Say Your Own Personalized Wedding Vows
This article was written to answer many of the most frequently
asked questions on wedding vows.
Your wedding is your own.
And in todays society, people have been constantly scouring
every book for any way to make their wedding as personal and as
unique as possible.
One way to do this is to whip up your own wedding vows.
Traditionally, couples to be wed do not have much of a say in
what goes into many of the words spoken during the wedding
ceremony. Today, it is increasingly getting easier to
personalize and influence what is said during the ceremony
within reasonable bounds, though.
If you desire to make your wedding vows unique and personal, you
are not alone. Many other couples incorporate feelings, and
intimate messages into their wedding vows. It has an added
effect of making your wedding more touching, dramatic, and
memorable.
Talk with the Officiant Ahead of Time
If you would like to personalize your wedding vows, first notify
your Officiant to find out the legalities, guidelines and rules
in drafting your own wedding vows. He or she will typically give
pointers and examples to help you draw up your own vows.
Furthermore, the Officiant will inform you of the parts of the
vow that are expected to be said.
The Topic
It may include promises, such as "I will swear upon my life to
do ..." or it may be heartfelt messages for each other, or even
hopes for each other plans for the future and such. You may also
opt to create a mixture of each to spice up your wedding vows.
Although norms vary from culture to culture, as a general rule,
the wedding vow should not take too long to recite. Keep it
concise yet meaningful. Remember, you will have to recite this,
and long recitations tend to make the memory suffer.
Make it Official
After creating a draft of the vows you wish to exchange, it
would do well to meet up with the Officiant again and show him a
draft of your vows. Although in the end, it is ultimately your
decision that is followed, do take heed of the Officiants
advice, as it is usually sound and has been honed by experience.
Practice
It is a good idea to practice your vows before the wedding.
Although there is no rule against reading vows, a thoroughly
practiced, heartfelt rendition of the vow will definitely make a
lasting impact on your partner and the people witnessing the
ceremony. As mentioned earlier, avoid overly long vows as they
tend to be less remembered and are harder to memorize, not to
mention quite inconvenient to others. You may do so, however, if
you feel the need is justified.
The Performance
When reciting your vows during the wedding, always keep calm.
People who are tense tend to speak to fast, and since the
wedding vow is a very important part of the wedding, you will
want to take your time in the spotlight. Loosen up, so that in
case you forget a line or two during the exchange of vows, you
will at least be able to bounce back with something from your
heart. If you desire so, you may also keep a written version of
you vows with you. You might want to read it surreptitiously
though.
Good luck on your wedding, and may the sweet words you utter
during the exchange of vows never lose their meaning for rest of
your days!