Brides- and grooms-to-be will no doubt want to say something truly memorable and special to their new spouse. While poems and self-authored readings are great options, those couples with strong foundations in Christian churches may consider reading one of the following Bible passages:

Proverbs 15:17
A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate. (NLT)

Proverbs 17:9
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. (NLT)

Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (NIV)

Proverbs 30:18-19
There are three things that amaze me—
no, four things that I don’t understand:
how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman. (NLT)

Song of Solomon 4:10
How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice! (NIV)

Song of Solomon 8:6
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. (NIV)

Song of Solomon 8:7
Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned. (NIV)

1 Corinthians 13:1-8a and 13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails….And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Ephesians 5:25
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (NIV)

Ephesians 5:33
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (NIV)

Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (NIV)

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (NIV)

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Colossians 3:12-19
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

It is because the vows are such a major part of the legal ceremony that many couples have resorted to reciting the traditional or legal vows of their faith or country. The traditional vows that are most commonly used are along the lines of:

I, (name and surname), take you (name and surname), to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.

However, certain religions have their own traditional vows. For example, a fairly common Muslim wedding vow reads:

Bride: “I, (name and surname), offer you myself in marriage and in accordance with the instructions of the Holy Koran and the Holy Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him. I pledge, in honesty and with sincerity, to be for you an obedient and faithful wife.”

Groom: “I pledge, in honesty and sincerity, to be for you a faithful and helpful husband.”

While these are safe options and perfectly acceptable, some couples may feel that they are not personalised enough. Really, the vows should reflect the personalities of the bride and groom and should express the unique relationship that they share. This is how they are known by those close to them, and it would be appropriate to include elements such as humour, romance, poems or ethnic references. The important thing is that the vows of the couple are heartfelt, genuine and meaningful to them.

Some options for personalised wedding vows:

1. Reading a scripture is important to some couples that share a strong religious belief. Words from the Bible can be solemn, encouraging, romantic and upbuilding. Common favourites include 1 Corinthians 13:4 – 8; Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4 – 6 and Ephesians 5:21 – 33.
2. Poetry can be very romantic and personal, whether it is an existing poem or one written by the bride and / or groom. However, there is major potential for giggles if either of them is not a capable writer so it is wise to use this only if the couple is sure that it will be effective. It is also recommended that other people are allowed to read the poems for an objective opinion beforehand.
3. The best personalised vows are heartfelt sentiments expressed to one another face-to-face or by reading a letter. These could include the reasons you love that person, what you look forward to in your new life together, how they make you feel and what promises you would like to make to them. This gives the couple the opportunity to express their real love and devotion to one another in a very special, public way; an opportunity that will not be repeated.

By making your wedding vows unique, you not only ensure that your guests remember them in the future, but also that they were as special and personal as it could be for you, as the couple.

OPTION 1

Bridegroom:

I, BRIDEGROOM, take you BRIDE, to be my wife, to have and to hold you from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, or for poorer, in sickness and in health.

I further promise to love you and cherish you, and be faithful to you for as long as we both shall live.

Bride:

I, BRIDE, take you BRIDEGROOM, to be my husband, to have and to hold you from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, or for poorer, in sickness and in health.

I further promise to love you and cherish you, and be faithful to you for as long as we both shall live.

OPTION 2

Bridegroom and Bride:

__________ with free and unconstrained soul, I give you all I am and all I am to become. Take this ring, and with it my promise of faith, patience, and love, for the rest of my life.

OPTION 3

Bridegroom:

______, I give you this ring; wear it with love and joy. I choose you to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward for better or for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish as long as we both shall live.

Bride:

______, I give you this ring; wear it with love and joy. I choose you to be my husband: to have and to hold, from this day forward. For better, for worse, for richer for poorer; in sickness and in health; to have and to cherish, as long as we both shall live. And hereto, I pledge you my faithfulness to show to you the same kind of love as Christ showed the Church when He died for her, and to love you as a part of myself because in His sight we shall be one.

It is a Christian custom to exchange rings as a symbol of love.

Whether you’ve been married 5,10, 25 or 50 years, renewing your wedding vows is an very romantic way of acknowledging your love and declaring your continuing commitment for each other, before family and friends.

It’s a ceremony that no official minister or judge need perform, instead the couple are free to ask anyone to lead the days celebrations, from best friends to their children – can you think of a more beautiful scene than children watching their parents joining hands and hearts as they affirm the magnitude and strength of their enduring love?

In this day and age when marriages seem to disintegrate easier and quicker than ever before, it’s it refreshing and inspiring to be of witness to a couple renewing their wedding vows?

The ceremony around renewing wedding vows can be as creative and personal as a couple wishes, from walking down the aisle together to their special song to exchanging new wedding bands to having an intimate ceremony in the comfort of their own home.

In fact there are no actual formalities for renewing wedding vows, the only “requirement” I guess, is that however the couple chooses to celebrate their very special occasion, the proceedings make them feel the depth and intensity of their love and devotion for each other.

During the ceremony the couple may wish to reflect on the years they’ve spent together so far, acknowledging the good times as well as the challenging ones, they may then wish to think about their future together, including taking time to create an inspiring vision together, outlining dreams and goals.

To create an even more intimate and personal occasion it is suggested that the couple write their own marriage vows, marriage vows written from the heart, serve as a source of strength and inspiration for a lifetime.