{"id":617,"date":"2022-08-05T16:27:02","date_gmt":"2022-08-05T15:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shelleybell.co.uk\/blog\/?p=617"},"modified":"2022-08-05T16:27:02","modified_gmt":"2022-08-05T15:27:02","slug":"write-your-own-vows-that-zing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shelleybell.co.uk\/blog\/2022\/08\/write-your-own-vows-that-zing\/","title":{"rendered":"Write Your Own Vows That Zing!!"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this blog I\u2019ll explore some key hints and tips from my celebrant chums to guide you in how to write your own vows for a ceremony that really zings!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Remember why you are doing this:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Did you watch that episode of \u2018Gavin and Stacey\u2019 were Dawn and Pete renew their wedding vows?? O.M.G!!<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=IcvyV5iM0IA<\/a><\/p>\n

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People usually write their own vows because they don\u2019t want to say the same thing that millions of people have said to each other over time but sometimes, when you are starting from scratch, this can be tougher than you think.<\/p>\n

Your wedding vows are often the truest most heartfelt spoken words in your ceremony; they are the words that describe everything that you believe to be important in marriage and represent the reasons for your togetherness and your chosen commitment to each other.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a challenge sometimes to think about what brought you together, let alone what makes you want to marry the person stood in front of you, then add in the emotion, romance, covenant, and contract elements of your pledges or promises it can all be a bit over whelming. THEN you have to say them in front of your guests!! Why are we doing this again??<\/p>\n

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Don\u2019t sweat it! Focus on actions and qualities;<\/p>\n

What inspires you about your partner?<\/p>\n

What does marriage mean to you?<\/p>\n

What promises will you make to keep the relationship strong and last into the future?<\/p>\n

What are you looking forward to?<\/p>\n

Check out my six top tips at the end of this blog<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Joint vows – repeat after me…..<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What\u2019s the aim?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Firstly, be yourself and be realistic. Your vows are about recognising what you love in someone and making promises that will take you through married life, so don\u2019t use words you wouldn\u2019t normally use or promise things you can\u2019t commit to. One of my brides promised to match up her husband\u2019s socks from the laundry but she couldn\u2019t commit to putting the pans away the right way round, it was just too much responsibility!!<\/p>\n

Look for inspiration in things you love and share; Music, films, books, T.V Shows, jokes and habits. Make Google your friend because there are literally hundreds of quotes for Tolkein readings, Game of Thrones wedding vows and romantic songs you can include \u2013 I did have a groom that started by quoting Rick Astley\u2019s \u2018Never Gonna Give You Up\u2019.<\/p>\n

Consider what you couldn\u2019t live without in the other person. If their roast dinners are the best and you love how they laugh like a drain include that. If you wish they would cut their toe nails more often and not blow their nose like a trumpet, that\u2019s probably something better had in a private conversation than in front of all their family and friends \u2013 unless everyone knows it, one of my brides said \u201cThank you for accepting me for all that I am, for coping with the way I blow my nose and for the fact I need to go to the loo at least twice before we leave the house! I am the best version of myself because of you\u201d.<\/p>\n

If staring at a blank piece of paper is too daunting, go for a walk (take the dog!) and record yourself on your phone talking about your partner and saying promises, when you play it back you will be able to capture the bits you like and use this as a structure for your vows. Don\u2019t worry, you won\u2019t look daft, everyone will think you are on the phone and pay no heed to what your voice sounds like \u2013 I swear I sound like Pam Ayres!!<\/p>\n

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Keeping it Personal and sharing a laugh. Photos courtesy of Claire Robotham Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Common Themes:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Warning:<\/strong> No-one promises to \u2018Obey\u2019 anymore and if you were my couple and wanted to say this, I think I would have to leave\u2026..<\/p>\n

You could promise to; be by each other\u2019s side no matter what, be faithful, honour, cherish, support, protect, value them, be their best friend, be loyal, trust, be honest, appreciate them, and mostly love them.<\/p>\n

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To be funny or not?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

If humour is at the core of your relationship, then keep them at the core of your vows but remember to make some sensible promises to. Here are some of my favourite funny vows;<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have something to share, share it with me. Particularly if it\u2019s\u00a0Malteasers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are the reason I smile, and the reason I no longer kill spiders on sight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise not to keep score \u2013 even when I am totally winning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise to love you, even on days when I don\u2019t like you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope we grow old together like wrinkly prunes\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll love you even when your game-mode is set to difficult\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will support you in every endeavour; emotionally, spiritually, financially. I would include physically, but you\u2019re just too damn heavy!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom this day forward, I vow to share my bag of crisps\u2026 what is mine is yours\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise not to hog the remote control\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI promise not to get jealous when you are drooling over the fella from Vikings\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll keep Dominos pizza on speed-dial, I won\u2019t say football is \u201conly a game\u201d, I\u2019ll make sure I do \u201cdate nights\u201d, and I won\u2019t mind too much when you get \u201changry\u201d<\/p>\n

I had a groom who wrote that he would happily grow old with his wife but would never be afraid to put her false teeth down the toilet if she annoyed him!<\/p>\n

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Formal or not?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

This depends entirely on your character types, whether you are bringing religious elements into your ceremony or whether you want to have a traditional structure to part of your vows. I found the table below useful, simply select one line from each section, I\u2019ve made bold the ones I would choose as an example.<\/p>\n

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