You Should Seriously Consider Stealing These Wedding Vows

Wedding vows — words that whisk two people into a wonderful life for better or worse. The soon-to-be newlyweds fix their gazes upon each other and prepare to speak promises that will last a lifetime.

Many traditional vows exist and they set an excellent standard to follow. But what happens when you tweak the traditional recipe? The results could be scrumptious words to savor for the rest of your married lives!

Before we explore how to make wedding vows your own, let’s look at a few examples of traditional vows:

“(Bride/groom) do you take (bride/groom) to be your husband/wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him/her, forsaking all others and holding only to him/her forevermore?”

“I, (bride/groom) take thee (bride/groom), to be my husband/wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore.”

Traditional vows like these highlight marriage as a continuous path of love, one that couples can follow without any roadblocks or detours. These vows reflect a solid commitment — one strong enough to survive years of tests…

And while some say traditions are meant to be broken, perhaps traditional wedding vows are meant to be modified instead. Couples may choose to spice up their vows with light sprinkles of humor. Consider the following examples:

“I promise to always be there for you, support you, to always make your life fun and never boring, to prove my love, to tell you every day just how beautiful you are.”

“I promise to ALWAYS love you, even when you hog the remote or forget to put the toilet seat down.”

“I promise to love you when you make me watch chick flicks. Or when you nag me to take out the trash.”

“I promise to grow with you and support you.”

Sometimes — by sandwiching the silly between the substantial — you can create a string of vows that are much more memorable. They say laughter is the best medicine, so you and your husband or wife-to-be might as well start using its healing properties now.

Everyone’s sense of humor varies, so create original vows that you and your significant other would find funny. You could include a vow about promising hot chocolate or coffee. You could promise to hold your husband/wife more than you hold your beloved dog. Whatever your taste in humor, consider letting it shine through original vows.

Taking a literary approach is another way to help those vows sink deep into the heart. Consider these quotes from the well-known writer J.K. Rowling:

“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”

“Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.”

Every single day people chat clichés, but your wedding day should be different. When you’re writing wedding vows, the brain might first express an idea with the words you use most. Don’t settle for the first words that come to mind if they don’t seem quite right. Rework those vows until they sound the way you believe they are meant to sound.

Here are a few more examples of poetic vows:

“I promise to hold your hand as we reach every mountaintop together.”

“Like palm trees, my love for you will always sway from side to side inside my heart.”

If you have wedding vow writer’s block, try reading poetry. Your brain might pick up on fresh ideas and have a creative spark. And remember, speaking from an honest, loving heart sounds best of all.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but you’ve managed to erase them all, because each and every one of them has led me to you.”

“When I look into your eyes, I see the future. I see kids, I see minivans… you name it, I see it. The weird thing is, though, as long as I see your smile, none of that stuff scares me.”

Dare to be a bit eccentric and stand out from the crowd. Everyone has at least a bit of weirdness to embrace — it’s part of our personality recipe.

Consider these nerdy wedding quotes:

“I promise to pay more attention to you than my Rubik’s cube.”

“I promise to always cherish your math skills, especially during Christmas time.”

If you weave vows like these into the mix, you and your bride or groom will remember them more easily. They also highlight you and your other half’s brilliance without bragging.

Traditional vows are wonderful, but you can adapt the recipe to create a vow exchange that feels original. Venture into new vow territory without hesitation.

Your new married life should be filled with adventure, so prepare for it with humorous, poetic, or eccentric twists on traditional vows!