Reading vows is one of the most important and intimate parts of any wedding ceremony. This is where the bride and groom can express their love and commitment to one another in front of their family, friends, and officiant.
When getting ready to be married, the ceremony itself can be a stressful thing to consider. There are a lot of questions and you don’t want to mess them up!
So who exactly reads their vows first, the bride or the groom? If you’re wondering about this part of the wedding ceremony, (see also: 201 Wedding Songs For The Parents’ Entrance At Your Ceremony)then you’ve arrived at the right article!
We’re going to give you a general breakdown of how vows work within wedding ceremonies and who goes first!
Traditional Setups
Depending on the place you’re getting married, how vows are said can be different. For the purpose of this article, we’re going to be going over the common practices for western weddings.
So to answer the initial question straight up, you should know that vows are traditionally read first by the groom, followed by the bride.
It is also important to know that this is the traditional way, and you can still get married with a different structure of vows. In modern weddings, couples are much more likely to write their own vows.
Does the Groom Have To Go First?
No! Modern weddings can have the opposite order. If you want to know more about this, then you’ll need to contact your officiant to find out the kind of ceremony that they’re going to be conducting and how the structure of it will go.
Depending on the kind of officiant you’ve chosen, you’ll be able to choose from a selection of different vows. Many couples choose to write their own.
Writing Personal Vows
Personal vows can be the personal touch that your wedding ceremony might need. You and your partner can write their own vows with promises that are specific to you. In this section, we’re going to give you a few ideas.
Wording
You’ll want to ensure you’re writing a set of vows that are worded to be both brief and meaningful. This means using specific language that will keep your vow short but also impactful.
Remember that your vows are for your partner more than for anyone else in the room with you, so you need to make sure that you have tailored the language to them.
Personal Values
Vows are all about promises that you will keep throughout the process of your marriage.
You and your partner should instill your own personal values into your vows that you will both be able to agree upon. “In sickness and in health” is the general basis for a lot of vows, but consider your own partnership. What is it that you both value? What will display your bond?
Formal VS Casual
Weddings are usually a fairly formal affair (at least in part) but depending on the setup of your wedding you’ll want to make sure that you’re using appropriate languages/vows for the setting around you. For a traditional ceremony, you’re more likely to want to stick to the more classic vows.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it! Traditionally, the Groom is the first to make their vows, but that’s not to say it has to be that way for your wedding!
Modern weddings have a variety of different ways you can make your vows, just ensure to properly plan them before your big day! Good luck!
When I'm not busy scouring the internet for the latest trends, you can find me cuddled up with my fur babies, binge-watching romantic comedies, and sipping on a good glass of red wine. I'm also an avid traveler, and I love exploring new destinations and immersing myself in different cultures.
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