I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy law. In the presence of God, I make this vow."
The Declarations are a confirmation that you will always love and care for each other in a way that will please God. An example of a declaration is: "I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I____ may not be joined in matrimony to__"".
If you want to say religious wedding vows, your ceremony must take place in a registered religious building, such as a church. For civil vows, you have more venue choices, including a register office or any approved venue.
Yes, you can see your own names added to the wedding service using the Church of England's Ceremony Planner.
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