Eloping Vows — Example Wedding Vows

Traditional Vows

Traditional “Do you ...?” “I do.” vows

Are these the most traditional vows? Many people refer to their ceremonies as “Saying our ‘I dos’.”

(Officiant) “Do you, John, take Mary to be your lawfully-wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, to be faithful to her, so long as you both shall live?”
(John) “I do.”

(Officiant) “Do you, Mary, take John to be your lawfully-wedded husband, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, to be faithful to him, so long as you both shall live?”
(Mary) “I do.”

Traditional repeat-after-me vows

(Officiant) “Chris, please repeat after me. I, Chris, take you, Kim, to be my lawfully-wedded spouse.”
(Chris) “I, Chris, take you, Kim, to be my lawfully-wedded spouse.”

(Officiant) “I know in my heart that you will be my constant friend,”
(Chris) “I know in my heart that you will be my constant friend,”

(Officiant) “my faithful partner in life, and my one true love.”
(Chris) “my faithful partner in life, and my one true love.”

(Officiant) “I pledge to you, in the presence [of God and] these witnesses,”
(Chris) “I pledge to you, in the presence [of God and] these witnesses,”

(Officiant) “to stay by your side in sickness and in health,”
(Chris) “to stay by your side in sickness and in health,”

(Officiant) “in joy and in sorrow, in good times and in bad.”
(Chris) “in joy and in sorrow, in good times and in bad.”

(Officiant) “This is my solemn vow.”
(Chris) “This is my solemn vow.”

(Officiant) “Kim, please repeat after me. I, Kim, take you, Chris, to be my lawfully-wedded spouse.”
(Kim) “I, Kim, take you, Chris, to be my lawfully-wedded spouse.”

(Officiant) “I know in my heart that you will be my constant friend,”
(Kim) “I know in my heart that you will be my constant friend,”

(Officiant) “my faithful partner in life, and my one true love.”
(Kim) “my faithful partner in life, and my one true love.”

(Officiant) “I pledge to you, in the presence [of God and] these witnesses,”
(Kim) “I pledge to you, in the presence [of God and] these witnesses,”

(Officiant) “to stay by your side in sickness and in health,”
(Kim) “to stay by your side in sickness and in health,”

(Officiant) “in joy and in sorrow, in good times and in bad.”
(Kim) “in joy and in sorrow, in good times and in bad.”

(Officiant) “This is my solemn vow.”
(Kim) “This is my solemn vow.”

Traditional say-them-yourself vows

(Officiant) “Lisa and Morgan have written their own vows, and they would like to share them with us today. Morgan, would you begin, please?”

(Morgan) “Lisa, I take you to be my lawfully-wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.”

(Officiant) “Lisa, would you respond, please.”

(Lisa) “Morgan, I take you to be my lawfully-wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.”

Modern Vows

Modern “Do you ...?” “I do.” vows

(Officiant) “Do you, Dave, take Liz to be your best friend, your faithful partner, and your one true love? Do you promise to encourage her and to inspire her through good times and bad? Do you promise to laugh with her and cry with her, to lift her up when she is down, and to love her unconditionally through all of your adventures in your life together?”
(Dave) “I do.”

(Officiant) “Do you, Liz, take Dave to be your best friend, your faithful partner, and your one true love? Do you promise to encourage him and to inspire him through good times and bad? Do you promise to laugh with him and cry with him, to lift him up when he is down, and to love him unconditionally through all of your adventures in your life together?”
(Liz) “I do.”

Modern repeat-after-me vows

(Officiant) “Casey, please repeat after me. I take you to be my partner in life and my one true love.”
(Casey) “I take you to be my partner in life and my one true love.”

(Officiant) “I will cherish our friendship,”
(Casey) “I will cherish our friendship,”

(Officiant) “and I will love you today, tomorrow, and forever.”
(Casey) “and I will love you today, tomorrow, and forever.”

(Officiant) “Whatever may come, I will always be there for you.”
(Casey) “Whatever may come, I will always be there for you.”

(Officiant) “As I have given you my hand to hold,”
(Casey) “As I have given you my hand to hold,”

(Officiant) “so I give you my life to keep.”
(Casey) “so I give you my life to keep.”

(Officiant) “Justice, please repeat after me. I take you to be my partner in life and my one true love.”
(Justice) “I take you to be my partner in life and my one true love.”

(Officiant) “I will cherish our friendship, and I will love you today, tomorrow, and forever.”
(Justice) “I will cherish our friendship,”

(Officiant) “and I will love you today, tomorrow, and forever.”
(Justice) “and I will love you today, tomorrow, and forever.”

(Officiant) “Whatever may come, I will always be there for you.”
(Justice) “Whatever may come, I will always be there for you.”

(Officiant) “As I have given you my hand to hold,”
(Justice) “As I have given you my hand to hold,”

(Officiant) “so I give you my life to keep.”
(Justice) “so I give you my life to keep.”

Modern say-them-yourself vows

(Officiant) “Today Cindy and Joe would like to share the vows that they have written. Joe, would you read your vows to Cindy, please?”

(Joe) “Cindy, I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness, and to have the patience that love demands. To speak when words are needed, and to share the silence when they are not. To live within the warmth of your heart, and always call it home.”

(Officiant) “Cindy, would you please read your vows to Joe?”

(Cindy) “Joe, I vow to fiercely love you, in all your forms, now and forever. I promise to remember that this is a once-in-a-lifetime love. I vow to love you, and no matter what challenges might carry us apart, we will always find a way back to each other.”