How To Decide Whether Or Not To Have Traditional Wedding Vows
I think it’s safe to say that your wedding is the biggest day of your life; it’s no joke when everyone refers to it as “the big day.” All the attention is on you, you’ve planned for months (maybe even years!) to get all the details right, and most importantly, it’s the day to show your loved ones that you’re confident to move on to the next chapter of life with the love of your life. Things don’t get better than this, trust me!
So, when it comes to spending the rest of your life with your significant other, what are some of the things that come to mind? Were there things that you’ve always wanted to promise to him/her but just didn’t find the right opportunity to slide in something cheesy yet sweet? If so, then what are wedding vows for?! You’ll need to decide if you want to say traditional wedding vows or write your own!
You’ll notice a lot more brides and grooms writing their own wedding vows to make the ceremony that much more personal.
It is one of the cutest ways to announce your love story to the world, too! Otherwise, who would know you vow to make her your classic General Tao Chicken every Friday night, WITHOUT FAIL?
Now, it definitely sounds extremely flowery and romantic to write your own vows but remember that this process is definitely very time-consuming. You do need to sit down and work through all the pointers and everything you’re going to say in front of your 100+ guests—you better put some serious work into it! So, with that in mind, say you’re planning your wedding and vows come up on your list. To save the time, would you have the officiator just read out the traditional wedding vows with you saying “I do” at the end of it all? Or, did you want to go the extra mile and pen something special for the books? Here’s how to decide!
How much time do you have?
Building on what was said above, writing your wedding vows takes time—you have to go down memory lane at times to see what you can pick and choose from your time together and incorporate into your big day as a promise. So, if you’re ok with committing a couple (or more) date nights to sitting around with some nachos and pizza while figuring out what to include in your list of vows, then I’m all for it! But, also keep in mind that you reading the vows during the actual ceremony will prolong the event. So, if you’re ok with the time that’s involved in coming up with a thoughtful set of vows and then adding a few extra minutes to your ceremony, then go nuts—tell everyone you promise your love the world and beyond in your unique way!
Can you make them personal?
This one is important! If you’re thinking of saying generic, lovey-dovey vows like “I promise to stand by you through thick and thin” (which is important, of course!) then consider going with the traditional wedding vows and calling it a day!
You should include tidbits of your love story or something personal that no other couple would mention in their vows on their big day. Make them meaningful but also something memorable for your guests and your partner. Do you tend to leave remnants of mascara on the bathroom’s granite counter top, every now and then, while getting ready for date night? If so, then vow to buy some extra makeup wipes from here on in so the mascara stays on your lashes and not on the counter!
Do both of you want to write your vows?
Believe it or not, but sometimes you’re not on the same page with your partner about things involved in the wedding. So, you may want to write cutesy vows to express your love but he may not. In this situation, simply talk it out. Why is it important for you to write them? Why does he not want to? Remember, discussions are the solution to everything!
