How to Write Wedding Vows: Examples of Marriage Vows

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! As you prepare for your big day, one important task is to write your wedding vows. This can be a daunting undertaking, but the following examples of marriage vows should help get your creative juices flowing. Read on for tips about how to write wedding vows that speak what’s on your heart and mind.

How Do You Write Your Own Wedding Vows?

When it comes to how to write wedding vows, there aren’t any right or wrong ways to do it. Marriage vows are a personal, intimate part of your wedding ceremony. They are an opportunity to make promises to your partner about your life as a married couple. You can also share snippets of your love story, hopes for the future, and excitement for your marriage. These are the words you’ll look back on for years to come, during the good times and the hard times. Here are three tips for how to write wedding vows:

1. Don’t Rush the Process

Writing marriage vows isn’t something you want to rush. These words are the foundation of your marriage, so it’s essential to take your time when writing them. Instead of trying to draft your vows in one setting, here’s what we suggest: use your phone’s notepad (or good ole pen and paper) and jot down ideas whenever they come to you. If a particular conversation sparks something you want to include in your vows, write it down. It doesn’t mean you have to finish the entire piece right then and there. But when you are ready to put it all together, you’ll have lots of ideas gathered over a few months.

2. Write Down Everything on Your Heart and Mind

When writing your vows, don’t worry about following a template or perfecting the words. Simply write down everything you can think of that you might want to say or promise to your partner. Once you’ve gotten everything on paper, then you can pick and choose the most important aspects you want to share during the ceremony. 

Sometimes couples feel like they can’t sum up their entire relationship in the few minutes they have to say their marriage vows. You also may want to say things to your partner but not in front of all your friends and family. In either case, you can write a letter for your spouse to read before the wedding ceremony. That way, you get to say everything you want without having 20-minute long marriage vows.

3. Practice Your Vows Outloud to Friends or Family

Writing your own wedding vows can feel intimidating and vulnerable. To get comfortable with what you’re going to say, share your vows with a few friends or family members leading up to the ceremony. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will be on your wedding day. Don’t feel any pressure to memorize your vows, though! There’s nothing wrong with having them written down to read, and it makes a lovely keepsake. 

What Do You Say During Wedding Vows?

One of the great things about writing your own vows is that you can pretty much say whatever you want. Your vows are an opportunity to make promises to your new spouse in front of your loved ones. What you say is up to you. However, here are some ideas of things to include:

1. Say “I Love You”

When you don’t know what to say or how to start your vows, keep it simple yet true with “I love you.” Couples often leave these three little words out of their vows by accident because they’re focused on the “bigger” stuff. Whether you open with it, close with it, or throw it in somewhere in the middle, “I love you” is always a nice thing to say during marriage vows. 

2. Share a Lighthearted Memory 

Whether it’s the first time you met, your first kiss, or how you overcame a challenging time together, share a personal story about your relationship. It’s not only sweet to walk down memory lane, but it gives your guests a glimpse into your love story. 

3. Don’t Forget to “Vow” 

Another thing couples tend to forget about is to “vow” or make promises to each other. These can be both serious and lighthearted. Some ideas for vows to say include:

  • I promise to never leave your side through the lows and highs.

  • I promise to always support you and help you pursue your dreams.

  • I promise to fight for our marriage in the hard times and celebrate in the good times.

  • I promise to always love you even when you get “hangry.”

  • I promise to be your forever adventure partner and see the world together. 

What Are Some Good Wedding Vows?

Your vows express your love and commitment to your spouse, and you will remember them forever. They are very personal and should reflect your unique relationship. However, here are some ideas and examples of marriage vows to inspire you!

Start at the Beginning

“James, you walked into my life at the time I needed you the most… I just didn’t realize it yet. Although it took me a few months to let my guard down, your constant pursuit to get to know me showed me how much you care. Now, I cannot imagine my life without you.”

“Rachel, I’ll never forget when you walked into class on the first day of Freshman year. I instantly knew I wanted to get to you, and I’m so glad I did. I mean, look at us now! I cannot believe I am so lucky to marry my high school sweetheart and best friend. Our love story is full of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. It brought us here today, and there’s no place I’d rather be.”

“Cara, if someone would have told me a year ago that I’d be standing at my wedding getting ready to say “I do” to someone I met just seven months ago, I would have said they were crazy. But here we are. Our love story is just beginning, and I cannot wait for what the future holds.”

Make Promises

“James, you are so patient and understanding, and I promise to always stay open and honest with you so that we can continue to grow together. I know being married to you will be the greatest adventure of my life. I also know that we will face challenges. I promise to work with you to overcome anything that comes our way. I promise to put our marriage first, keep our marriage fun, and show up every day.”

“Rachel, I promise to continue to pursue you just like I did when we were 14. I promise to take you on adventures and keep our relationship exciting. I promise to make babies with you and be a constant presence in our family. We are no strangers to hard times, but I know we can make it through anything as long as we have each other. From this day forward, I will be by your side till death do us part.”

“Cara, I vow to put you first and do everything I can to make you the happiest wife in the world. You know what they say, “happy wife, happy life!” In all seriousness, you are the most important person in my life, and I promise to fight for our marriage when times get hard. I promise to be your forever brunch partner, lover, and best friend. I promise to make you laugh when you’re feeling down and always be there for you.”

Look to the Future

“James, we always say that life is one big adventure, and I am the luckiest girl in the world to get to adventure with you. I know our future is bright, and even when it’s not, we both know how to dance in the rain. Here’s to forever. I love you.”

“Rachel, this is the beginning of the rest of our lives. Lives filled with joy, family, dreams, and journeys we don’t even know exist yet. But what I do know is that I will love every moment of it because I will be with you. I love you.”

“Cara, I can only imagine our marriage will be as exciting, wild, and unique as our love story so far, and I cannot wait. You are everything I want in a partner and more. I love who you are today and promise to love you for the rest of our lives.” 

How to Write Wedding Vows When There’s So Much to Do

With so much wedding planning to do, it can be hard to find the time and space to write your marriage vows. While we can’t write them for you, we can take care of all the other wedding details! Learn more about our wedding planning services today.

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