Write Your Own Wedding Vows

Writing your own wedding vows may seem like a terrifying task at first. There are a few things that  you can do if you are stuck and need a little push to get started.

*Before taking the time to write your own wedding vows, check with the officiant of your wedding, as well as your fiance to be certain that custom vows are appropriate for your ceremony. Some religions require that you use their traditional vows, although they may permit you to add a few words of your own.*

Tips for Writing your own Wedding Vows:

• Research: If you don’t know what to say, but you want your vows to be unique and special, look at what other people have done. Consider using classic passages of poetry or quotations from classical literature.
• Ask Yourself Questions:  Have a seat. Get comfortable. What do you love most about your future spouse? What do you enjoy doing together? What did you think when you first met him /her? What impressed you most – his eyes, her smile, his laugh, her sense of humor? Take this opportunity to tell your fiance how you feel and make them feel treasured and beloved.
• Make a List: Compile all of your thoughts from the above questions into a list. Make the list as long as you can. You can edit it and use only the best, warmest or touching parts in your vows. Save the list to give to your spouse at a later date (it make a sweet gift)!
• Personalize Traditional Vows: If you are still feeling stuck in composing your vows and putting it all together, try reviewing traditional vows and making them your own by adding a few points from your list above.
• Read it Aloud: Do you think you have something you like? Try reading it aloud a few times to see how it feels to day he words and how it sounds.  Edit your personal vows a little more if needed.

Keep in mind that your custom wedding vows do not have to sound like they were written by a master writer. Sometimes simply  expressed, sweet emotions mean the most and will be easily remembered.

Traditional Wedding Vows

Have you chosen your wedding vows yet? It is a big decision for many couples and often one that gets put off until the last minute.

If you are unsure about what you want to say, or are very uncomfortable with writing your vows yourself, traditional wedding vows  may be the best choice for your wedding.

Traditional wedding vows are classic and elegant.

Here are some samples of traditional wedding vows:

1. I (___) take thee (____) to be my lawfully wedded (husband/wife), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health till death do us part.

2. I (name) take you (name) to be my beloved (wife/husband), to have and to hold you, to honor you to treasure you, to be at your side in sorrow and in joy, in the good times and in the bad, to love and cherish you always. I promise you this from my heart, for all the days of my life.

Remember, these are your wedding vows! If you are going to say these vows and mean them, you should certainly be comfortable with  what you are saying as well as the meaning of each and every word. You can personalize traditional wedding vows to make your ceremony unique. Just make slight changes, yet still maintain the traditional and memorable expressions.

Your Wedding Vows

Exchanging wedding vows is the most important part of any wedding ceremony. It is the perfect chance to express how you feel about the person you are about to marry and your goals for marriage. There are many ways of exchanging your wedding vows, as you can make it the most personal declaration of your love.

Sometimes you cannot write your own vows. This may be because certain religions or traditional ceremonies dictate what you must say. However, you may be able to add on to them. Additionally, the law states that you have to say certain words in order to make the marriage legal. This depends on the state, or indeed the country, you reside in.

In civil ceremonies you are likely to have more freedom in creating your own vows. You still might have to include certain sentences, but you can choose to make it as long or short, serious or funny as you like. If you are interested in creating your own vows, do your research well on time and start making drafts of what you would like to say.

Another smart choice when deciding on what to write for your wedding vows is to read a few books about wedding vows and even check out a few websites online. Many times, you will find a good idea and then you’ll be able to expand on that. Ask the person in charge of the ceremony what kinds of vows and words are allowed.

For those who are having a second marriage or if you have children from a previous marriage, you might want to include your children in your wedding vows. Decide how to include the children in the vows, and think about their age or ages. Sometimes, mentioning their name is a nice idea and say that you will be including them as an important part of your marriage. It is always nice to include children in the vows if they are already a part of you or your new spouse’s life.

Some people like to renew their wedding vows after a number of years. A lot of people like to do this during a big anniversary or after overcoming difficult circumstances. For wedding vow renewals, there are no legal guidelines so you can use whatever verbiage you like, giving you many more creative options.

The easiest way to say your vows is to practice them before the big day. Rehearse them as many times as you need to, so that you will be less nervous on your wedding day. Some people decide to photocopy their vows when they make them and give them to a trusted friend or family member, in the event you get stuck on them.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter what you say or whether you have had total freedom to express your personal feelings or not. Exchanging wedding vows is all about meaning what you say, and this sincerity needs to be experienced by who ever is there to witness it. Getting married, and exchanging your vows, is a public declaration of your love for, and commitment to each other.

The Best Mans Speech

A very important role is played by a bride and grooms’ best man in a wedding reception, and this is the best man speech. The best man will do well to not be too shy about talking in front of crowds, as they will be the center of attention for the moment. One of the most challenging parts of the speech may actually be writing it.

Just as in every type of speech, there is an opening, the middle, and a closing. When you sit down to write your speech there are some questions you can answer that will help you along in saying the right things. Think about how you know the couple, and why you were chosen to be best man. What are the first 5 adjectives that come to mind when describing the bride and groom? Has the groom changed any since meeting and falling in love with the bride? An important one is how did the happy couple meet? How did the groom tell you about her? Do you have any amusing anecdotes that show just the kind of people the bride and groom are?

All of these things can work together in making a perfect best man speech. As you go along answering the above questions, you may be surprised to find that the speech will nearly write itself. The best speeches are the ones that draw both laughter and tears. You want to hold your audience captive.

When you open your speech, be sure to introduce yourself, as you may not know everyone present at the reception. Be sure to work in a thank you to the people hosting the wedding. If the bride and groom are paying for everything, say something about how happy you all are to be a part of this special day. Refrain from starting out with some sort of joke. Those can be saved for later in the speech.

The middle part of your speech should include some stories that involve you, or just funny stories about the bride and groom. If you know the groom better, try to balance out all of your jokes and toasts so it represents the couple rather than just the groom. The funny stories should be cute and interesting, but not humiliating to the couple. Try to keep it clean as well; remember there will be children there. Keep your speech short and don’t get caught waffling on so you can avoid boring the crowd.

At the end of your speech, make a nice toast to the couple and wish them a long life of happiness and fulfillment. Be sure to raise your glass and drink yours as well once the toast is over.

If you’re nervous, make a few quick notes and have those nearby for when you make the official speech. Try not to read directly from the notes but instead use them as a guide in case you happen to forget some of the points you wanted to make. Another good tip is to try and refrain from drinking too much until the speech is over. It’s never a good idea to be drunk in front of a crowd in your most important moment of the wedding.

Once you’re ready to deliver the speech, be sure to stand up straigt and speak as clearly as possible. Be loud enough so everyone can hear you and do your best not to look nervous. Be proud that you’ve been chosen as the best man.