14 Unique Wedding Vow Ideas for the Modern Couple

grooms during wedding ceremony
Photo: Anya Kernes Photography

By now, we all know the formula for standard wedding vows: "I, take you, to be my..." and so on and so forth. There's nothing wrong with sticking to the script, but if you and your partner want to personalize your ceremony, writing unique or funny wedding vows is a great way to do it. Take it from these couples, who peppered their vows with personal details and inside jokes for promises that were unexpected and ultra-special.

Whether you use their sentiments for inspiration or as a template, make sure to tailor the words to suit your style as a couple, as well as the vibe of your wedding. While the law only requires that the intention to marry is acknowledged, keep in mind that religions and customs come with their own set of guidelines, with some types of ceremonies being less flexible than others. You may want to discuss the vows with your officiant ahead of time; they can also look them over to ensure any requirements are met. To make sure you and your fiancé's vows are complementary, ask a third party (like your maid of honor or mom) to read them before the ceremony.

Looking for examples of unique wedding vows? Here, you'll find real-life examples that contemporary couples (just like you!) promised on their own wedding days.

01 of 14

Surprise Vows

bride and groom kissing during ceremony
Charla Storey

Kris and Dwayne asked a close friend to create their ceremony, including their vows that shared loving sentiments collected from friends and family. "He included his own writings about how we met, the start of our relationship, and about what our friends and family know and love about each of us," Kris says. Having their vows revealed to them at their ceremony created an element of surprise. "It was so special and personal and touching. It was nice to not know exactly what he was going to say until we were standing there."

02 of 14

Funny Vows

sadie-brandon-wedding-ceremony-32-ss112173-0915.jpg
Stephanie Bassos Photography

Writing their unique wedding vows together a month prior to the big day, Sadie and Brandon added a touch of lighthearted humor, mentioning the important things in life, like love, patience, and—duh—coffee:

"I promise to grow with you and support you,

I promise to be patient, understanding, and kind,

I promise to listen and share,

I promise to create, to explore, and be curious,

In good times and in bad, I promise to love you,

I will make sure there is always coffee,

I promise to be my best for myself, for us, and for our future together."

03 of 14

Private Vows

bride and groom kissing in garden
Jen Huang Bogan

Rebecca and Jason wrote their ceremony with their officiant, including handwritten, personalized vows that they ultimately decided to keep private. "The morning of our wedding, Jason felt very strongly that we should keep our handwritten vows separate and just for us," says Rebecca. "Though we were immediately worried about it, removing our handwritten vows didn't diminish our ceremony in any way and made us feel like we had a beautiful secret just between us."

04 of 14

Moving Vows

bride smiling at groom during outdoor wedding ceremony
Jenny Quicksall

Olivia and Clark's officiant built their vows from stories they shared through pre-martial counseling. But the couple was touched when they took a moment during their ceremony to connect with all of their friends and family who support and love them. "Our officiant had us turn around during the ceremony for a minute to soak in the moment and see all of our guests," Olivia says. "We will never forget having the opportunity to make eye contact with each person sitting in the pews."

05 of 14

Unique Vows

rw-anthony-rusty-ceremony-1354-03161-comp-wd110176.jpg
Thayer Allyson Gowdy

Anthony and Rusty wrote modern vows to match their modern wedding. Rusty promised not to leave his gym clothes on the floor, while Anthony swore that no matter how late he'd been out the night before, he would get up, put a smile on his face, and, with Jesus in his heart, go to brunch with his buddies.

06 of 14

Modern Vows

edyta-jared-wedding-0126-d110939.jpg
Belathée Photography

For their nondenominational, nontraditional service, Edyta and Jared planned alternative vows full of symbolism: They asked invitees to write words of wisdom on their R.S.V.P. cards, which their officiant, who was a friend, compiled into a journal. During the ceremony, attendees formed a circle around the bride and groom, who read the sentiments aloud. "It was a great way to get our friends and family involved," says Edyta.

07 of 14

Quirky Vows

petra-marc-wedding-santa-barbara-0662-s111812.jpg
Corbin Gurkin

We'd expect nothing less than super-cool vows from this California couple, who threw a chic picnic-party wedding. The groom's self-penned script included the funny phrase, "I love putting the toothpaste on your toothbrush, I'm yours for eternity."

08 of 14

Funny Vows

jemma-michael-wedding-ceremony-002590010-s112110-0815.jpg
Jose Villa

Jemma and Michael wanted their wedding vows to reflect their laid-back nature and emphasize that the little things in a relationship are just as important as the big ones. The genius last line that had all their friends and family laughing? "I promise to do the stuff neither of us wants to do, if you really don't want to do it more than I don't." Now that's what we call true love.

09 of 14

Honest Vows

negin-chris-wedding-ceremony-0330-s112116-0815.jpg
Alicia Swedenborg

For an unexpected twist on the traditional vows, Negin and Chris had their officiant read letters they had written. Each described not only the positive aspects of the other, but also the negative, as well as why they wanted to get married. "The purpose was that a marriage contains it all, both positive and negative experiences, and to be aware of each other's good and bad sides," Negin says. "To love and work with the good and the bad."

10 of 14

Unique Vows

ceremony-031-d111381.jpg
YunHee Kim

When reciting promises to her bride, Lauren, who went first, surprised Vanessa with an original poem. "It was hilarious—and it rhymed!" says Vanessa. (An excerpt: You are gorgeous and smart, my perfect mate / And as everyone here knows, always fashionably late.) As for Vanessa's vows? "My vows were more serious and emotional," Vanessa says, laughing.

11 of 14

Modern Vows

alison-markus-real-wedding-elizabeth-messina-204-ds111251.jpg
Elizabeth Messina Photography

Markus got pretty poetic in his fresh version of wedding vows. "I love you because you make me proud," he said to his bride, Alison. "Because you are adventurous and happy. You are the dream I never dreamed of coming true. I love you because you make me say, 'Yes, we can. Yes, I want. Yes, I do.'"

12 of 14

Funny Vows

jackie-ross-wedding-ceremony-044-s111775-0215.jpg
Nathan Westerfield

Jackie and Ross have their dear friend, Jonathan Sadowski, to thank for their self-described "unconventional, hysterical, sincere, and perfect" ceremony script. While officiating, Jonathan mixed it up, saying to Jackie, "If you are willing to agree to and accept the aforementioned terms of this contract, please say 'I'm in.' Ross, look at Jackie—her eyes are up there. If you are willing to agree to and accept the aforementioned terms of this contract, please say, 'All day, errday.'"

13 of 14

Creative Vows

editors-best-registry-picks-darcy-wedding-0701.jpg
Philippe Cheng/John Dolan/Holger

Our editorial director Darcy Miller is great at dreaming up creative wedding ideas, and her own vows were just as special—and funny, too. "Andy, with you I feel complete," Darcy said. "You brought magic to my life, and I look forward to making each other happy, always. No matter what life brings, I know we will always have each other. Our love is rare. I only wish you had talked some sense into me earlier."

In response, Andy said, "My sweetie, my bride, wonderful things happen to those who keep trying. Since the first time I met you, I wanted to make you happy, even when you draw those pictures of me that show me with less hair than I like to think I have. Now your happiness is my guide, and I will love you for every second of the rest of my life."

14 of 14

Fast Vows

jennifer-adrien-wedding-ceremony-0614.jpg
Lauren Kinsey

Who says vows have to be verbose and overly detailed to be meaningful? Jennifer and Adrien created a Christian vow exchange that was just seven minutes long. But the couple's minutes-long promises were not short on substance. With the help of their pastor, they edited their vows "so it felt like a reflection of us, our relationship, and our love and wishes," Jennifer says.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles