Writing your own vows is a sweet way for couples to personalize their wedding ceremonies and since elopements are all about personalizing your day - we are big fans of couples writing their own vows! Keep reading for our top tips on writing vows that you will cherish long after your elopement wedding day.

Here are our top tips to consider when writing your own vows;

• Make sure you chat with your partner first. Writing vows is personal and the two of you may have different expectations on what you want your vows to be, so get on the same page first so you don’t have to wonder! Talk about if you are thinking of writing just a few meaningful sentences or a 3 minute heartfelt statement, talk about if you want to include some humor or keep it intentional and talk about a deadline for when you should have your vows done.

• Don’t wait until the last minute! A lot of couples leave this task to the last minute and it ends up being something that is rushed and stressful because they have to stay up late the night before the wedding to do. Trust us, this is far more meaningful and stress-free when you get them done ahead of time! We recommend a month before or no less than two weeks.

• Your vows don’t need to be long and in fact vows can be anywhere from 1 to 2 minutes, anything more than that will feel pretty long as you stand there and is probably better off as a letter than your vows.

• Your vows are actual promises to each other. Keep in mind what vows are, they are promises you are making to each other. You will want to talk about why you love your partner or what you love most about them - in fact don’t forget to say “I love you” in your vows! But, also you want to make some promises about how you want to show up and treat each other in your relationship. This is the real reason you say vows to each other.

• Make them personal. Don’t worry so much about what other people are doing - your elopement is about the two of YOU and that means that your vows should be uniquely your own. You can add humor, personal stories, inside jokes, poems, movie or song quotes, Bible verses or anything else that speaks to you as a couple. The more personal your vows are, the more they will mean to each other.

• Don’t read them off your phone! For the love of everything good, please don’t spoil your photos by reading your vows off of your phone or a crumpled up piece of paper and have it immortalized in your photos. Either handwrite them in vow books that look great or get your vow cards printed, like we do for our couples, so they can frame their vows after their elopement. Trust us, you are going to want to keep these.

• Get inspiration online if you need it. There are so many places you can find examples of personal wedding vows if you need inspiration, but make sure whatever you find - you still make it your own.

Ok! We hope that inspired you to write your own vows and gave you a place to start! Need more info on how to plan your elopement without a headache? Click HERE and get the guide to effortlessly eloping.