Planning a wedding requires a great deal of decision making, and one of the most important features on your big day is your vows, easily trumping the cake, catering and photography put together. The lasting words you pronounce to each other during your wedding ceremony lend meaning to everything else that occurs that day, including the promises you make to one another, setting the tone for your marriage.
For better or for worse
The familiar phrases such as, “for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, until death do us part,” have been recited for centuries at traditional wedding ceremonies, but more recently have often been replaced by carefully crafted personalized vows of commitment by brides and grooms who want a more unique way to express who they are as a couple. If you are considering writing your own vows for your impending wedding, be sure to weigh all of the pros and cons before committing.
Heartfelt vows
The first thing to decide is whether both of you are equally excited about the thought of writing your own heartfelt vows and reciting them in front of all of your wedding guests. If you are both on board, contact your wedding officiant to make sure you have approval from your clergy if it will be a religious ceremony. Although some religions are strict on using specific wording, some may allow you to add personal vows as well.
Combining traditional and custom wedding vows is a way of honoring classic rituals in a distinctive manner. Most non-denominational ceremonies are open to personalized vows, which can be as original as each couple, whether short and sweet, silly and fun, or heartfelt and poetic. Read on for some of the pros and cons of writing your own vows.
The Pros of choosing your own wedding vows
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- Your wedding ceremony will have an intimate feeling tailored to your relationship
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- You will express your love for one another in a creative manner, ensuring special memories that will always stay with you
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- Your guests will enjoy a charming element of surprise
- Your personalized wedding will give your guests a peek at who you are, both as individuals and as a couple
The Cons
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- One of you has a way with words, while the other struggles with even writing a coherent text or email
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- You may not agree on things such as how long the vows should be or the tone you would like to set (one wants to express their deepest feelings, while the other wants to make people laugh)
- Speaking in front of a crowd makes you break out in a cold sweat (or worse)
At Villa del Palmar Cancun, our expert wedding planners are on hand to offer advice on any aspect of your wedding, taking care of all the details so you can concentrate on your big day.
