Sample Wedding Vows and Suggestions for Writing Your Own Wedding Vows

Your wedding vows are a very important part of your wedding ceremony.

Wedding vows come in three basic styles: Replying "I do."; Saying your vows yourselves; Repeating after your officiant.

Wedding vows in which you say "I do."

You can respond after each question:

"Do you, Raymond, take Betty to be your lawfully wedded wife?": "I do."
"Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish her all the days of your life?": "I do."
"Do you promise to respect, comfort, and keep her, in sickness and in health?": "I do."
"Do you, Betty, take Raymond to be your lawfully wedded husband?": "I do."
"Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish him all the days of your life?": "I do."
"Do you promise to respect, comfort, and keep him, in sickness and in health?": "I do."

Or you can respond once after all the questions:

"Do you, Steven, take Iris to be your wife? Do you promise to share your joys and your sorrows, remain faithful in good times and bad, through sickness and health? Do you promise to clean the grill after you barbeque? Do you promise to give Iris the TV clicker during Dancing with the Starts? Do you promise to take out the garbage without complaining?": "I do."
"Do you, Iris, take Steven to be your husband? Do you promise to share your joys and your sorrows, remain faithful in good times and bad, through sickness and health? Do you promise not to wake Steven up before 9 AM on Saturdays? Do you promise to let him have the clicker during UConn basketball on TV? Do you promise to empty the cat's litter box without complaining?": "I do."

Wedding vows you say yourselves:

"Chris and Kim have written their own wedding vows and want to share them with us today. Chris, would you begin, please?": "Kim, from that rainy day that we met standing in line for the concert, I've known that you and I were destined to be together. They say that opposites attract, but we like so many of the same things, and both of us are so passionate about our music that we can't be opposites. Kim, I want to be there to help you up when you fall, dry your tears when you're sad, and share in your joy. I love you with my whole heart."
"Thank you, Chris. Kim?": "Chris, it was our love of music that brought us together, and you stir music in my heart every day. When we first heard what was to become Our Song and our hands sought each other, I knew that we were going to be a couple. We're so alike that we could finish each others sentences, but still surprise each other daily. I love you, now and forever."

Important: Always write out or print your wedding vows using your computer. Your wedding day is a very happy day, and it is also a stressful day. Don't add additional stress by trying to memorize your vows.

Wedding vows you repeat:

"Colleen and Michael, would you please face each other directly and join hands? Thank you. Michael, please repeat after me: 'I, Michael, take you, Colleen' ": "I, Michael, take you, Colleen"
" 'to be my wife, my best friend, and the mother of my children.' ": "to be my wife, my best friend, and the mother of my children."
" 'I promise to respect your wishes,' ": "I promise to respect your wishes,"
" 'support you in all your hopes and dreams,' ": "support you in all your hopes and dreams,"
" 'and help to make those dreams come true. I love you.' ": "and help to make those dreams come true. I love you."
"Thank you, Michael. Colleen, please repeat after me: 'I, Colleen, take you, Michael' ": "I, Colleen, take you, Michael"
" 'to be my husband and my anam cara.' ": "to be my husband and my anam cara."
" 'With each dawn, we will waken anew to love in each others arms,' ": "With each dawn, we will waken anew to love in each others arms,"
" 'where we are understood, and we are at home. I love you.' ": "where we are understood, and we are at home. I love you."

In addition to your wedding vows, you will also say ring vows when you exchange wedding rings.

("Do we have to have two wedding rings?" No; you can have one ring, two rings, or zero rings. It's always up to you!)

Because your hands are going to be busy, it is best if you either repeat your ring vows or reply "I do."

Ring vows you repeat:

"Roberto, please put Karen's ring on her left ring finger and repeat after me: 'With this ring, I pledge my love to you.' ": "With this ring, I pledge my love to you."
" 'Just as it is endless,' ": "Just as it is endless,"
" 'so shall be my love for you.' ": "so shall be my love for you."

"Janet, please put this ring on Jeff's left ring finger and repeat after me: 'With this ring I thee wed,' ": "With this ring I thee wed,"
" 'with my body I thee worship,' ": "with my body I thee worship,"
" 'and with all my worldly goods I thee endow' ": "and with all my worldly goods I thee endow"

An example of vows for one wedding ring:

"Frank, please put this ring on Teresa's finger and repeat after me, 'I give you this ring' ": "I give you this ring"
" 'to be a daily reminder' ": "to be a daily reminder"
" 'of my love and our promises.' ": "of my love and our promises."
"Teresa, will you accept Frank's ring and wear it daily as a reminder of your vows?": "I will."

Ring vows in which you say "I do."

"Matt, do you give this ring to Sue as a symbol of your love and faithfulness?": "I do."
"Mary, do you give this ring to Keith as a pledge of your constant fidelity and abiding love?": "I do."
"C.H., do you give Pat this ring to be a physical sign of your abiding love?": "I do."