Writing our own vows

[Emily]

Hi guys,

my man and I are finding it hard writing our own vows - I mean we know what we want to say to each other and because our registry office wedding was just a quickie with really only the 'I Dos' happening we really want to make our NZ wedding our 'real' vows! We want to make them really special but my problem is how do you make them what you want without sounding cheesy!?!?! I dont want to end up having a regurgitation of what other people have said - I want it to be perfect and from us but we are finding it hard!

ARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH

[breezy]

We're writing our own vows... there is so much I feel and want to express, but doing it in a short time frame it isn't going to happen.

I looked online alot, indiebride.com has forums. Check out their vows forums.
I also bought a few books. I was disappointed in the books. I found alot of words that inspired and served as a diving board on the net... google "vows" "writing your own vows".

Copy and paste what you like, print it out and then let is serve as inspiration for your own!!!

Good luck!

[Robyn Lynn]

That is cool that you are writing your own vows. My FH thought we were supposed to do that and he was a little worried

I'm sure they will turn out fine. Just write what is in your heart. Maybe at first you can just free write everything you want to say and then go back and structure it and polish it.

[Lizbet]

I sort of wrote ours, but it was more like what you said you didn't want to do. I looked at a bunch of different sites and did a mix and match of what I liked. This is what we ended up using:

I, Groom, take you, Bride, / to be my lawfully wedded wife, / my constant friend, and my faithful partner; / loving what I know of you, / and trusting what I do not yet know. / In the presence of God, our families, and friends, / I promise to respect and cherish you / in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, / and in joy as well as in sorrow / from this day forward.

(The slashes represent pauses to repeat after the pastor. There's no way we were doing the memorization thing. DH and I both have trouble speaking in public.)

[555Ann555]

I wanted us to have personalised vows too, but it wasn't allowed in my church. If you want someone to read through what you'[ve got so far without laughting just pm me them!

Otherwise I had found a site that was great for ideas. Some of them were nausiatingly sweet but some were quite touching... I also have a business card somewhere for a lovely woman I met who can write personal vows for you, but to be honest I'd find it hard to pay for them knowing I could combine ideas from that other site for free

anyway the site I'm talking about is:http://www.myweddingvows.com/persona...iend-and-lover

I quite liked that first one it takes you to... Short enough to memorise, but covers it all...

[michaelsbride]

I actually really like this that breezy posted in the readings thread:

You are not the air that I breathe,
you are the sweet scent that drifts upon it

You are not the sounds that I hear,
you are the music of my life

You are not the food that I need,
you are the nourishment of my soul

You are not my will to survive,
you are my reason for living

It is with you that I experience
the wonders of the world

It is with you that I triumph
over the challenges in my path

It is your partnership that will lead me
to the fulfillment of my dreams

It is your friendship that guides me
as I grow and learn

It is your patience and wisdom
that calms my restless nature

It is through you that I know my true self

I do not take you for granted,
I cherish you

I do not need you
I choose you

I choose you today in witness
of all the people who love us

I choose you tomorrow
in the privacy of our hearts

I choose you in strength and weakness

I choose you in health and sickness

I choose you in joy and sorrow

I will choose you, over all others, every day
for all the days of my life


But michael says its too long... i wouldnt memorize it or have the officiant say it... but i would have a little card to "read" it.


ETA: i think he was looking for something like "mine, mine, mine" like from Finding Nemo.

[breezy]

Since Alan's been married before, His advice is to NOT worry about length... he says it will be lightening fast no matter how long. If theirs a bit of length to it then it will at least have SOME length during the ceremony.

[Lizbet]

Originally Posted by michaelsbride

ETA: i think he was looking for something like "mine, mine, mine" like from Finding Nemo.

My DH would have liked that too.

[wembley]

I wanted to do our own vows and found little bits and pieces I liked. Then DH found out and decided he wasn't comfortable with doing our own. He didn't want people to think they were cheesey or laugh. I was a bit bummed but it all worked out and the traditional vows said what we wanted anyway. The important part is that in the end we are married.

[breezy]

Originally Posted by michaelsbride

ETA: i think he was looking for something like "mine, mine, mine" like from Finding Nemo.

WOW!!! I didn't realize how many guys said that. Alan has been saying it since the day we met!!!

[Emily]

Thanks so much you guys - you have given me lots of great ideas!

Michealsbride thanks for your post - I will definitely steal a few words out of that!

I'll let you guys know what we come up with!