Depending on how you view them, wedding vows are little more than just a footnote in your relationship. After all, they are just words, right? Yet, non-traditional wedding vows are more involved and complicated than we think. They are viewed as a promise or declaration of commitment that takes on various forms, including legal, practical, cultural, and even spiritual.
Penning down non-traditional, memorable vows don’t have to be a test of wits; all you really need is a template that lets you scribble down your thoughts and feelings. Here are our 9 tips to help you formulate your very own wedding vows, full of creativity and inspiration!
1. Prepare Early
You don’t have to get the structure for your wedding vows right the first time around, but it definitely helps to prepare earlier for a few details. These include who’s going to be the first to say their vows, how long will the wedding vows take, etc. The last thing you need on your big day is to have to scurry around making last-minute changes.
2. Use Your Own Story
- Where did you meet?
- What made you fall in love?
- What do you love most about your partner?
- What’s the most unforgettable memory in your relationship? This particular moment can be happy and even sad!
Take care to avoid generic phrases such as, “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.” Replace them with more meaningful words such as, “I can’t wait to grow old together and still watch movies together.”
3. Be Open to Inspiration
Don’t be afraid to pull out quotes from your favorite movies and literature. If anything, quotes from popular sources make your wedding vows more impactful. Good places to start would be wedding songs, popular poetry, greeting cards, wedding blogs, and vow books. Our favorite is to use quotes from popular movies or books that your spouse loves. It’ll come as a surprise that they will cherish forever.
Try finding quotable quotes on Reddit if possible. It’s completely fine if you decide to paraphrase the quotes to make them suit your relationship and feelings toward your partner!
4. Write Down Your True Feelings
Sometimes, it’s better to let your inner thoughts flow without restriction. The more emotional you are in the moment, the better you’ll write. Try reminiscing about your best moments as a couple. The more you can think of, the easier it’ll be to write straight from the heart.
5. Keep It Short and Sweet
You want to be able to express your love for your partner in as few words as possible. It is easy to get carried away when it comes to non-traditional wedding vows. The rule of thumb is 2 minutes max. The wedding ceremony itself will take around 30 to 60 minutes, so you don’t want the vows to take too much of the spotlight. Instead, keep it short and sweet.
6. Consult Close Friends
Since the majority of guests are going to be your friends and family, don’t hesitate to ask them for their views on your wedding vows. If anything, it will cement a deeper relationship with your friends. Give much thought and consideration to their comments and suggestions.
7. Consult Your Partner
This can be a bit tricky, especially if you want to catch your partner by surprise. Your partner’s views on the wedding vows are important nevertheless, and you should still take their opinion. Hide the elements that you want to keep a surprise and ask for their views on the rest.
8. Practice Makes Perfect
The more time you have to practice, the better. When the big day finally comes, you should be able to speak freely and from memory, not paper. Maintaining eye contact with your audience is important, and if your eyes constantly drift to the script, it will lessen the impact. It is perfectly alright to improvise during the speech; the idea, after all, is to let your sentiments flow.
9. Save the Vows
This one’s not too important, but it can leave lasting memories. Save a physical copy of your vows and print them as invitation cards, thank you cards, and even decorative canvas wall art.
Conclusion
You can use this writing template and modify it as much as you want to. There is no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to non-traditional wedding vows. Be as creative as you want, but remember that there’s a time limit. Keep your vows short and simple for the most impact.
