Don’t Make These Common Wedding Vow Mistakes

Etiquette & Traditions >

Writing your own vows is the ultimate way to customize the ceremony. Make every word count by steering clear of these common wedding vow mistakes brides and grooms make.

1. Using clichés
“I will love you to the end of time” may be how you feel, but the words can come across more cheesy than charming. “If it sounds like a greeting card, try to mix up the words and make them more unique to you and your relationship,” says Amy Nichols of Amy Nichols Special Events in San Francisco. Get inspired by song lyrics, poems and books. Read through any love letters, texts or emails you’ve sent over your courtship for some vow-worthy lines or memories.

2. Getting too personal
Don’t be that bride who over shares. Banish any mentions of the following: your sex life, fights you’ve had, exes, specific references to sad events in your lives or inside jokes that only the two of you will get. “Focus instead on how much he means to you, his best traits, how happy he makes you, and your future together,” says Nichols.

3. Not saying it out loud first
Sometimes what we write on paper sounds awkward when spoken out loud. You may have to tinker with the words but you won’t know that if you don’t try them out beforehand.

4. Mumbling or rushing
If you’re not using a mic, it’s up to you to speak loud enough so your guests can hear you. If you get nervous, take a deep breath (it really works) and continue saying your vows. The extra oxygen will calm you down and keep you from speeding through too.

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