6 Tips to writing meaningful and heartfelt vows

“to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, til death do us part”

Wedding vows have been around for centuries, in fact they can be traced as far back as the Roman Empire. Over time the vows have altered slightly that during a wedding ceremony in the 1500’s, a couple had the choice of vows! The couple could promise not only to“ love and cherish” each other  but the groom could promise to “love, cherish, and worship” his bride, and the bride to “love, cherish and obey ”her husband.  Today these kind of promises are outdated and not personal– so many bridal couples  have opted to writing their own vows for the wedding ceremony that are more personal and meaningful. But how do you start?

Here are a couple of pointers to start when writing your vows:

There is no time like the present to start writing the vows.  As the wedding date gets closer and your planning your wedding you will have so many things to think about, it will be good to have this part of the wedding ceremony done and dusted.  Start with a foundation as the vows are sure to change numerous times before the big day.  With time on your side you will be able to start writing one day and come back to it the next.  It can be daunting writing vows all in one sitting.

Most couples like to keep the vows a surprise for the wedding ceremony, however, it is a good idea to correlate a few things before then. Talk about the style, format, or tone that you will be using.  Are you the going to use some traditional aspects?  Is humour going to come into it or is it going to be just romantic? Agree to not use anything embarrassing or too personal – these little antidotes can be left for the wedding reception.

Memories will trigger your feelings for your fiancé. As you surround yourself with the first notes, holiday snaps and other keepsakes, it will trigger some deep emotions that will come flooding through of great love and appreciation for him/her.  Write these down!

These will trigger your feelings for your fiancé. As you surround yourself with the first notes, holiday snaps and other keepsakes, it will trigger some deep emotions that will come flooding through of great love and appreciation for him/her.  Write these down!

Struggling to get some inspiration? Here are a couple of questions to ask that may give you the inspiration you need:

• When did you know you were in love?
• What were your thoughts when you first met them?
• What makes your relationship work?
• What do you miss when you are apart?

There are so many ideas and examples of wedding vows that can be found online that can inspire you. Other ideas for inspiration are favourite songs, romantic movies, poets, authors, Pinterest, Instagram – the list is actually endless.