Source: modwedding.com
To have and to hold, in sickness and in health; we’ve all heard these traditional vows so often, they can start to lose their true meaning. While traditional vows are still quite beautiful, many couples are opting to add additional vows that have special meaning just for them, as a way to make their promises feel more personal, immediate, and unique. Here’s some cool additions that can make your vows even more emotional and important for you, your new spouse, and the whole crowd.
Acknowledge Family:
When you make your vows to your spouse, you promise to love and honor them forever. However, in many cases, there were already people that made that promise to your fiance: their families! If your fiance is particularly close to his or her parents, you might want to include a special vow made to your new in-laws. Letting them know that you are grateful for the love they’ve shown your spouse and that you intend to honor their commitment with your own behavior is a truly beautiful sentiment they are sure to hold very dearly.
You can also make family vows if one or both of you has children that you’ll be bringing into your new marriage. Letting your step-children know that you are also promising to love and honor them is a wonderful gesture that can help get your blended family off on the right foot.
Honor Your Unique Love:
Every relationship has its own language, traditions, and stories. So much of who you are as a couple is reflected in the little, day-to-day tasks you do to make one another happy. Think about the things you do just to make your fiance’s life easier, and take time to pledge that you will continue doing these things forever. Whether it’s making their favorite milkshake when they’re exhausted, or taking a trip to a new town every year, turning the specific details that make your relationship so special into vows is a great way to honor your romance.
Remember that Life is Hard:
It’s easy to be a partner when skies are blue and tempers are sunny. The reason traditional vows include lines like “in sickness” is because the difficult times of life are where the love and support of your spouse is the most critical. Your life together will certainly has ups and downs, and just about everyone harbors a secret fear that, when times get tough, they’ll end up alone.
Take time in your vows to acknowledge that you aren’t signing up for the good times alone, but also to be a rock of strength for your partner when the floodwaters rise. Speaking to that internal fear and reassuring your partner that you’re in it for good and bad is an important part of any personal vows.
