These two little words are seen as the cornerstone of any Wedding Ceremony; the logical conclusion of three other little words : 'I love you'.

Your vows are central to the entire Wedding Ceremony, and you want to take your time and make sure that they reflect what you really want to say. Even the 'standard' wording will differ, depending on whether you have a religious or civil ceremony. While some couples are keen to follow the traditional wording used by many thousands of wedded couples over the years, others want to express something personal and individual, and put their own stamp on the proceedings.

If you have chosen a particular theme or style for your wedding (e.g. Medieval, Celtic), your vows should be written to reflect that choice.

There are many sources you can turn to for inspiration: Wedding Books, the Internet, Poetry, to name just a few. Any of these will assist you in creating your expression of commitment to each other through your vows. Your best source of inspiration might be the person you have promised to marry. Think about them, about how they make you feel, and try your best to put those feelings into words. Your vows will be heard by many people but the person you are addressing them to is your beloved.

You MUST however include a promise to be a wife, husband or spouse by using the legally required sentence –

“I call upon the person here present to witness that I, A.B. (or C.D.), take thee, C.D. (or A.B.) to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband)”; or words to that effect.

For example it would be permissible to change the minimum words in the following ways:

• “call upon” to “ask”,
• “persons” to “people”;
• “thee” to “you”, or
• “husband: or “wife” to “spouse”

The only other legal requirement is the inclusion of the Celebrants Authority in which the Celebrant declares the following:

I am duly authorised by law to solemnise marriages according to law. Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.

Please consider the length of your vows and remember that nerves will have a presence on your special day. So you need to be careful in choosing whether you will memorise your vows, read them from your wedding booklet, or repeat them after they are read out by your celebrant. There is a good reason why couples commonly choose the last method!

Although writing your own vows may appear to be an overwhelming task, keep in mind that this is your day, full of love and romance, a promise of your commitment to each other. Have fun creating your vows and be assured that your words will be accepted by all.