Your wedding vows are the expression on your personal commitment to each other. Most clergy are willing to allow certain adaptations of traditional vows, as long as the basic tenets of those vows are expressed in one form or another. These tenets, in most religions, are promises to be true to each other in good times and in bad and in sickness and in health; and to love and honor each other “until death do you part.” They may also include pledges to cherish and respect each other. If you decide to write your own vows, keep in mind the following tips:
· Make sure your vows express who you are, reflecting your beliefs and sensibilities.
· If you decide to personalize your vows, avoid sweeping generalizations-make your word personally meaningful.
· Keep it brief. Simplicity and brevity can be far more elopement than overblown metaphors.
· Even if you plan to memorize your vows, make sure you or the officiant has a written copy in case you go blank and forget what comes next.
· If you come from two different cultures or two different faiths, vows that commit to building bridges of understanding and honoring each other’s traditions are particularly meaningful.
. The groom must be the leader and assume greater responsibility to fulfill the marriage covenant. As covenant initiator, he must commit himself to the purposes of marriage which God established in the beginning. And these must be reflected in his vows.
