Agggghhhhhh Vows!
The bane of most couple’s ‘to do’ list but then the subsequent highlight of most ceremonies.
Where to start?
What to write?
How does one convey their entire relationship into a few short paragraphs?
As overwhelming as the task may appear, let me be the first to say:
IT’S ALL WORTH IT!
The crowd love it, I love it, and most importantly of all; your partner will love it!
So where to start….?
If you’re the kind of person that likes to work within parameters,
here’s my top tips:
Tell them that you love them and why
Acknowledge the challenges. (eg It was a rocky start but I’m so glad we stuck with it, etc.)
People prefer ‘real’ over ‘perfect’.
Make a few promises. Some can be heartfelt, (eg I promise to have your back.) Some can be funny (I promise to let you hold the remote control.. sometimes etc) .
Let them know how your world is better because of them.
This can be anything from: you help me be a better version of myself – to – I’ve learnt to extend my culinary skills beyond toast because of you.
Try to avoid words like never and always. We’re all human so let’s keep things realistic. Are you really able to promise to …
Peri & Phil woe the crowd like absolute pros!
How long should they be?
I get my couples to send me their vows so I can print to bring on the day.
Firstly, so I can check that they’re in sync with each other and
Secondly, so you have one less thing to remember on the day.
Because of this, I know exactly how long works best and so advise, nothing that goes over an A5 page.
It’s best to chat to your partner and agree to plan.
Choosing the amount of sentences or paragraphs is a good start.
Surprise Vows – Pros & Cons
If I had a penchant for maths, (which I definitely don’t) I’d say that about 80% of my couples choose to keep their vows secret from each other.
They can have very different vibes and one party might feel let down.
(Note – this is avoided by sharing them with me first!)
You could misjudge the other’s limits or sense of humour etc
(Once again, I help avoid this.)
Tends to get bigger laughs (if that is you want.)
Everyone loves a surprise… don’t they?
I always say; ‘It’s not a successful wedding until the Groom cries’.
Waylon ticked all Aimee’s boxes and we loved the sh*t out of if! Photo – Turbo 360
Ninja Vows – WTF are those?
Ohhhhhh baby, Ninja vows are THE BEST!!!!!
So basically, you write each other’s vows, don’t share them, send them to your celebrant and then read them out in front of everyone for the first time on the day.
I know, I know, that sounds a bit heavy…
But trust me, it’s nothing short of hilarious and everyone loves them, especially you two.
It takes the pressure out of saying everything with perfect precision, allows you to put in all the cheeky promises you WISH they’d make and turns the humour dial up to 11.
So if you and your partner feel like taking the pressure down on everything, I highly recommend you consider ninja vows.
You can still work out your basic length/feel etc, and put in plenty of heartfelt bits as well.
In Summery…
Don’t put them off to the last minute, or the final job on the list.
You’ll need some breathing space leading up to the big day, and until these bad boys are done, you won’t be able to relax.
Talk to your partner and agree on feel/length etc
Short, sharp and punchy is the key. The longer they are, the longer you’ll be up there speaking them on the day. For most folk, this is a scary thought.
Have Fun! You’re not writing an essay, or filling in a tax return.
You’re writing about the love of you life, you’re favourite person in the world.
What could be more fun than that?!
Good Luck Compadres!
This content was originally published here.