Traditional or Customized Vows?

We are neither old-fashioned nor religious, so there was no question that we would be doing our own original vows.

We are doing both! I like what the traditional vows say but we still wanted to share something special with each other.

We said traditional vows, and wrote each other letters that we exchanged before the ceremony. We're both very private people, so it worked best for us to do it that way.

We'll be using traditional vows. FH is very private and I have a hard time with public speaking, so it was an easy choice for us.

We will probably give each other a personalized letter the day of though, similar to YMC.

We customized the traditional vows:

"I - - take you - - to be my husband,

my constant friend, faithful partner and my love from this day forward.

I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful companion

In sickness and in health

In good times and bad

In joy and in sorrow.

I promise to love you unconditionally

To support you in your goals

To honor and respect you

To laugh and cry with you

All the days of my life" ETA our pastor is still prompting us line by line so no worries about reading of a paper or forgetting something!

We will be using traditional nondenominational vows. Neither of us has interest in writing our own. Plus I feel it's kind of romantic to make the same promises as millions of our couples over the years.

We did both. I wanted traditional and he wanted personal. I enjoyed the personal ones more, but am glad we did both. We did traditional first. It's probably uncommon, but you can definitely do both if it will make you both happy. Don't worry about what people will think.

Ask your officiant for samples of both kinds. It's often easier to decide once you see your vows on the written page. Putting your own twist on a traditional style like the folks above can be a good compromise as well. Best wishes!

Following because I like @Skis format

We are writing our own. Something about the traditional vows don't "click" with us or feel sincere. (Though that's just us- there is nothing wrong with the traditional vows. Just not for us.)

Editing because I'm too sleepy to write words correctly

We did the Catholic vows. We're both baptized Catholics, but we had a civil ceremony. Our vows were the touch of Catholicism.

We're taking pieces of the traditional vows, and making them our own.

We are doing a mix of traditional and customized

We did both. We had our personalized vows and then also, traditional ones.

We are doing traditional vows. We are both quite private. Do plan on giving notes ... but the day before delivered by our mother's.

I'd say that most of my couples do write their own vows, but I don't recommend they memorize them...i either print them in a vow book or prompt them.

Vows that are totally hand written should be short, personal, funny (if that's your personality), meaningful and, did I mention short? They should not retell your entire history, they should not have anecdotes about your life together, they shouldn't ramble. The time for personal stories is during the ceremony, in a concise, effective way.

The short part is key; by the time you get to the vows, your guests know the end is near. Anything more than about four minutes is too long and really dilutes your message.

Four lines about what you love about them, four lines of promises, which are the core of vows; it's the reason they're there.

FH and I are very private. We're saying traditional vows.

We've got a mix- vows are our own- ring exchange part are standard ---

I practiced mine out loud to keep it under two minutes...

I cry too much at weddings so to keep me from making a total fool of myself we're doing short and sweet traditional vows.