Writing your wedding vows can be an emotional and daunting task, here are six simple steps to writing the perfect wedding vows for your big day…

Food for thought

Firstly you will need to think about the person you are marrying, what they mean to you, how they make you feel and the general tone of your vows. Are you aiming for a tear jerker, simple but sweet, or light and funny.  Sit down in a quiet space and answer these simple questions.  Even if you don’t think the answer will end up in your wedding vows, still take the time to write it down. Just to get the creative juices flowing.

• What is the single greatest thing about the person you are going to marry?

• When did you know that you were in love/ know that this person was the one you wanted to marry?

• What does marriage mean to you? Why do you want to be a married person?

• What will change about your relationship once you are married? What will stay the same?

• What is your favorite memory of your partner?

• What are some fun times you have had together?

Consider your audience

Talk to your future spouse and your officiant and make sure everyone is on the same page. Some religions require that you use the traditional wording, while others will allow you to write your own (as long as you include certain phrases.) Most importantly you’ll also want to make sure that your sweetheart is keen to write their own – you may decide to write one particular line or paragraph that you will both say, or just write them individually?

Consult the experts – And we don’t mean Google

Take some time to read through a variety of texts, books, poetry, love stories and famous writings about love. Print out your favorites, and highlight passages that speak to you. Eg.

• “What a grand thing, to be loved! What a grander thing still, to love!” Victor Hugo

• “A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness” John Keats

• “Life is the flower for which love is the honey” Victor Hugo

• “Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination” Voltaire

Creating your masterpiece

Don’t attempt to write your vows the night before the wedding, you will need time to ponder. Review the questions you answered earlier and the highlighted passages you selected. Now it’s decision time – select the very best of all the material you have looked at. Don’t forget be honest and true to yourself and this will shine through.

Vows by Numbers

For you cheaters out there (we known some aren’t as creative as others) try this simple template (just don’t tell your spouse).

(Name of your sweetheart), you are my (best friend, one true love, the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, etc.) Today, I take you to be my (wife, husband, lawfully wedded wife or husband, life partner, etc.) I promise you that I will be (faithful, worthy of your trust, worthy of your love, your loving partner, etc.) I vow to (honor you, cherish you, love you, respect you, laugh with you, cry with you, support you in your goals, etc.), (insert here the length of your vow, for example, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live.)  Easy!

 Rehearse & Practice Practice Practice!

Once you have come up with your first draft, try reading what you’ve written out loud to a trusted friend or family member. Preferably this person is someone who knows your relationship well. You never know they may come up with some great suggestions.

Once you’ve worked out a final version, practice reading it on your own several times to make sure you are comfortable with it. If possible try to memorize it but either way make sure that you write down your wedding vows on a note card (give an extra copy to the best man or maid of honor) so that nerves won’t spoil all of your hard work. (eg. See link below)

Check this out – Wedding Vows gone wrong!

And remember HAVE FUN!