As part and parcel of your big wedding day, exchanging wedding vows in Singapore is one of the most highly anticipated events of the wedding. Wedding vows represent a promise of the couple’s love and commitment together, a pledge to live good times together and weather tough times ahead. How can you find the most suitable words to write the perfect wedding vows for him or her? You might be feeling extra nervous with the big day approaching, especially with the idea of having to say your wedding vows in front of both your family and friends.
Traditional wedding vows, personal vows or unique and hilarious ones, what kind of vibe do you intend to have? Don’t worry, writing wedding vows is not as difficult as you think it is! Expressing your sincerity and love is a lengthy process that requires you to sit down and ponder about how best to express your commitment. This article can provide some headers and inspiration to help you get started on your vows.
1. Reflect on your relationship
Mentioning instances of your time together, the romantic spark that created love, will help to personalise your vows and make for an entertaining anecdote. There are countless memories, both the good and the bad, that you’ve experienced with your partner together. It’ll be hard to squeeze all of these memories together in your wedding vows. Pick out 2 to 3 of these memories and talk about your experiences and what made your relationship the way it is now. These moments of self-reflection will make your wedding vows more genuine and heartwarming.
Here are some tips to get you going:
- Think about the time that you first met: the atmosphere, what you were thinking
- Think about what your time together means to you
- Remember the good things that you love about him or her
- Remember at least one memorable conversation that you had with each other
- Think about your similarities and differences
- Remember the tough and difficult times that you had with each other and how you overcame them
2. Promises and future plans
An important part to include in your wedding vows are the promises and future plans you have in store for your partner. Marriage is not just the endgame of a relationship, but rather a new beginning with life discoveries to unlock together. Therefore, ask yourself, what do you want to promise to your partner in the future? How will you play your part in ensuring your marriage remains strong and healthy in the years to come? By including these promises, not only will your fiancé and guests go “aww” with your touching declaration of loyalty, but it will help you in reflecting and planning your goals for the future together.
3. Plan it out before writing
You definitely want to plan out what points you want to cover before writing your wedding vows. Sure, you might say that it’s more natural to freestyle sometimes. But, remember that you don’t want to get carried away by one point and forget to cover others! More importantly, these wedding vows are not just written for your partner, but also for your wedding guests to witness your declaration of love. You have to decide on what kind of vibe you are aiming for. Is it going to be a funny wedding vow with inside jokes and entertaining stories, a modern wedding vow with unique twists, or an emotional one that will surely leave not just your partner, but also all of your wedding guests in tears? You can also do a combination of all of them. Bring your partner on a rollercoaster of emotions that have brought you both here today.
4. Avoid over-the-top jokes and excessive insider info
One common mistake in Singapore is the over-the-top inclusion of excessive insider jokes and intimate information in the wedding vows for each other. Some jokes can be included for a lighthearted tone, but too much insider information in a wedding vow may cause the wedding guests discomfort or awkwardness. Don’t forget – your mom, dad, future in-laws and grandparents are there listening to your speech! Try not to create a situation where you may embarrass yourself or your partner.
The vow is meant to express your sincerity and dedication to commit. If you intend to record your vows to serve as a keepsake, then aiming for some good sentences will let you relive the mood with feelings of love from the commitment pledge that you made for each other. All other private information and jokes can be saved for a love letter or a text message later.
5. Coordinate with your partner
Although couples are not supposed to read each other’s wedding vows, some coordination would be preferable on the length of the vow. There might be an awkward imbalance on the solemnization day when your partner’s vows lasted three pages while you only had one paragraph.
Share the kind of theme or mood you’re going for, or the prominent memories you’ll both want to share with your guests, but from different perspectives. Don’t reveal too much, though, as it should still be a pleasant surprise for your partner on your wedding day. Whether it is long or short, the most important thing is the essence of your feelings. Write your vows in the best way to capture your sentiments and a few simple lines will do the job well.
Here are some examples of the most heartfelt wedding vow examples:
Traditional Wedding Vows
I [bride/groom] take you, [bride/groom] to be by [wife/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 law, and this is my solemn vow.
The original wedding vows in The Book of Common Prayer:
Groom: I,____, take thee,_____, 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 do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.
Bride: I,_____, take thee,_____, 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, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth.
With this Ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Real life vow examples:
We have come to walk the same path that people worldwide have walked before us. At times it’ll rain, winds will blow and we may trip over obstacles. But over time, we will bravely get up again by holding each others’ hand. We’ll playfully smile at each other and say ‘It’s not a big deal. We’ll learn to continue walking even more firmly and bravely.
Song Joong Ki to Song Hye Kyo
I promise to give you the freedom to be the successful girl you always wanted to be.
Filipino American actor Drew Arellano to his wife
I will love you first and our daughter second.
Jay Chou to his wife Hannah
Song lyrics :
Cause all of me loves all of you. Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections.
All of Me, John Legend
You’ve been my inspiration. Through the lies you were the truth. My world is a better place because of you.
Because you love me, Celine Dion
Take my love. I’ll never ask for too much. Just all that you are. And everything that you do.
I have nothing, Whitney Houston
Take me to your heart. For it’s there that I belong. And will never part.
Love Me Tender, Elvis Presley
Baby it’s you. You’re the one I love, You’re the one I need, You’re the only one I see.
Love on Top, Beyoncé
Famous TV vows:
Cristina, I could promise to hold you and to cherish you. I could promise to be in sickness and in health. I could say, til death do us part. But I won’t. Those vows are for optimistic couples, the ones full of hope. And I do not stand here, on my wedding day, optimistic or full of hope. I am not optimistic, I am not hopeful, I am sure. I am steady. And I know that I am a heart man. I take them apart and I put them back together and I hold them in my hands. I am a heart man. So this I am sure, you are my partner, my lover, my very best friend, my heart, my heart beats for you. And on this day, the day of our wedding, I promise you this: I promise you to lay my heart in the palm of your hands, I promise you me.
Grey’s anatomy, Dr. Preston Burke
I wondered if I would ever find my prince, my soul mate. Then three years ago, at another wedding, I turned to a friend for comfort. And instead, I found everything that I’d ever been looking for my whole life. And now, here we are, with our future before us, and I only want to spend it with you, my prince, my soul mate, my friend.
Friends, Monica
Lily: I love you because you’re funny and you make me feel loved and you make me feel safe. And for our anniversary you gave me a sweatshirt that says, “Lily and Marshall: Rockin’ It Since ‘96”… but the main reason I love you is you make me happy. You make me happy all the time.
How I Met Your Mother, Lily
Jim: You are the one woman I want to be with, and the woman I can’t be without. I love you.
American Wedding, Jim
Michelle: I had trouble finding the words to tell you how I feel. And I realized something. Love isn’t just a feeling. Love is something you do. It’s a dress, a visit to band camp, a special haircut. Jim, you’ve given me everything I ever wanted, and it is my solemn vow to give everything I am to you.
American Wedding, Michelle
Feature image credits: Singaporebrides
