YOUR VOWS

Wedding vows are really just a promise (or promises) that you make to each other about your future together. They can be a separate and unique part of the ceremony, or they can be included in the Expression of Intent (the “I dos”). Your vows are a very important part of your wedding day, but a departure from tradition permits the exchange of vows outside of the actual ceremony…. but more about that in a minute. Essentially there are 3 ways in which you can exchange your vows;

1. Write and read your own It is important to know that you would read your vows on your wedding day and not have to recite them from memory. We will print the vows you send us on index cards and will hand them to you at the appropriate point in the ceremony – OR you may elect to write them in special keepsake vow books and read from there.

2. Select from a wide variety of sample vows to find those that best suit your thoughts and ideas. These will then be printed for you to read from at the ceremony.

3. A private exchange of wedding vows. (more about this follows)

PRIVATE EXCHANGE OF VOWS; You don’t have to make a heartfelt speech at the altar if that doesn’t sound like your jam. Instead, you and your partner can enjoy private vows—where you simply read your vows to each other (like you would at the altar) in privacy prior to the ceremony, or write each other letters with your vows in them that you can read separately while getting ready OR share the letters during your first look photos and let the photographer capture the emotions on your face as you read the “love letter”. Either way, penning private vows instead of reading them aloud into a microphone definitely has its perks as you can see below…. ● You won’t have to stand in front of your guests and pour your heart out. If you’re shy and the thought of spilling your guts in front of hundreds of people gives you hives, private vows are probably a good choice for you. Of course, your feelings for your spouse likely span the deepest corners of your soul, but if you don’t want to express those feelings in front of every single person in your lives, you definitely don’t have to. ● You can say whatever you want. When you know you’re reading your vows in front of all of your family members (yes, including Great Aunt Sally), you probably get a sense that you’ll have to, well, censor yourself. (For the record, it’s probably a good idea to leave certain things out.) But if you know your vows are for your partner’s eyes—or ears—only, you can talk about whatever you darn well please. ● It will feel extremely intimate and personal. Imagine the most romantic moment of your life and multiply that by 1,000. When you read or hear words meant just for you, by the love of your life, on one of the most important days you’ll ever have, you’ll probably need some waterproof mascara. ● You’ll get great photos (if you want). Going off of that, if you choose to invite your photographer to capture the moment you read each other’s vows or say them privately, we can pretty much guarantee you’ll get some of your favourite photos from your entire wedding day.

Whether you choose to read your vows in the ceremony, or share them in private, we can help with the process of writing your vows. We have lots of ideas that will help you go through the process systematically. We are happy to share these ideas and tips with you.