
Creating something memorable
Fiona Brown Celebrant HMD Services for Naming, Weddings, Funerals
Fiona Brown Celebrant HMD Services for Naming, Weddings, Funerals
Vows are a personal promise to each other and your sincerity is shown not only to your fiance but to your witnesses.
There are infinite ways to include your feelings, hopes and wishes for your future together. I've included below some ideas from traditional to modern. Be adventurous and mix and match the sentences you like. You can include some fun bits to show your personality.
*There are certain things that must be included by law and I will make sure we weave these into your ceremony seamlessly.*
The exchange of wedding rings can be a separate part of the the ceremony or included in the vows - I've added some ideas at the end of the vows.
Examples of Traditional Vows
*I, (name), ask you all to witness that I take (you/thee) (name), to be my (wife/husband/spouse/partner)*, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; and I promise to be faithful to you until death parts us.
OR
*I, (Name), ask you all to witness that I take (you/thee), (Name),to be my [opt: lawfully wedded/] (title)*,
secure in the knowledge that you will be my constant friend, my faithful partner in life, and my one true love. On this special day, I (affirm/reaffirm/give) to you in the presence of all those in attendance/these witnesses my (pledge/sacred promise) to stay by your side as your [opt: faithful] (title) in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad.
I (promise/further promise) to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress,
encourage you to achieve (higher/all of your) goals, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.
HOW DO I WRITE MY OWN WEDDING VOWS???
To write your own vows ask yourself these questions and your answers will be your inspiration.
1. What was it that made you realise this person was 'the one'? Where were you etc? Write your answer down as if you were talking to your partner.
2. How will you grow and strengthen your relations over the years ahead? What will you do? (e.g. listen to you, be there for you and support you etc) Write your answers down in short, one subject sentences, (long sentences are more difficult if you happen to be a wee bit nervous).
3. You can add something that is specific and maybe has caused a challenge as well. Such as, "I promise not to roll my eyes too loud when you say you're going to clean out your shed". haha
4. What are your dreams and hopes for the future or why will you always love and care for your partner?
Sample Wedding Vows
You are my best friend, my confidant and one of my favourite pests. You make me laugh and cry, you are honest and wise. You are my strength and you are kind-hearted. You always love me no matter what. You have always managed to help me through bad times and I cannot imagine my life without you. Today, I want to make a promise to you and to myself, in front of our friends and family, to love, honour and protect you for all the days of my life.
I pledge to be your companion and friend, I promise to be with you always, to care for you, and to love you no matter how far apart we may be. I will always show an interest in the things you do and your ideas. I will be with you in your heart, and keep you safely in mine. When you are happy, I will be happy with you. When you are sad, I will make you smile. I will encourage you to continue growing as an individual as we work toward our mutual goals. I promise to give you love, honesty, trust and commitment, and keep your life interesting as we grow old together.
______, I want to be with you always, just as you are. I choose you above all others to share my life with me in marriage.
I will take you in my arms when you need to be held. I will listen when you need to talk. I will laugh with you in times of joy, and comfort you in times of sadness. I will love you for who you are, and help you to become all that you can be. I will grow old with you.
_______, here is my heart, I entrust it to you. With all that I am and all that I will be I promise my life to you.
I, (______), take you (_______), to be my husband/wife, knowing in my heart that you will be my constant friend, my faithful partner in life, and my one true love. On this special day,
I give to you in the presence of these witnesses my promise to stay by your side as your faithful husband in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad. I promise to love you without reservation, honour and respect you, provide for your needs as best I can, protect you from harm, comfort you in times of distress, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.
With all my heart, - I will love you with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life.
Today I feel peace. I am exactly where I am meant to be. I know the infinite possibilities that are ours. You have my heart and I have yours and the love we share is deep and forever. I love you just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul to sing with mine.
I, (name), take you, (name), to be my (husband/wife), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, so long as we both shall live.
(name), Today I give myself to be your husband/wife and I take you to be my wife/husband. Whatever life may bring, I will love you and care for you always.
I ask everyone here to witness that I (name), take you, (name), to be my (husband/wife). I will love you, trust you, believe in you as you are, be honest with you, encourage you, support you in your endeavours, care for you and above all else, respect you as a person of equal worth, and with equal rights and responsibilities – in sickness as in health, for better for worse, through all our life together.
I come here today, (name), to join my life to yours before this company. In their presence I pledge to be true to you, to respect you, and to grow with you through the years. Time may pass, fortune may smile, trials may come; no matter what we may encounter together, I vow here that this love will be my only love. I will make my home in your heart from this day forward.
I call upon the persons here present to witness that I ________, take you, ______, to be my wife/husband. With deepest joy I come into my new life with you. As you have pledged to me your life and love, so I too happily give you my life, loving you, and respecting you for who you are. I promise that I will care for you, help, comfort, and encourage you so that together we may grow together. Therefore, throughout life, no matter what may be ahead of us, I pledge to you my life as a loving and faithful wife/husband.
______, I love you. Today is a very special day; it’s like a dream come true for me. Thank you for being what you are to me. I therefore ask everyone present here today to witness that I _________, take you _________ to be my husband/wife. With our future together I promise that I will care for you, honour and protect you. _______, my friend and my love.
I call upon everyone here today to witness that I ______, take you _____ to be my husband/wife. I promise to love and cherish you, to stand beside you as we share all of life's experiences together. I promise to respect you for who you are and to be a faithful and caring wife/husband. I look forward to our life together and pledge to you my love and loyalty as we grow together.
I call upon the persons here present to witness that I ______, in faith, honesty and love, take you, ______, to be my husband/wife, to share our lives together. I promise to love and care for you, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, in joys and in sorrows, until death do we part. I give you all that I have, myself and my love - All these things I pledge. With this ring I seal my vow of love to you, ______ take and wear it as a sign of my pledge made to you today in front of our family and friends.
I love you ______, and I thank you for the love that we share that has bound our hearts and lives together now in marriage. I therefore ask all present here today to witness that I __________, take you __________, as my husband/wife. My love for you will grow and I promise to honour and cherish you always. As we enter life journey together with excitement and anticipation, I pledge to you that I will love and care for you in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, in sorrow as in joy, and that I will be true to you so long as we both shall live.
I ask all the people here present today to witness that I __________ take you __________ to be my legal husband/wife. I ask that you be my friend and love, beside me and apart from me, join with me in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquillity, I ask that you be no other than yourself, loving what I know of you, trusting what I do not know yet, in all the ways that life may find us. (The ring)____________, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honour you and pledge my faithfulness.
I ask everyone here today to witness that I _____________ take you ______________ as my lawful wedded husband/wife. I promise to stand by you, to be there when you need me, and to share the happiness and sadness of my life with you. If the secret of life is to enjoy the passage of time, then let us share our time together from this day forward. I come to this place today as a man standing alone; I will walk from it by your side. Today, we walk across the threshold into a new and lasting lifetime commitment. I commit myself to you, ____________, as your wife/husband. Take this ring and wear it as a sign of my commitment.
_____, I take you to be my lawfully wedded husband/wife. Before these witnesses I vow to love you and care for you as long as we both live.
I take you, with all your faults and strengths, as I offer myself to you with all my faults and strengths. I will help you when you need help, and turn to you when I need help. You are the person with whom I will spend my life.
_____, I take you to be my husband/wife from this time onward, to join with you and to share all that is to come, to be your faithful husband/wife, to give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond; a commitment made in love, kept in faith, and eternally made new.
I love you,_____. You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.
I promise to be there when you need me, to fill your days with sunshine, to comfort you and encourage you, to help you reach your goals, to be your best friend ever and to love you all my life with all my heart.
Because of you, I laugh, I smile, I dare to dream again. I look forward with great joy to spending the rest of my life with you, caring for you, nurturing you, being there for you in all life has for us, and I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both live.
I, ______, take you, ______, to be my husband/wife, my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honour and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both live.
I ______, take you ______ to be my husband/wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both live.
Before these witnesses, I, ______, take you, ______, to be my husband/wife, and I promise to love you, and to be faithful to you as long as we both shall live. (Read together) Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you, For where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.
I, _____, take you _____to be my husband/wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I trust you and honour you and I will laugh and cry with you. I will love you faithfully, through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. What may come I will always be there. As I have given you my hand to hold so I give you my life to keep.
I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, encourage you to achieve higher goals, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both live.
Wedding Ring Exchange
I promise to love, respect and honour you
I will always be there for you, with you, beside you
Let this ring be a symbol of our love,
may it represent our today, our tomorrows,
our future & our past.
As I have given you my hands to hold,
so I give you my life to keep.
(Name), with free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and all I am to become. Take this ring, and with it my promise of faith, patience, and love, for the rest of my life
(Bride/Groom) May this ring forever be to you the symbol of my growing love.
I (name), I give you this ring
This band of gold
To love you always
To have and to hold
I give you my love
Precious and true
You know that my heart
Is only for you.