The essence of wedding vows

By Esther Muchene

One of the most memorable moments of a wedding is the exchange of vows. Depending on the couple’s preference, your vows can be religious, secular, traditional, humorous, romantic or a unique composition. What is important is that it comes from the heart. Your wedding vows can set the tone of the wedding and most importantly your marriage.

Dos and don’ts of wedding vows

• If you will be personalised, inform the officiant to ensure everything is clear and to avoid a clash.

• Discuss with your partner and agree on the kind of vows you want to exchange.

• Depending on the mood you want to set for the wedding, decide the tone of the vows. It could be mushy, romantic or comical.

• Make sure the vows come from your heart.

• Keep it short and straight to the point. No one wants to hear you go on and on about each other. The fact that you’re getting married already speaks tons without having to tell the whole story of your lives together. Avoid mentioning inappropriate or unnecessary statements that can make them squirm.

• Remember, your vows don’t have to be similar.

• Once you have written the vows, read them out aloud to each other. This will help you identify what needs to removed or added to bring in the desired flavour.

• To preserve the memories, why not have the vows written or printed in a nice parchment paper and have them framed? It will remind you why you fell in love and hopefully bring back the spark.

Below are sample phrases to help you custom-make your vows to suit your tastes.

‘’As long as we both shall live……..’’

‘’I, Jesse take you Ann as my lifetime partner…….”

‘’ From this day henceforth……”

“For as long as we both shall live….’’

‘’Until death do us part….”

‘’For as long as we shall both love….”

Yes, some couples use the last phrase, which could explain why many couples separate or divorce as soon as the love wanes.