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How to write wedding vows

Write your vows from a free fill-in template with prompts, see how long they run, and practice them out loud. No account needed, and nobody reads them but you.

Wedding vows are the promises you say out loud to your partner. Most run one to two minutes, which is about 120 to 240 words: short enough to learn, long enough to say something true.

Write yours below from a free fill-in template. Answer a few questions, get a first draft with its minutes, and practice it out loud. You need no account, and nobody reads your vows unless you choose to share them. Your partner sees only how long they run, and whether they are ready.

How to write wedding vows in 5 steps

  1. Decide what you are promising. Pick three or four promises you can keep on an ordinary Tuesday, not only on the big day. Specific promises land better than grand ones.

  2. Choose one small story. Add one moment only the two of you would know: the day it became clear, or a small habit you love. One story is enough.

  3. Fill in the template. Answer the questions in the writer above. It sets your answers into a first draft with an opening, the story, your promises and a closing line.

  4. Fit them beside the officiant's words. Personal vows sit beside the words your officiant says. Ask how much time they have planned for yours, and aim for one to two minutes.

  5. Say them out loud. Read them aloud with the timer running. Mark where you rush, trim what runs long, and print them on a card you can hold.

Examples, by length and tone

The examples for this page are being read through before we publish them. The template, the questions and the writer on this page work now.

The template, with timings: Wedding vows template

Five short parts. The timings add up to about two minutes.

Your own words to your partner, about 1 to 2 minutes. Sits beside the officiant's legal words.

  1. Start with themabout 15 seconds

    [Partner's name], I want to start with something I noticed early on.

    [Something true you noticed about them early on, said in one sentence].

  2. One small, true memoryabout 35 seconds

    I think about [a small moment only the two of you know: where, what happened]. [What that moment told you about them, in your own words].

  3. Your promisesabout 45 seconds

    So here is what I promise you.

    I promise [a promise about a daily thing, like cooking, listening or driving]. I promise [a promise about the hard days]. I promise [a promise about your future, specific and believable].

  4. To the children (if you have them)about 15 seconds

    [Child's name or names], I promise you [one promise to the children, in plain words].

  5. Your closing lineabout 15 seconds

    [One last sentence that is only yours]. I love you, and I'm glad it's you.

The questions that fill it in

  1. What did you notice about them early on? A habit, a laugh, how they treat a waiter.
  2. What is one small moment only you two know? A Tuesday, a drive, a bad meal.
  3. What did that moment tell you about them? One sentence, no big words.
  4. What will you promise for everyday life? The dishes, the thermostat, the phone.
  5. What will you promise for the hard days? What you will do when they are sad or sick.
  6. What do you promise for the years ahead? Something you can actually keep.
  7. What is the last thing you want them to hear? One sentence only you could say.

Questions people ask

How long should wedding vows be?
One to two minutes, about 120 to 240 words spoken at a calm pace. Under a minute is fine too. The writer counts your minutes as you type.
Should we write our vows together or on our own?
Either works. Many couples write on their own and agree a length, so neither feels outdone. Your partner sees only how long yours run and whether they are ready, never the words, unless you choose to share them.
Should our vows match?
Roughly, in length and in tone. The vow match line shows the other person's length and whether they are ready, so you can adjust without reading each other's words.
Do personal vows replace the legal words?
No. In most places personal vows sit beside the words your officiant says to make the marriage legal. The rules differ by state, so check with your county clerk. The ceremony script leaves those words as marked gaps for the officiant to fill.
Can I use a quote or a line from a song?
Yes, one short line, if it means something to you both. Keep the rest in your own words, because that is what your partner is waiting to hear.
What if we have children, or this is a second marriage?
Promises to the children are welcome, and the template has an optional place for them. Keep the focus on the two of you and what you are promising each other.
What if I get emotional and cannot finish?
Pause, breathe out, and look at your card. Large type and short lines make it easy to find your place. Practicing out loud three or four times makes the real moment feel familiar.

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