Top Tips for NZ Couples on Writing Wedding Vows

A quick search of Google is going to give you plenty of advice on writing marriage vows. It’s the narrowing down of that advice to use only the best bits which takes time. So, we’ve done it for you!

Here are our top tips on how you write your wedding vows:

  • Don’t leave writing vows to the last minute – your vows are as every bit as important as the venue or food because you are sharing your true feelings of your partner with friends and family of you both.
  • Get inspired first - read a range of vows written by other couples. You may find some which you can use as inspiration to write your own or which you can simply adapt. Inspiration can also come from books, songs, movies and poems, as often they may have a special meaning for you both, such as the first movie you saw together. Your celebrant is also a resource to tap for examples of vows.
  • Write down key points about your relationship. Include things such as why you’ve decided to get married, and the special things about your fiancé. Take the time to really consider your feelings, plus what will you bring to this marriage and write your wedding vows from the heart.
  • Agree on the tone of the vows with your fiancé – you both need to know whether to word them formally or casually.
  • Keep your vows to one to two minutes - make them simple and straightforward, editing out what’s not important. Start with a rough draft of your marriage vows, then fine-tune it by adding or removing points.
  • Ask for a someone you trust to give you their opinion on them. There’s also nothing wrong with checking them with your partner before the wedding too.
  • Practice saying your vows out loud - this will give you a real feeling on how your vows are. Do they make sense? Should you add or remove sentences to make them flow better?
  • Cue cards are ok! - If you can’t remember your vows, it’s okay to use cue cards during your ceremony.

For more great advice on writing your marriage vows, check out our Wedding Speeches guide, which is full of great tips!