Writing wedding vows can be a stressful experience. Trying to say everything we feel about a person we are getting married to in a few sentences isn’t always easy and a lot of people struggle with it. If you are going for non-traditional vows and trying to stay away from the sexist or religious connotations of traditional ones, things only get more complicated.
Many people feel that vows are a pinnacle of a wedding ceremony, which only adds the stress of writing a perfect one. The expectations are high and the burden of meeting them can be overwhelming. As if organizing a wedding and picking a dress at Best For Brides isn’t stressful enough.
There are several aspects to consider when writing non-traditional wedding vows. Think of them as guidelines that will help you write a vow that will reflect your feelings toward your future spouse perfectly.
The most important thing is to talk about your love for them. Generic statements like “I love everything about you” should be avoided. It is OK to say something similar, but you should include specifics. Why did you fall in love with your partner? What is it about them that makes you giddy and stir those butterflies in your stomach?
These are the things that are important and you need to say them out loud.
Another thing that should be mentioned is your promises to each other. Again, eternal love and respect are all well and good, but try to get personal. Talk about the things they can relate to and have an emotional reaction.
Humor is an important part of any good wedding vow, but don’t overdo it. People try to be funny at all costs, which can often lead to a vow that feels forced and insincere. Finally, mention a moment or two from your history. Try to concentrate on the most meaningful ones, the ones that made you realize that your partner is the one.
Here are some examples of simple non-traditional wedding vows that you can tweak to suit your situation. Don’t use them verbatim and add plenty of personal details to them, making them feel truly heartfelt.
1Laugh and Cry Together
I (name), take you (name) 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 shall live.
2For Sports Fans
Today is mostly an ordinary day…. the sun rose, babies were born, people slept in and we just so happened to be getting married. But the not-so-ordinary part is how we are making promises to each other for the rest of our days, no matter how ordinary or unusual they may be.
So I promise to you: to always laugh with you and to never go to bed angry, to comfort you in times of sorrow, including rough Buckeye, BlueJacket and Bengals seasons, to always listen to what you have to say, even when we don’t see eye to eye, and to remember love is saying ‘I feel differently’ instead of ‘you’re wrong’, to continue to love your children, as if they were my own, as I officially become your partner in their lives.
But most of all, I promise to love you, under any circumstances; happy or sad, easy or difficult, through the sunshine and through the rain for the rest of my days. I am the luckiest and I couldn’t imagine growing old with anyone else.
3Our Future
I, (name), take you, (name), to be my partner, loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know. I eagerly anticipate the chance to grow together, getting to know the (man/woman) you will become, and falling in love a little more every day. I promise to love and cherish you through whatever life may bring us.
4Good Times and Bad
(Name), 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 the highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.
5We Trust Each Other
(Name), with all my love, I take you to be my wife/husband. I will love you through good and the bad, through joy and the sorrow. I will try to be understanding, and to trust in you completely.
Together we will face all of life’s experiences and share one another’s dreams and goals. I promise I will be your equal partner in a loving, honest relationship, for as long as we both shall live.
Our Dreams
(Name), from this day forward I promise you these things. I will laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow. I will share in your dreams and support you as you strive to achieve your goals.
I will listen to you with compassion and understanding, and speak to you with encouragement. I will remain faithful to our vows for better or for worse, in times of sickness and health. You are my best friend and I will love and respect you always.
Anchor
With this ring, I give you my promise that from this day forward I will give you all my love, and you shall not walk alone. I have no greater gift to give.
As your love is my anchor, and your trust is my strength, May my heart be your shelter and my arms be your home. As this ring has no end or beginning, so shall my love for you be. As I place it on your finger, I give you all that I am, and all that I shall become.
