Real Examples of Personal Wedding Vows + Tips for Writing Your Own
Personal wedding vows are one of the sweetest ways to make your elopement ceremony truly your own, as you get to recount your relationship and love story with your partner.
As a videographer with Elope Outdoors, I always secretly hope that couples have written their vows. They are often emotional, sometimes funny, and send out echoes of true love testimony into the world.
Writing personal vows may seem overwhelming. You might think they need to perfectly and completely encapsulate your relationship and be flawlessly delivered.
In truth, your vows are meant to be nothing other than honest and heartfelt – that’s it.
While this article provides ideas for writing your vows, it’s important to note that you should 100% TRUST YOUR GUT because you know your love story best!
The Pre-Writing Process
Create an ideal setting to be in to write your vows. Turn on music from when you first started dating, look at old photos, or maybe watch old videos from your phone to inspire your favorite memories or stories.
Let yourself reminisce while you are preparing to write your vows.
I highly recommend using pen and paper over digital methods because words flow out onto the page differently when you physically write, plus your hand-crafted vows will become a lovely keepsake.
Consider printing your vows out to frame later on if you choose to type your vows.
The most common way people open their personal wedding vows is by saying their partner’s name. Sometimes people begin by sharing the nerves they feel, by sharing a quote, or by jumping right into a story of when they met.
From there, you might write an overarching summary of how you feel about your partner to serve as a preview of what else is to come. You can write that immediately as it comes to you, or you may decide to return to it after writing other parts.
Here are some examples of personal wedding vows below from our couples.
“Alexander, you have shown me a world I have only known in my dreams.”
“Foster my love, you are my soulmate, my very best friend, my fiercest protector, my ultimate ride or die.”
“Scott, from the moment we became close, deep down in my heart I knew you were my person.”
Watch these vows in the video below!
In the middle part of personal wedding vows, many couples make promises to their partner. This is just one way to express how you intend to treat your partner in the years to come.
Another option is to spend the middle section telling your partner exactly what you love about them. Think about their quirks, personality, and the things they do and say that are uniquely their own.
Perhaps my favorite was when Doug compared his love for Gabi to all the things he loved in his life – like Chipotle!
Watch below but get some tissues! This one is a tear-jerker!
Closing your vows can be as simple as saying the words “I love you.”
As you write, let the ending flow naturally and follow your heart.
You can choose to close everything up by summarizing everything you wrote, or you can end by looking to the future together.
There’s nothing better than a full belly laugh in the middle of a serious moment like a wedding ceremony.
If you can inject humor into your vows, it will relieve each other’s nerves and bring some lightheartedness to it all.
When it comes to comic relief, here are a few places to start:
- Mention anything funny or unexpected that happened on your first date or how you met
- Poke fun at your quirky habits that your partner lovingly tolerates
- Share an inside joke that only you two know about
- Find humor in about any mini-struggles you went through, like remodeling a house or recount the craziness in DIY’ing aspects of your elopement
If you cry during your vows, embrace it and LET YOURSELF CRY!
Instead of worrying about what you look like, let yourself feel what you are feeling. I honestly believe there is no such thing as an ugly cry at weddings and elopements!
Take a deep breath if you are having trouble, then keep going!
Tears are a beautiful expression of your heart. You’ll see in your final photos that we choose only the best ones that reveal emotion and truth and are aesthetically pleasing. We’ve got your back!
And if you don’t cry, that’s okay too! Let the moment be what it is, as it is beautiful either way!
In the video below, you’ll see one of my favorite ceremonies where Whitley and Danielle shared poignant, emotional vows.
Take a look and watch below for inspiration!
Writing personal vows isn’t for everyone! If you feel like you’d rather recite traditional vows, your officiant can help you find the best of what’s out there.
One of the perks of working with us at Elope Outdoors is that you get an officiant who will help you plan your ceremony!
Our officiants are a great sounding board for ideas and can provide advice as they have worked with hundreds of couples who have chosen to write their vows.
Reach out today if you’d like to learn more about eloping with us in Asheville, NC!
It would be our honor to support you with everything from planning your vows to finding the perfect location.
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