Most weddings that I capture....
...the bride & groom have spent time and dedication to writing their own personal vows to share with each other for their most important day of their lives. Some are simple and short. Some are lengthy and beautifully and carefully written and shared. It often amazes how well people put everything they want on a page all about the one person they love the most!
If you want to write your own personal vows, believe it or not, there is a structure to go by just to make it that little bit extra perfect!
The BIGGEST TIP to writing your vows is to include "I LOVE YOU"! This might be a no brainer, but you would be shocked at how many couples might leave these three words out of their vows!
Tell your partner that you will be with them through the good times and the rough times. Our life always has its ups and downs and its very important to include that you will be there for them when things get tough. You can say this as creatively as you want. You could put some humour in this one or just be heartfelt.
This brings me to my next tip! Share personal stories. Share about your odd quirks or a few the raw sentimental moments that they both of you share. This is much more interesting and meaningful for friends and family to hear on the day.
OOOHHH this is a biggy..... make promises! Isn't this what your wedding day is all about? Sharing and displaying your commitment to each other for the rest of your lives in front of the most important people in your life? Then it's reasonable to share some promises that you think are the most important to share with the one you love. They don't all have to be super serious or heavy some could be quirky and cute like promising to kill spiders if they creep their way into your the home or put the seat down after you do a pee in the toilet!
Acknowledge the support that you will both need from friends and family when times get tough. It during the tough times when we need each other the most.
Finally, to get yourself started on your vows, make sure you start early! Don't leave it the last minute! I've been to weddings where they groom is still trying to write their vows the morning of the wedding day. Set aside some alone time a few weeks before the day and write down all your thoughts. Use the above key points to write down your thoughts under each one and then start writing down some cohesive sentences. Once you have a first draft, then read it over and out loud. Feel how it sounds. Write it out to someone you can trust and get their advice. Rewrite or tweak anything that could be improved and make another draft then repeat the process. You can then write your final draft a couple of weeks before the wedding and you will feel like your well prepared and ready to go!
