Wedding Vows Examples: Traditional, Modern and Personal Vow Templates

Your wedding vows are the heart of the ceremony, the few sentences where you turn to the person you love and say exactly what you promise them for the rest of your lives. They can be timeless and formal, warm and modern, funny, or deeply personal. The right words feel unmistakably yours. After more than 1,000 Melbourne weddings, we have heard vows that bring the whole room to happy tears and ones that have everyone laughing through them.

Below are wedding vows examples grouped by style, from traditional and religious templates to modern, romantic, funny, and personal versions, plus a simple guide to writing your own.

Traditional and Classic Wedding Vows

These are the timeless words couples have spoken for generations. If you want something formal, familiar, and steeped in meaning, start here. They suit traditional ceremonies and couples who love a sense of occasion.

I, [Name], take you, [Name], to be my lawfully wedded [husband/wife/partner], to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.

I take you to be my [husband/wife/partner], my constant friend, my faithful partner, and my love from this day forward. In the presence of our family and friends, I give you my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth and peace.

With this ring, I promise to honour you, to comfort you, and to keep you, in good times and hard, for as long as we both shall live.

Modern Wedding Vows

Contemporary vows keep the structure of a promise but trade old-fashioned phrasing for words that sound like you. They are perfect for couples who want something heartfelt without feeling stiff.

[Name], I choose you. I promise to stand beside you through everything life sends our way, to be your home and your adventure, your calm and your spark. I will keep choosing you, every single day, for the rest of my life.

Today I marry my best friend. I promise to support your dreams, to laugh with you, to grow with you, and to never stop being curious about who you are becoming. You are my favourite person, and I am so lucky to get to keep you.

I promise to show up for you, fully and honestly, on the good days and the hard ones. I will be patient when it counts, brave when it matters, and yours, always.

Romantic Wedding Vows

When you want the words to swell with feeling, romantic vows lean into emotion. They are ideal for couples who are not afraid of a few happy tears in front of everyone.

Before I met you, I did not know it was possible to feel this safe and this alive at the same time. You are my favourite hello and my hardest goodbye. I promise to love you when it is easy and to love you harder when it is not, for all the days of my life.

You are the person I want to tell everything to first. I promise to be your soft place to land and your loudest cheerleader. Whatever comes, I will face it holding your hand. My heart was yours the moment I met you, and it always will be.

I love you for the person you are and the person you help me become. I promise to keep falling for you, again and again, for the rest of our story.

Funny Wedding Vows

A little humour can break the ice and show your personalities, especially for couples who joke their way through life together. Keep the jokes affectionate, then land on something sincere so the moment still means something.

[Name], I promise to always laugh at your jokes, even the ones I have heard a hundred times. I promise to share the last slice of pizza, most of the time. And I promise that no matter how many times you reorganise the dishwasher after me, I will love you completely, for as long as we both shall live.

I promise to be your partner in crime, your designated snack supplier, and the person who pretends not to hear the alarm so you have to get up first. More seriously, I promise to be honest, kind, and yours, always.

I vow to never make you watch my shows alone, to always let you have the window seat, and to love you even when you are wrong, which, let us be honest, is rarely. You are my best friend, and I cannot wait to annoy you forever.

Short and Simple Wedding Vows

Sometimes the fewest words say the most. Short vows suit nervous speakers, outdoor and registry ceremonies, and couples who want something clean and memorable.

I promise to love you, support you, and stand beside you for the rest of my life. You are my person, today and always.

[Name], I take you as you are, and I give you all of me. I promise to be honest, kind, and yours, for as long as I live.

Today, and every day after, I choose you. I promise to love you, laugh with you, and never let go.

Religious Wedding Vows

For faith-based ceremonies, vows often weave in a covenant before God or scripture. Check the exact wording with your celebrant or officiant, as wording varies between traditions and denominations.

I, [Name], take you, [Name], to be my wedded [husband/wife], to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow, made before God and these witnesses.

Before God and all who are gathered here, I promise to love you faithfully, to honour and respect you, and to walk beside you in faith for all the days of my life.

I give myself to you as a gift from God. I promise to love you as Christ loves the church, to lead and serve our marriage with humility, and to keep my covenant with you for as long as we both shall live.

Personal and Storytelling Wedding Vows

The most memorable vows often include one small, true story that only you two share. This style lets you speak from the heart while keeping the promises grounded in real life.

[Name], I knew on our second date, when you drove an hour in the rain just to sit with me for twenty minutes, that you were the one. You have been showing up like that ever since. So today I promise to keep showing up for you, in the rain and in the sunshine, for the rest of my life.

I never used to believe in soulmates until I spent a whole night talking to you and forgot to check the time. I promise to always be curious about you, to keep asking the questions, and to keep choosing this conversation, our conversation, for as long as I live.

You once told me that love is not a feeling, it is a decision you make every morning. I have watched you make that decision for me, even on my worst days. So here is mine: I choose you, today and every morning after, for the rest of my life.

How to Write Your Own Wedding Vows

Writing your own vows is less daunting than it sounds. Use this simple framework:

• Start with why. Jot down why you love your partner and what changed in your life when you met them. This becomes your raw material.
• Pick one specific detail. A small, true story or habit lands harder than a grand statement. Specific beats sweeping every time.
• Make real promises. Write three or four vows you will actually keep, mixing the heartfelt with one lighter one. Avoid promises so big you cannot honour them.
• Match your format. Agree with your partner on rough length and tone so one of you is not delivering a speech while the other says two lines.
• Read it aloud and time it. Aim for about one to two minutes each. Cut anything that feels generic, and keep what sounds like you. For a deeper walkthrough, see our guide on how to write wedding vows.

Capture Your Vows Forever

Your vows are spoken once and then they are gone, often in a blur of nerves and emotion. Couples who record them are always grateful later. An audio guestbook lets you and your guests leave spoken messages you can replay for years, so the words you promised never fade. Pair it with a photo booth to capture the laughter and tears around the room as you say them.

Planning a Melbourne wedding and want to hold onto every word? Get in touch with the team at GB Events about the keepsakes that make the moment last.

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