Will you be writing your own vows?

Will you be writing your own vows?

Less than half of couples write their own wedding vows

The majority of couples still use traditional wedding vows in their wedding ceremonies rather than writing their own vows according to an Easy Weddings poll. Only 43% of nearly 2,000 respondents said they would be composing their own wedding vows, with 57% still choosing to use prewritten versions.

Making the decision about whether or not to write your own vows is usually an easy one. Couples that write their own vows are usually very keen to do so, and want this crucial part of their ceremony to be completely personal, using their unique thoughts and feelings about each other and their relationship. They may not entirely agree with the content of traditional vows and may have their own views and beliefs about marriage.

On the other hand couples that don’t write their own vows may feel that they would be unable to come up with something that would convey the gravity and importance of the event. They may be embarrassed to read aloud something so personal that they had written themselves and think it would be easier to stick with tried and tested traditional vows.

If you do intend to write your own vows make sure you start them in plenty of time and don’t leave it until the day before the wedding. Before you start writing brainstorm everything you love about your fiancé, the things that are good about your relationship, and the reasons that you want to get married.

Keep your vows short and sweet; about one minute should be enough. They can contain humour but make sure they also suit the significance of the occasion. Practise reading them aloud and see if they make you blush or cry. Finally have both sets of vows checked by your celebrant to make sure they are suitable and generally similar in length and tone.