Who's writing their own vows??? (Or who already has??)

I haven't and am not writing my own vows (my FH is really against it), but think of what promises you want to make and keep in your relationship. I find that a lot of the time people write their own vows and when they're done reading them they haven't really vowed to do anything. Just listed things they love about their spouse or told a story.

I did. I'll share them. I started out on my own, then went to pinterest for some ideas, and pulled some of those ideas into them as well. I'm still working on them. But this is my first draft.

Charlie,

When I met you, you were just a boy, in mismatched clothes, with pretty eyes, and a charming smile. I didn’t know that you were important, I didn’t know that you would become my world, I didn’t know that I would someday be standing here, I didn’t know that you would change my life.

I never thought I that I could be happy, until I found you

I never thought I could truly smile, until I found you

I never thought that I could genuinely laugh, until I found you

I never thought that life was beautiful, until I found you

I never thought my life was incomplete, until I found you

I never thought I needed anyone, until I found you

I love you for not only who you are, but for who I am when I’m with you

I promise to always stand beside you

I promise to always love you

I promise to always be your best friend

I promise to always take time for us

I promise to always believe in you

I promise to always appreciate you

I promise to help you love life

I promise to always hold you with tenderness, and to have the patience that love demands

I promise to speak when words are needed, and to share the silence when they are not

I promise to live within the warmth of your heart, and always call it home

Whatever adventures life throws at us, I promise hold your hand, and jump in

Until the day I leave this world, I will always be your loving wife

We are DEFINITELY writing our own vows. FH wouldn't have it any other way, and neither would I! Our vows are one of the parts I am most looking forward to. It sounds so cliche, but speak from your heart and with honest, genuine emotion (duh )

I think something I hear a lot in personal vows are promised toward compromise. Such as "I promise to rub your feet even if they're sweaty" PLEASE don't use that one because it's really gross lol but I hope you get what I am saying because I tend to be confusing

Thanks, Caylin! I figured my FH would be against it since he's Mr. Traditional, but to my surprise he wants to. I'm definitely going to make sure to actually state my promises.

Brittany, your vows are beautiful :')

Following this... Fiance and I are planning to write our own as well, but I honestly don't even know where to begin and with my nerves I would rather it be very short and sweet.

Hahaha! Nattybug! That's comical.... totally NOT using that one though!

And BRITTANY!!!! Oh my gosh! I got a little teary on that one!

What we decided is to do a first look and read our personal vows to each other privately before the ceremony. Our videographer will be recording this. I was worried about crying to much if we read them in front of everyone and I wanted it to be a very special moment between just us.

Our officiant will be writing the ceremony so it is personalized to us and will include some promises to each other so I do not think people will miss out on not seeing our personal vows.

Aww thanks ladies! You guys are the first to read them =) I was going to have someone read them, to make sure they weren't too cheesy lol.

We are writing our own vows as well and I have no idea on where to start. It was FH's idea and I am glad he wants us to write our own. He says he has started but they are in his head and not on paper. haha.

Brittany - I didn't even finish reading before I started to tear up. Beautiful.

Rebecca, that's an awesome idea!!!!

Kesslertobe, I'm in the same boat as you. He said he already knows what he's going to say without even writing it down!

Haha I guess I should start getting mine together. I don't want them to be long though so I will have to cut out a few things I am sure and just get to the point.

Ours is a vow renewal so we were not planning on writing our own vows and I found some nice vow renewal vows online. But then one day watching Four Weddings with Hubby, EVERY wedding had their own vows and he said "We should write our own vows."

I know his are going to be all poetic. He used to write poetry a lot (one of the ways he wooed me). Me on the other hand, do not want to write anything and haven't even started working on them. I'm tempted to just say "Ditto" to what he says but I know I have to write something heartfelt.

Lesson - Keep your significant other away from Four Weddings episodes. lol

We wrote our own in addition to the traditional ones. I wrote mine to first say how DH has been by my side when things were great, then how he has been there when things haven't been so great. I wanted to let him know all the reasons I stood there that day. I ended with my promises to him. I did not say "I promse" a million times but rather "I will" followed by a list of things. My favorite line was the last one. "Above all, I vow to fiercely love you, eternally"

My best advice;

Keep them short; the longer they are, the more your meaning is diluted.

2 paragraphs of several sentences; the first, what you love about each other, the second, what you promise to do to keep your marriage strong. (It might be respect and love; it might be not putting the orange juice container back in the fridge with one slurp left...)

do not write anything you cannot say in public without completely unraveling; if you want to say more, write each other a letter and deliver it the morning of.

Don't strive to create great literature; they should sound like you do.

And go to my pinterest page for vows; there are dozens of ideas and a 'vow generator' that, while funny, is very useful. About 10 officiants contribute to it, so there are a lot of points of view.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/264375440599034355/ (this is the mad lib vow generator)

http://www.pinterest.com/Celiamilton/wedding-vows-and-readings/

ON THE OTHER HAND, one of my couples told me that they really wanted to say traditional vows that had been said by couples for centuries. Interesting point.

Oh wow! Thanks for all of your help and assistance ladies! I really do appreciate it!

Celia, thanks for the links! Cannot wait to try out the vow generator!

Im going to be brave and share what I have wrote so far for my vows. This is just a rough draft.

From the moment we first met you changed my life without even knowing it. You showed me how to be confident, independent and I would not be the person I am today without you. There is nothing I could ever do in life to repay you for everything you have given me. Looking back six years ago we would have never imagined we would be standing here but I am so glad we are taking the next step in our journey together.

I promise to support you always and move with you where ever your career may take us.

I promise to love you unconditionally and to stand by your side through whatever life may throw at us.

I promise to put you first and to always be considerate of your thoughts, feelings and opnions.

I promise to travel the world with you and experience life together.

I will always be here to take care of you and make you feel special.

Im looking forward to spending the years together loving the great man you are today and seeing the man you will become. Today I give you my hand, my heart, and my love without condition, completely and forever.

Rebecca! I love them.... Gave me goosebumps!

We are writing our own vows! I'm nervous!!