Wondering what to include in wedding vows? A great vow has three parts. Here they are, plus what to leave out.
Include these
- A personal address — say their name, set the tone.
- One memory or what you love — a specific moment or a few real things about them.
- Your promises — two or three, in your words, things you will actually do.
Leave these out
- Inside jokes no one else will understand
- Long lists of adjectives (“kind, smart, beautiful, funny…”)
- Anything that sounds like a toast rather than a promise
- A timeline of your whole relationship — one moment is enough
The test
Read it aloud. If it feels like you talking to them, it is right. If it feels like a speech, trim.
Want a draft with all three parts from your story? We can help →