What were your vows?

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

Would you mind sharing with me what you chose to say as your wedding vows?

I've been looking at various ones, and picking bits and pieces out of various types, but am still a bit stuck.

I would really appreciate hearing what other people had. Thanks!

 

[seebs]

Unfortunately, we LOST ours! So we have no idea. I do know that the minister said "wilful wedded" and I said "yes" anyway. We had ours on the computer, and I made a stupid mistake which caused me to erase files I had no backups of... So we don't know.

We pretty much went with promising to love and cherish always. We had exactly the same vows (except for the speako), neither of us promised to "obey", and we didn't actually have "forsaking all others", although we consider our relationship an exclusive one. (No extracurricular activities for us!)

 

[elm0]

I could lend you our DVD, but I think you already have a copy handy

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

Yeah thanks Elm0 - and I watch it too much as it is!

I think it's beautiful...

Sasch

 

[gracefaith]

We used the traditional vows from the Book of Common Prayer because we think they are very poetic and we like that they have been said by couple for centuries. (You know the one, "....for richer, for poorer, etc.")

Upon investigation, we found that the words for the exchange of rings is usually truncated from the original. "With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee honor, with all my worldly goods I thee endow. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen." This was very meaningful to us, because the phrase with my body I thee honor (which is usually left out - at least in the States) seemed like a beautiful way of saying 1) that we were commiting ourselves to physical (sexual) faithfulness and chastity and 2) that we valued our bodies and our spouses so much that we had saved our virginity for each other.

I had this really cool site I wanted to recommend to you but I can't find off hand. When I find it, I'll PM you.

 

[jd032700]

I really wanted the traditional vows and my husband didn't care, so we did the "for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others as long as we both shall live." ( I don't know if I put them in the right order, but we said them all ) We did it with our ring ceremony though, which is a little different I guess.

 

[jd032700]

Upon investigation, we found that the words for the exchange of rings is usually truncated from the original. "With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee honor, with all my worldly goods I thee endow. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen." This was very meaningful to us, because the phrase with my body I thee honor (which is usually left out - at least in the States) seemed like a beautiful way of saying 1) that we were commiting ourselves to physical (sexual) faithfulness and chastity and 2) that we valued our bodies and our spouses so much that we had saved our virginity for each other.

That's really cool. I didn't know that. Wish I had.

 

[Zoomer]

We did the traditional vows

I _____ take you, _____ , to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy will; and I pledge you my faithfulness.
I, ___ , take you, _____to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy will; and I pledge you my faithfulness.

 

[lsrichey]

One thing we did was to quote Ruth 1 16-17.
16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me
We also had the traditional vows, With Obey and Till death do we part. I can't remember all of them.

 

[LiberatedChick]

My husband and I married in a civil ceremony which doesn't allow anything religious...so no vows from the Book of Common Prayer for us (though we would have liked them). So we each said the standard...

"I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, *name*, do take thee *name* to be my lawful wedded husband."

Then we said these vows whilst exchanging rings...

"With this ring
I vow to laugh with you in joy,
To grieve with you in sorrow,
To be faithful to you
And to cherish and respect you
As long as we both shall live."

 

[yeshuaskid]

My husband and I wrote our vowes. After we read them...we took the traditional vowes.

 

[YAWANNAKNOWJESUS?]

We had the traditional vows as well.

 

[Oblivious]

Traditional...

 

[seebs]

Where do these "traditional vows" come from?

 

[pegatha]

Ours were also the traditional vows you'd find in just about any American ceremony (love, cherish, honor, etc.) except that we omitted promise of obedience. The one rather unusual part was that we promised, "Till death do us part, or the Lord Jesus Christ returns."

 

[hollymarie1122]

traditional the only thing we did "differen't" was we had our unity candle lit and lit the candle that represented US but left the two that represented US as idividuals lit to show that though we are now as one we are also individuals

 

[Crazy Liz]

Where do these "traditional vows" come from?

The ones we used came out of the back of my grandpa's old Methodist Hymnal, except he took out "obey." We also thought what it said with the exchange of rings was a little archaic, so we each wrote something to say to the other when giving our rings - not exactly vows, just words we said to each other. I don't know if I could find them now, though.

There are several "traditional" forms, often found in denominational prayer books or service books. I think the idea of using a ceremony your guests will recognize, that have been used over a long time is a good thing. You'll be glad later, as you go to other weddings, when they remind you of yours.

 

[seebs]

Neither of the weddings I've been to since mine used "traditional" vows. Ah, well. We have a pretty good idea whta we meant, and not knowing exactly what we said lets us renegotiate on key points. (e.g., after about six years of debate over household chores, we agreed that I can have a mistress if she does dishes.)

 

[JulesM]

LOL. That's funny!!

 

[Zoomer]

As well as traditional vows we also pledged this...

Pastor:
Will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony as God ordained it? Will you nourish and cherish her as Christ loved His body the Church, giving Himself up for her? Will you love, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others remain united to her alone, as long as you both shall live? Then say: I will.

Pastor:
Will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony as God ordained it? Will you submit to him as the Church submits to Christ? Will you love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others remain united to him alone, as long as you both shall live? Then say: I will.