Every wedding is as unique as those who are getting married. Though many love a traditional wedding, not everyone can relate to traditional vows. There are many ways to write vows, but if you’re looking for a push on what to say, you’ve come to the right place.
If you’re not religious or prefer a more unique ceremony, there are many ways you can write your vows while still honoring your true feelings for your loved one. You can vow to be their best friend or even to appreciate what your partner does for you.
Below, we’ve listed 10 Non-Religious Wedding vow templates you can use as inspiration for your wedding vows. Whether you take bits and pieces or use the whole thing, you can feel confident that your wedding ceremony will be remembered for years.
Related: Non Religious Wedding Ceremony Scripts
1. I Promise To Be Your Best Friend
The best thing to do when writing your vows is to think about what authentic promises you are willing to make to your partner. If your partner is your best friend, begin with everything you love about this relationship.
You can also list all of the things you’re excited about:
- To my best friend, biggest supporter, and favorite person.
- I look forward to all our firsts together—our first dance, our first dog, and our first home—all the firsts that come with spending the rest of our lives together.
- To me, you are always above everything. You’re my partner and my first and only love.
- I can’t wait to see the trouble we’ll get into as we spend the rest of our firsts together.
- I promise to always be your best friend, biggest supporter, and your first.
- I will take care of you when you are sick, dance with you when you feel happy, and cry when you are sad.
- I will spend time with you and take you to all the places you long to travel to.
- I will wake up every day loving you more than the last, and until my last breath will prove to you that you’re the best gift a person could ask for.
These vows are perfect for the couple that leans on each other and supports each other through it all.
2. I Promise To Be Your Love Story
Every good love story needs a few cliches because romances in and of themselves are cliche. At a non-religious ceremony, it’s okay to use cliches.
Even if you want to stray from the ones with religious meaning, you’ll still have several cliches at your disposal that are cliche for a reason. They’re great for expressing universal feelings to your partner and the listening party.
Here are some examples:
- It sounds cliche to say out loud, but there is the truth behind every cliche.
- Every day since we’ve been together, I’ve known that you were the one.
- From the moment you first grabbed my hand, the first time we shared a laugh, and that one night we stayed up late talking about our dreams, I knew we were made for each other.
- I have never doubted that we would be here at the altar because my soul has longed for you since it was created.
- You are the peanut butter to my jelly, the music to my ears.
- To my love, my partner in crime, and my best friend.
- Because of you, I understand the true meaning of love. This looks like patience when I’m being stubborn, your gentle caress when I am sad, and your laughter when I need my day brightened up.
- It’s a belief that we were made for each other. I love you more than I can put into words, and I am so thankful you’re mine.
- I vow to always think of your needs, wants, fears, and desires in all situations so I can show up for you in the ways that count.
These may feel too lovey-dovey when reading them, but when you’re standing up at the altar looking at your partner, you’ll be proud to say them.
3. I Promise To Appreciate All You Do for Me
It’s important to talk about your partner during your vows. Yes, there’s room to talk about yourself, too, but sometimes a great vow is the one that describes to everyone listening, and your partner, all the reasons you appreciate them.
Here are some examples:
- The person who cheers me up when I am down and makes me laugh when I am having a tough day.
- The person who is a perfectionist and works so patiently and diligently on their craft while I sit back and admire the beauty being created from your hands.
- The person who sings all the words to the songs is completely wrong yet manages to make them right.
- And lastly, to the person who believed in me more than I believed in myself. If you haven’t noticed yet, this person is you.
- You’ve made me the happiest person in the world, and I am so lucky to call you mine.
Think of all the things you appreciate about your partner and list those things in your vows. You can also think about what you do for your partner, then list those as promises.
4. I Vow To Always Make You Laugh
Though the funny or humorous route isn’t for all couples, a non-traditional ceremony is a perfect time to laugh and be lighthearted with your partner.
Don’t be afraid to add some silly things to your vows, such as the following:
- At this moment, I vow to always be the person to eat the pickles off your sandwich.
- I vow to be the person to go first through the haunted house.
- I promise to order my food last, so we don’t order the same thing because you always want a bite even when you say you don’t.
- I promise to carry you from the living room couch to the bedroom after you say you won’t fall asleep during a movie.
- I promise to pretend to like Taylor Swift.
8. I Promise To Be There for You
Think about a special story from your partner and your relationship. It could be something funny, sad, or even embarrassing. From this, you can pull a few vows while letting everyone in the crowd know about the important journey of your relationship.
Here’s a very specific example of such vows…don’t copy this one verbatim unless it’s somehow exactly like a memory you have. In which case, just call us psychics:
As some of you may know, last year was a tough year for me. I lost my job, my grandmother passed away, and I had difficulty adjusting to the new city I had moved to.
In passing, I had mentioned that when I was sad as a child, my mother would make my favorite cookies (oatmeal M&M, for those who were wondering). But these aren’t just any cookies. They were my mother’s cookies, and I tried to replicate them repeatedly, but I just couldn’t.
When I came home from my last day at work, I slumped down on the couch to smell a familiar, delicious smell! Cookies, just like moms. [my partner] had taken the time to call up my mother and learn the recipe, so I could taste a little comfort in a difficult time. From then on, every time I am in need of some love, they take extra time to make the cookies for me just right.
Little things like this show you how much someone loves you.
This is a longer example of how this type of wedding vow may look, but there are many things that could be said after it from just this story. You could have the following vows:
- I promise to always listen to the little things that have made your life special.
- I promise to fill the voids when you need extra love or miss something unattainable.
- I promise to always make you M&M cookies when life gets hard.
- I promise to always take the extra time to support you.
- I promise to always be there for the ups, downs, and surprises life throws at us.
Each of these vows is directly related to the above story, but they also have the “promise” aspect of vows.
9. I Promise To Be the Best Adventure Partner
We don’t all have a love-at-first-sight kind of story. In fact, some of us may have had difficulty getting along with our partners initially. If this is on brand for you and your partner, you can discuss the journey during your vows.
Here’s a generic example (don’t use this verbatim, but let the script inspire you):
Don’t be surprised when I tell you this because I know we’ve discussed this before. When I first met you, I couldn’t stand you! I had never met someone who pushed my buttons like that or challenged me to think outside of my own views.
Over time, you grew on me. I noticed the ways that you pushed me were needed for my growth and had taught me something about myself. Everyone seems to think true love happens so easily, but I am here to show you that it is not always the case. Sometimes, true love needs time to blossom. I am so glad I waited for us to bloom.
From this, there are quite a few vows you can add at the end:
- I promise to always water our flowers, even when times are hard.
- I will remember that every flower has its season and that patience is required for love to bloom.
- I promise to let us keep growing on each other.
- I promise to be open-minded.
- I promise to be excited each day for the adventures that await us.
These vows also have to do with the journey above.
10. I Promise You’ll Always Be My Favorite
Another beautiful way to do your vows is to list your favorite things about your partner. Here are some examples:
- I would like to take the time to list my three favorite things about you for the three years we have been together.
- First, you make me laugh every day, even on the days when the world seems so gloomy. This laughter saves me every time.
- Second, I love the way you show you care. A tender hug, a hand squeeze, a gesture, or a look in your eyes. You don’t have to say anything to know you care for me. I feel it and see it in your actions and expressions.
- And lastly, and most importantly, my favorite thing about you is the way you are so authentically yourself.
- I admire you for everything you are and how you know the value you can bring to any situation. I promise to always appreciate your value.
- I love you for being you, and am thankful to be here with you today and forever. I promise to be me and promise to let you be you.
End this with a few promises that have to do with the above.
How Do I Write My Vows?
Vows are always beautiful, but there is nothing quite like writing the vows yourself. Write what comes from the heart. Each couple is so unique and different that no one vow will be perfect until written by themselves in truth.
Now that you’ve seen some examples of non-religious wedding vows, you may wonder what makes a good wedding vow.
The answer isn’t as clear-cut as you’d think because good wedding vows are subjective and differ from person to person. Your wedding vows will be good as long as they speak to you and make you feel like you are expressing your love for your partner as best you can.
When you do your vows, you’re going to begin with a speech describing why you love the person you’re about to marry, which can come from stories, poems, and the like. You’ll end with a couple of promises you’re making to your loved one.
Here are some questions that many wedding vows answer:
- How does this person make you feel?
- When did you realize you were in love with this person?
- Where do you see yourselves in the future?
- What goals and values do you both have?
- What about your partner inspires you?
- How will you change together?
- What do you look forward to?
- Do you have a special song, movie, or book that you share?
- What is a story about your partner that makes you love them?
- What are your favorite things about this person?
You can answer a few of these questions together to make good vows. Though answering all might make the vows too lengthy, answering a few will craft a beautiful piece. The examples above range from humorous, anecdotal, and emotional.
Each is valid, but your personal style will depend on comfortability.
Write and Write Again
Don’t wait until the last minute to write your vows, but instead, keep drafts of the most important things you want to say as they come to mind. When it comes time to make the final vows, you’ll have a bank of ideas to pull from to craft the perfect piece.
Pay Attention to the Length
There are probably a million things you could say to your partner about how much you love them, but not everything will fit into the ceremony. Use a trusted friend to tell you how the vows sound and see if they are too long. If the vows are too long, guests will start to get disinterested.
Practice, But Don’t Memorize
Saying your vows can be a nerve-racking experience, and having some practice will help you feel confident that what you’ve written feels comfortable to read out loud. It also allows you to edit out anything that might not fit.
You don’t have to actually memorize your vows unless you and your partner decide this is the way to go. Several people write their vows down and read them aloud, and there are even special notebooks dedicated to this purpose.
Use Other Examples as a Template
Starting from scratch on a blank piece of paper can be daunting, so using a guideline will start you in the right direction. If you’re unsure where to start, examples of other written vows can get you in the right direction. You can even use the examples in this article as a template if you wish.
Don’t Stress
This is your wedding, your vows, and your marriage. Don’t stress over making sure things are just right, as being yourself is the best you can do. You’re getting married to someone who loves you for you.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, lovebirds! Ten stunning examples of how to say ‘I do’ without the religious fanfare. Your non-religious wedding vows are a chance to showcase the depth and individuality of your love, free from societal norms and expectations. So go ahead, let your hearts do the talking, and craft vows that truly sing the song of your love. Here’s to a lifetime of laughter, love, and happily ever after – cheers to the journey ahead!
As a lifelong lover of weddings, I’ve dabbled in everything from DIY decor to event planning. I believe that every love story deserves to be told in a way that captures its essence. From heartwarming vows to tear-jerking speeches, I’m here to help you create unforgettable memories on your journey to “I do!”
- Say ‘I Do’ with a Woof: 10 Adorable Golden Retriever Wedding Cake Topper Ideas! - December 10, 2024
- Bridal Set Vs Engagement Ring: An In-depth Guide to Help You Decide - October 14, 2023
- Unveiling the Heart of Filipino Weddings: Fascinating Traditions and Rituals - September 25, 2023
Leave a Comment