As you plan your wedding ceremony, you might want to look at several samples of wedding vows to help you get started. You can choose from traditional wedding vows, or your vows can have a more personal or even unusual touch. Whatever type of wedding vows you choose, you'll want to make sure they reflect the true feelings that are shared between you and your sweetheart.
Biblical Focus Wedding Sample Vows
These vows are for a traditional wedding with a deeply Christan focus.
Groom
(Name), as we stand before both God and man, making public our commitment to one another, I wish to make it known that I recognize first of all God's authority over my life which is exercised from His loving heart. He has chosen me to be one of his own, and He is now my life. I recognize also that He has blessed me and entrusted to me your life as a free gift that I have not earned. In recognition of these things, (name), I purpose to love you with His love, to provide for your needs through His enablement, and to lead you as He leads me, as long as He gives us life together, regardless of the circumstances. As Psalm 34:3 expressed my heart when I asked you to marry me, so it expresses my heart now: "O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together."
Bride
On this special day, (name), I am reminded of the verse James l:17 which says, "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." With a gift such as you, I know that many new responsibilities face me. In I Corinthians, it explains "It is required of a steward to be found trustworthy." I cannot do this on my own strength, (name), but by God's grace and power working within me I desire to be trustworthy as your wife by following your leading submissively, even as unto Christ, loving and serving you in all circumstances as long as He gives me life on this earth.
Faith Based Wedding Vows
These faith-based sample vows are for traditional, Christian weddings.
Groom
I love you, (name), and I thank the Lord for the love that has bound our hearts and lives together in spiritual fellowship of marriage. I will love, honor and cherish you always. As we enter upon the privileges and joys of life's most holy relationship, and begin together the great adventure of building a Christian home, I will look to Christ as Head of our home as I have looked to Him as Head of the Church. I will love you in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, in sorrow as in joy, and will be true to you by God's grace, trusting in Him, so long as we both shall live.
Bride
I love you, (name), and I thank the Lord for the love that has bound our hearts and lives together in spiritual fellowship of marriage. I will love, honor, cherish, and obey you always. As we enter upon the privileges and joys of life's most holy relationship and begin together the great adventure of building a Christian home, I will look to you as head of our home as I have looked to Christ as Head of the Church. I will love you in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, in sorrow as in joy, and will be true to you by God's grace, trusting in Him, so long as we both shall live.
Simple Traditional Marriage Vows
These are traditional, simple wedding vows. Similar vows in this form are often used in many weddings.
Groom
I, (name), take you, (name) to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, or the Lord comes for His own, and hereto I pledge you my faithfulness.
Bride
I, (name), take you, (name), to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love land to cherish, till death do us part, or the Lord comes for His own, and hereto I pledge you my faithfulness.
Traditional Christian Couple Marriage Vows
For a traditional, Christian couple, these vows support traditional, biblical roles of husband and wife.
Groom
(Name), I love you. Today is a very special day. Long ago you were just a dream and a prayer. This day like a dream come true the Lord Himself has answered that prayer. For today, (name), you as my joy become my crown. I thank Jesus for the honor of going through time with you. Thank you for being what you are to me. With our future as bright as the promises of God, I will care for you, honor and protect you. I lay down my life for you, (name), my friend and my love. Today I give to you me.
Bride
(Name), I love you, and I know you love me. I am confident that God has chosen you to be my husband. It is my prayer and desire that you will find in me the helpmeet God designed especially for you, and in confidence I will submit myself unto your headship as unto our Lord. Therefore, (name), I pledge to you my life as an obedient, faithful and loving wife. Whither thou goest I will go, whither thou lodgest I will lodge, Thy people shall be my people, And thy God my God.
Non-Traditional Sample Marriage Vows
For contemporary couples, these partnership or marriage vows may be the perfect way to pledge love and partnership moving forward.
Modern Couple Partnership Vows
Today I choose you as my love, my life partner, and a source of joy and inspiration in my life. I promise to remain true to the values of our partnership. I promise to challenge you, allow you to challenge me, and to grow together in love as we move along life's path as partnership of equals who have chosen to spend these moments in our lives together.
Short and Sweet Vows
On this day, (month, day, year), I, (name), join myself to you (name), before this company. May our days be long, and may they be seasoned with love, understanding and respect.
Touching Wedding Vows
To marry the person you have set your heart upon is a joy unparalleled in human life. (Name), take this ring as a sign of my faith and my commitment to our love, and share this joy with me today.
Romantic Marriage Promises
Where there has been cold, you have brought warmth; where my life was dark, you have brought light. (Name), I pledge before this assembled company to be your (husband/wife/partner/spouse) from this day forward. Let us make of our two lives one life, and let us always honor and respect each other.
Walking Side by Side Commitment Promises
I came to this place today as a (man/woman/person) standing alone; I will walk from it by your side. Today I cross the threshold with you and enter into a new and lasting lifetime commitment. (Name), I commit myself to you as your (husband/wife/partner/spouse).
Committing to a Shared Path
(Name), our miracle lies in the path we have chosen together. I enter this marriage with you knowing that the true magic of love is not to avoid changes, but to navigate them successfully. Let us commit to the miracle of making each day work - together.
Spiritual Wedding Vows
(Name), I am deeply humbled that the universe/Source/God has brought us together to walk along a shared life path. I promise to follow my own life's journey while honoring and supporting yours so that we can each grow in light and love.
Funny Vows
(Name), I can't wait to grow old with you so that someday we can sit on our porch and yell at neighborhood children to get off our lawn. I promise to sit side-by-side on the couch with you, devouring popcorn and making snarky comments about reality television. I vow to pretend to like your favorite sports teams and to always have nachos ready for you on Super Bowl Sunday. I vow I won't throw away that t-shirt of yours that I hate without your permission. I promise to only leave my dirty clothes lying in the corner of the bedroom for one week max before I finally put it in the wash, and in turn, when you leave something at the bottom of the stairs that you want me to put away, I promise I'll do it sometime in the next month. I'm so excited to experience our life together unfolding, much like the laundry, which will also be unfolded. You are the cream to my coffee, the butter to my popcorn, and the yellow powdery stuff that sticks to your fingers and teeth to my Cheetos. Together, we are more powerful than the sum of our parts, and I welcome a lifetime of love and laughter with you by my side.
More Wedding Vow Samples
There are so many directions you can take with your wedding vows depending on what you and your partner wish to convey to one another.
- Funny wedding vows are perfect for couples with a shared love of laughter and humor.
- Share your mutual love of SciFi with Star Wars wedding vows.
- Contemporary wedding vows are perfect for modern couples.
- Couples with the shared faith of Catholicism may wish to recite traditional Catholic wedding vows.
- Same sex couples can choose traditional vows, or they can choose vows written specifically for same sex ceremonies.
- Couples with children may want to include their kids in the wedding vows.
Writing Your Own Wedding Vows
Today, many couples choose to write their own wedding vows for the ceremony. While they may take their ideas from traditional vows, they want to incorporate their own words and feelings into the ceremony. This isn't a time to ad lib, however. You and your fiancée will need to take some time to write down exactly what you want to say.
Take Your Time
Your wedding begins a lifetime of love, laughter, and times of difficulty together. Your vows should reflect your dedication and commitment to each other. It's important that you take your time in order to express what you really feel.
Write Your Vows Separately
While of course you and your fiancée need to agree on what you want to write, it's always a good idea to write your first drafts alone. Then, you can compare what you want to say, and maybe do a few rewrites until you've perfected your vows.
Add Favorite Quotes and/or Phrases
These may come from scriptures, poetry, or even your Aunt Betsy, etc. As long as they reflect what you feel, it really doesn't matter where they come from.
Make Your Vows Uniquely You
Whether you prefer traditional vows or you want something more contemporary, you can adapt wedding vows so they uniquely suit both partners. By adapting wedding vows for your own values, beliefs, and needs, you can create uniquely meaningful marriage vows to begin your life together.
