The content in this blog post first appeared in my monthly newsletter in November of 2024. Sign up here for first access to more content like this!
Hi Friend!
Literally how is it already November? On the one hand, I’m very ready for fireplaces hot chocolate and cozy sweater snuggles, spending time with family, and eating lots of good food. On the other hand, this year just feels like it’s going by way too fast, and I’m not sure I’m mentally prepared for 2025 yet. Well, at least I have two months still.
This month’s newsletter is all about how to write your own vows. Whether you choose to say personalized vows to each other during your ceremony, say them to each other in private, or write them to each other in letters that you read on the morning of your elopement, during your ceremony, or on your wedding night, personalizing your wedding vows is a really meaningful way to express your feelings to your partner on your wedding day.
Now I know that not everyone is a writer, and that’s okay! I am including three writing prompts to help get the creative juices flowing. To write beautiful vows, you definitely don’t need to use all three prompts, or even any of them! But if you can’t think of anywhere to start, here are some suggestions:
Vow writing prompt #1:
Think about the moment you knew you were in love with your partner – before you ever told them. How did you know? What made you fall in love with them?
Everyone loves to be reminded of the origin of their love story. It doesn’t matter that they are one of the main characters in it. It doesn’t matter that they have heard you tell it several times before. Maybe you have a detail that you have never shared with them, or maybe you don’t. All that really matters is that you are reminding them that you love them.
Vow writing prompt #2:
Write about the things you love most about your partner and why you want to spend the rest of your life with them.
Don’t be afraid to get specific with this one. Anyone could tell her she’s beautiful – but you, her best friend, her soul mate, the person who knows her better than anyone else, can tell her why she’s the most beautiful woman in the world to you. Maybe it’s the freckles on her nose, or the crinkles around her eyes from countless nights spent laughing with you. Anyone can tell him he’s funny, but only you know the exact corny joke that made you fall in love with him. Only you know the cheesy TV show that the two of you love to laugh at together and the fact that you can’t imagine the rest of your life laughing at any other show with any other person.
Vow writing prompt #3:
Share your hopes and dreams for the future, and how you plan to build a life together.
There’s nothing more romantic than realizing your partner has dreams for your future together. If there is one thing I have learned after five years of marriage, it’s that plans can and will change. But dreams that are focused on spending the rest of your lives together, living a happy and full life together, being flexible and willing to adapt to new situations that will arise, and prioritizing each others’ happiness will last a lot longer than any plans, and it’s what everyone wants to hear from their partner.
How To Go the Extra Mile
Now that you have composed beautiful vows, it’s time to make them just a little extra special. Because it’s for your wedding day, it’s for the love of your life, and going the extra mile will really help make this moment a special memory. Below are some suggestions that I’ve been loving lately:
- If you and your partner plan on saying your vows to each other, consider hiring a calligrapher to write them out and frame them for your spouse’s bedside table.
- If your partner likes or has tattoos, maybe the two of you could pick a line from the vows to have tattooed after the wedding.
- If you’re presenting your partner with a written letter, make sure everything is spelled correctly and written legibly on nice stationary.
- Consider recording an audio or video clip that your partner can keep and re-listen or re-watch for years to come.
- If you want to say traditional vows during your ceremony, saying or writing personal vows either during your first look or during portraits can be a really special way to promise your lives to each other in a more private setting.
Final Thoughts
How you communicate your vows to each other is completely up to you. My husband and I chose to say traditional vows to each other during our wedding ceremony, and then later that night we exchanged letters to each other with personalized vows inside. It was really special and one of my favorite memories from our wedding day.
I hope these suggestions have been helpful to you as you write your vows! Don’t forget to subscribe to my monthly wedding planning newsletter for access to my freebies – helpful wedding planning guides such as “Sample Wedding Day Timeline”, “The Wedding Day Family Photo Shot List”, “Leave No Trace Wedding Guest Guide”, and so many more!
*All my blog posts contain a selection of images that I’ve taken. If you are interested in booking a wedding or session with me, I am more than happy to send you a full gallery upon request!
I’m a wife, a dog mom, a foodie, a wanderer, a registered nurse, and a couples/intimate wedding/elopement photographer … and this blog will cover it all! If you enjoyed this post, first of all thank you, and second of all please follow me on Instagram + Facebook and sign up for my monthly newsletter to get exclusive wedding planning advice and access to all of my new (and old) freebies! If you have any questions about elopement photography, my journey from nursing to photography, or my time spent as a full-time RVer, drop a comment and I just might write a blog post answering your question (but I definitely will)!
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