Complete Guide to Writing Destination Wedding Vows

A bride and groom share a wedding kiss in front of the ocean.

Wedding Date Availability

Wedding Vow Examples and How to Create Them

Every couple dreams of a wedding day that reflects the depth of their love story, and one of the most heartfelt moments of any ceremony is the exchange of vows. These promises, crafted from the depths of your heart, capture the essence of your love, setting the tone for your life together.

A groom reads his vows off a piece of paper at the altar.

Whether you’re drawing inspiration from traditional scripts or aiming for words that break away from the conventional, wedding vow examples can spark your creativity and guide you to pen vows that resonate. Are you ready to find the perfect words that reflect your bond and commitment? 

Why Personalized Vows Matter

In a world where cookie-cutter weddings are all too common, personalized wedding vows stand out as a breath of fresh air. Vows are a narrative of your journey together and a compass for your future. Here’s why taking the time to craft your vows is worth every moment:

Deepens Connection

Personalized vows reflect your relationship and shared experiences, deepening the connection between you and your partner as you recount the path you’ve traveled together and the dreams you harbor for the future.

Enhances Intimacy

Expressing your deepest feelings and commitments in front of family and friends elevates the intimacy of your ceremony, making it truly yours.

Leaves a Lasting Impression

Guests may forget the details of your wedding decor or menu, but they will remember the sincerity and passion in your vows.

Creating your vows doesn’t have to be daunting. With inspiration from various wedding vow examples, you can find the right words to express your heartfelt sentiments. If you need a starting point, our guide on how to write wedding vows for your destination wedding provides insights and tips to help you articulate your feelings beautifully and authentically.

A bride and groom pose for a wedding picture in front of the ocean.

Wedding Ceremony Vow Examples to Inspire Your Own

Crafting vows that are heartfelt and memorable can seem challenging, but you’re not alone on this journey. To inspire you, we’ve gathered diverse examples of wedding vows—from traditional to utterly unique—that resonate with love and commitment. Here’s a look at some example wedding vows you might consider for your own ceremony:

Traditional Vows

For those who find beauty in tradition, classic vows bring a timeless elegance. “I take you, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” These words have united couples for centuries.

Modern Vows

Modern couples often seek vows that speak to contemporary values and personal freedoms. Consider vows that promise partnership, equality, and mutual respect, such as, “I vow to support your dreams, to respect our differences, and to love you and stand by your side through all the days and nights of our lives.”

Personalized Anecdotes

Nothing touches the heart like personal stories. Sharing a brief anecdote within your vows can highlight your bond. For example, “Just as we have nurtured our love from our first date at the coffee shop to this beautiful day, I promise to continue growing with you in every moment of our lives together.”

Vows with Humor

Light-hearted vows can also reflect the joy and playfulness of your relationship. Phrases like, “I promise to love you, even during football season,” bring smiles and a touch of reality to your promises.

Step-by-Step Guide on Crafting Your Vows

Crafting heartfelt wedding vows can be simple with these concise steps:

  1. Reflect: Think about your relationship’s journey and what your partner means to you.
  2. Inspire: Look for wedding vow examples for him or her to ignite your creativity.
  3. Write: Draft your feelings freely; focus on emotional honesty.
  4. Structure: Organize your vows with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
  5. Personalize: Include special promises and anecdotes that reflect your bond.
  6. Review: Practice aloud and refine your words for clarity and impact.
A bride and groom kissing under a Sandals Royal Caribbean in a garden during their wedding.

Powerful Writing Tools to Make Your Wedding Vows Memorable

There are a lot of steps in planning a wedding, and a lot of things that you as a couple are likely thinking about and trying to work through on your path to “I Do”. One essential part of your wedding that will take a lot of time and care to create is your wedding vows. 

Your vows are your promise to each other, your confession of love, and your agreement to spend the rest of your lives together. When there is much you want to say, it can be hard to find the right words to express everything. This article will dive into the writing of vows and the tools you can use to make your vows special, whether you’re writing funny wedding vows or serious ones. 

Two men smiling and proudly holding up gold rings together after sharing examples of wedding vows at their destination wedding.

How to Write Wedding Vows

Writing your wedding vows may seem very intimidating at first. How do you express all of your love and your commitment in just one speech? There are a lot of things you can do as you write your vows. 

For one, consider talking to your fiance about your vows. While you might want to keep your exact words a secret until your wedding day, you can still discuss the commitments you want to make to each other, the stories you may want to share, and the tone of your vows. You could even make lists of talking points or values that you want to incorporate!

Make sure that you address a few specific things as you are writing your vows: how much you love your soon-to-be spouse, what commitments you want to make to each other, and your promises for the future. Your vows are your promises, your love, and your excitement all wrapped up in one speech. Don’t be afraid of expressing all of those things!

At a beachside destination wedding, a person in a white dress reads examples of wedding vows to their partner during the ceremony.

Funny Wedding Vows

When you are thinking about what to put in your wedding vows, a lot of people gravitate towards adding a few moments of humor. But knowing how to write wedding vows that are genuinely funny and not awkward or misplaced can be difficult. Luckily, there are a lot of things you can do to keep your comedic wedding vows well-timed and well-written. 

Try to keep everything positive, for one. Do not poke fun at your partner or make a joke at their expense. Your wedding is one of the most special moments of your life together, and it would be terrible for someone to feel hurt or unhappy during any part of it. Even if your partner enjoys a little bit of teasing once in a while, your wedding guests might not be in on the joke and could take your humor the wrong way. 

If you want to add a moment of humor, consider telling a story in a way that also illustrates the strength of your relationship. Be meaningful in your expressions of love and care, as well as your promises of commitment. Not everything in your vows has to be comedic. In fact, picking and choosing brief moments of humor will make those jokes even funnier, and make your vows feel more well-rounded.  

Asking For Help

If you are struggling to perfect your wedding vows, that is okay! There is nothing wrong with asking for a little bit of support to make your vows perfect. There are several ways that you can get support for your vow writing. 

AI Programs

You might choose to work with an AI or computer program to help you craft your vows, or at the very least, edit them. Joy has a “writer’s block” aid that can help write vows, speeches, and even thank you notes! The AI can add specific stories and shared values – it can even change the tone of your writing. 

You could write your vows in the style of Shakespeare or as a romantic. Remember that you do not have to just copy and paste. An AI tool can be great to find inspiration and you can edit as you want!

Professional Vow Writers

If you are not looking to use an AI program to help you with your vows, you could seek the help of a professional wedding vow writer. Vow writers are there to help you put all of your feelings and stories into a beautiful and concise package to read aloud at your wedding.

They are there to talk to you about your relationship with your partner, find some special stories, and learn about what the future might hold for you as a married couple. Through your brainstorming sessions, a professional vow writer can help you with writing vows that are personal, heartfelt, and unique.  

Writing with Meaning

Writing wedding vows is not exactly easy. In a time where couples face a lot of stress in their everyday lives, it is important to acknowledge the ways that you can commit to each other, become a team, and overcome challenges together.  

Your wedding vows will be something that you will likely remember for many years. It only makes sense that you make them as meaningful as possible. You are able to write your vows on your own, but there is no shame in seeking out additional help. Collaborate with your future spouse, don’t be afraid of adding a little bit of humor, and most of all, fully embrace all of your feelings of love and joy. Your wedding, and your vows, will be unforgettable. 

The Ultimate Guide to Renewing Your Vows at a Destination

Vow renewals are growing in popularity, especially destination vow renewals. Vow renewals are a couple’s way of reaffirming their love and commitment to each other. While each couple’s reasoning behind a vow renewal is personal to them and their life together, having a destination vow renewal is a beautiful option for anyone.

Aged hands gently hold a framed photograph, reminiscing about heartfelt wedding vows exchanged on their unforgettable destination wedding day.

What is a Vow Renewal Ceremony?

Renewing your wedding vows is a beautiful celebration of your continued commitment to each other. Vow renewal ceremonies allow a couple to celebrate their enduring love and commitment to each other, often after a significant number of years of marriage, a major life event, or overcoming a challenging period in their relationship. 

Wedding vow renewals can take many forms including a gathering with just the couple, or an intimate gathering with close family and friends at a grand celebration reminiscent of a traditional wedding ceremony.

Some couples recite their original vows, others write new vows to reflect the time they have spent together. There is no set renewal of vow script and plenty of flexibility to design a wedding vow renewal ceremony to be exactly how you want it, just like destination weddings. In short, renewing vows is simply reaffirming your commitment, and celebrating your marriage so far. 

Why Have a Wedding Vow Renewal?

Couples choose to have a vow renewal ceremony for a variety of reasons. For some, it is a way to rekindle the romance. Others may have wedding vow renewal after a particularly challenging time in their marriage as a way to say “We got through this, we’re still here, and we’re stronger than ever.” 

Some couples incorporate vow renewals into anniversary celebrations. For couples who never had their dream wedding due to budget, timing, or a variety of other factors, a vow renewal ceremony is a good excuse to have your dream celebration. 

The Renewal of Vows Script 

Unlike a wedding, there are no set criteria or even legal implications for a vow renewal. These celebrations are simply symbolic, although they generally contain some of the same key elements of a wedding. 

The main element is the actual vows. These can be the same vows you recited on your wedding day or newly written vows. Couples may include symbolic gestures, such as the exchanging of rings (again), lighting candles, or incorporating their children (and even grandchildren) into the ceremony.  

Vow renewals are highly customizable – couples can make the event whatever they want it to be. That’s why a destination vow renewal is a perfect idea. Maybe you initially dreamed of a tropical beachside wedding in Mexico but for whatever reason that dream didn’t come true. Maybe you’re planning a getaway trip for your 30th anniversary and want to incorporate renewing your vows. 

Maybe you celebrated your honeymoon in Costa Rica and want to return. Where traditional weddings involve a legal aspect, which can sometimes be a hurdle for destination ceremonies, vow renewals do not. You can have your wedding vow renewal anytime, anywhere. 

A man proposes to a woman in a sunlit hotel room, drawing inspiration from heartfelt wedding vow examples—setting the stage for their unforgettable destination wedding.

Vow Renewal Destination Locations 

While the options of vow renewal destination locations are basically endless, some resorts do have specific vow renewal packages that make planning your celebration even easier. These packages are not just wedding packages under a different name but are designed specifically for renewal celebrations. 

Vow renewals can resemble a traditional wedding, complete with a guest list, ceremony, and reception. Or they can simply be a celebration of the couple with no one else around. Before choosing a destination location, determine if you’re going to have guests. That can impact what resort you choose, which destination you choose, and what all-inclusive package works for you and your dream experience. There are resorts and destinations to fit any budget for renewing vows. Many resorts offer complimentary vow renewal packages with the right accommodation bookings. 

Generally, vow renewal celebrations have small guest lists, if any guests at all. Only your closest family and friends are invited, making a destination celebration even more ideal. Maybe you simply had too large of a guest list to make a destination wedding practical, but now, you, your partner, and those closest to you can celebrate your marriage with gorgeous views, resort amenities, and a temporary escape from your day-to-day life. Recommit your love and enjoy a vacation, all rolled into one. 

Planning Your Vow Renewal

Chances are, by the time you’re thinking about renewing vows, you and your partner know each other very well. You understand each other’s interests and values, and you have a steady partnership. Your celebration can reflect exactly who you are as a couple. Where your wedding may have been a reflection of you joining together, this celebration is a reflection of how you have grown together. 

Planning a renewal of the vows script is generally less stressful and involves less logistics than a wedding. We already mentioned the legal aspects, but the generally smaller guest list, simpler decor, and attire make the planning less stressful for everyone. However, some couples choose to have a vow renewal in a similar style to a traditional wedding – a large-scale event. As long as you’re celebrating your love the way you want, we can work with it. 

Tips for Writing Your Perfect Destination Wedding Vows

Writing destination wedding vows can be more difficult than it appears. Nowadays, instead of the customary “Til death do us part,” couples are increasingly making their own wedding vows. It’s not uncommon to witness a wedding when the vows are especially personalized, whether couples wish to distance themselves from religion or simply don’t believe the script conveys their love for one another. For all those staring at your notebook or writing app looking for inspiration, we got just the thing for you:

Get a head start.

If you’re planning on writing your own vows, get started as soon as possible. Give yourself plenty of wiggle room if you’re going to go through numerous revisions and a lot of procrastination.

Talk to your fiancé about it.

While your exact vows should be kept a secret until the big day, it’s good chatting with your betrothed about the styles you want to incorporate. Consider what commitments you want to make to each other, whether you want the vows to be romantic or lighthearted, and who gets first crack at telling the story.

Make a list.

Don’t worry about sounding too professional in your early drafts of your vows. Simply compose a list of everything you’d like your partner to be aware of. You can worry about making sentences out of them afterwards.

Questions to ask if you get stuck.

Why did you decide to get married?

What did you think when you first saw your partner?

How do you know you are in love? When did you realize it?

How has your relationship changed you?

Have you gone through any hard times together? How did you get through them?

What makes your relationship work?

Read other vows for examples.
If you’re stuck, look at other vows for inspiration. There are many vows available online, or you can ask a friend who has written their own vows for assistance.

Don’t rush it.

Wedding vows are intimate and should be treated as such. That implies they require patience and time. Don’t feel obligated to complete everything in one sitting. Take your time with your vows, going over them over and again until you’re certain they express precisely what you want them to.

Make it personal from the get-go.

When drafting your own wedding vows, begin by making them as personal as possible right away. Make a statement about who your partner is to you, whether he or she is your best friend, your life’s love, or both. Make your lover aware of how much you value them.

Address what you love about your partner.

A wedding is a significant event; it’s a commitment that you’ll love this person for the rest of your life! So spend some time thinking about what you like about your partner. This is a perfect moment to talk about your love story or when you discovered you wanted to spend the rest of your life with each other. Don’t go into too much detail; just the most important ones. You have an eternity to tell your lover everything, but only a few hours until the wedding ceremony!

A person holding wedding vow examples outdoors at a destination wedding, with blurry flowers in the background.

Make your promises.

Your vows should include the commitments you’re making to your partner – maybe not to love, cherish, and obey, but some specific ways you promise to adore them. Maybe you’ll promise to always be there for them, or to always dry the dishes after you’ve finished watching them. Be witty, be nice, but don’t forget to tell your lover how much you adore them.

Incorporate inside jokes.

It’s easy to feel that your wedding is more about the guests than it is about you. Your vows are your opportunity to go back to the heart of the matter: spending the rest of your life with your one true love! Make your vows amusing by including inside jokes or phrases that let your partner know you’re just thinking about them right now.

Add some romance.

However, keep in mind that these are wedding vows, so go ahead and be as cheesy as you want. Now is the opportunity to say every platitude you’ve ever considered but never voiced about your sweetheart!

Don’t forget to reassure your partner.

One key commitment to include in your vows is to guarantee your partner that you will always be there for them, even when things are difficult. Even if you don’t use those exact words, this is the spirit of “in sickness and in health.”

Make plans for the future.

Mention particular goals, desires, and future plans near the end of your vows. What will you do as a couple, and how will your love endure? Mention something you’re excited to share with the love of your life.

Make it eternal.

Finish your vows by promising to love your spouse indefinitely, till death do you part.

Sealing Your Promises with Perfect Words

With these wedding vow examples and tips, crafting vows that resonate with your love and commitment becomes a joyous task. As you prepare to stand together, remember that your vows are the heart of your ceremony, echoing the love you share. 

Ready to plan a wedding that reflects the depth of your love? Contact Destify today.

Get a free consultation from our wedding planner specialist

Our Awards

Prev button
Next button

Close button

Wedding Date Availability