Is your wedding soon and you need to write your wedding vows quickly?
As a wedding vow writer, I have witnessed many couples wait until days and sometimes hours before their wedding ceremony to write their vows.
It’s a daunting task and with no clear direction on how to overcome the overwhelm, we procrastinate.
So what should you do now that it’s almost time to tie the knot and your vow booklet is blank?
Here are seven tips for how to write your vows quickly.
Tip #1: Let Go of Perfection
The desire to write the perfect draft of vows is what prevents many couples from putting pen to paper.
Your vows don’t need to be perfect. They simply need to sound like you.
Take the pressure off by reminding yourself that your vows are meant to capture your love story. They don’t need to be Instagram Reels ready.
Also, embrace the mindset of “progress over perfection.” Getting something down on paper that isn’t quite right is better than a blank sheet. You can always edit your ideas but you need to start somewhere.
Tip #2: Start with Key Points and then Expand
It’s hard to sit down and immediately write vows that capture all the ideas you have. So don’t try to.
Instead, begin by jotting down all of your ideas. Don’t worry about the format or how it reads. Incomplete sentences, misspellings, and half-baked ideas are all welcome during this step of the process.
Example:
That road trip we took
His support, kind heart, and quick wit
Our time together dating long-distance
Want to be an encouraging partner
Work together toward our shared dreams
The list feels random in this format but that’s okay! It’s an easy and quick way to get started.
Next, build off of each idea you wrote down.
What about the road trip is meaningful?
How has his support, kind heart, and quick wit inspired or changed you? What do you admire about these traits?
How do you plan to be an encouraging partner?
What dreams do you share?
As you add more details, more material will emerge and soon you’ll have a rough draft of your vows.
This initial draft may not sound like what you want to read on your wedding day but a rough draft is easier to edit into a final draft than a blank page.
Tip #3: Edit for Impact
The best advice I can offer someone who needs to write wedding vows quickly is to write that first draft in minutes…not hours. Literally, don’t spend more than 30 minutes writing the first draft of your vows.
Then spend the majority of your time editing and making sure you’ve included everything on the wedding vow checklist.
Once you’ve written the fast draft, follow these editing steps:
Reread your draft and delete or rephrase any ideas that don’t align with the feeling you want your vows to have
Shorten sentences. Initial drafts tend to include run-on sentences. When we shorten these lines, we communicate our point with more impact.
Remove concepts that are better suited for a wedding day letter. Not all of your ideas will be vow-worthy. Some stories or feelings make more sense packaged in a personal letter for your spouse.
For example, it’s sweet to flashback to the moment you first met. However, going into every detail of your first date is out of place for vows. Keep the material for a wedding day letter.
Tip #4: Review Old Texts and Photos
One of the fastest ways to find material for your vows is to scroll through old text messages, DMs, and photos.
Revisiting these moments will allow you to view your relationship and partner from another perspective. How do you speak with each other?
How have they shown you support?
How have you grown through disagreements?
Look at your facial expressions in photos. What do you look like in your partner’s presence? How do they make you feel?
Jot down notes based on these old conversations and then see how these ideas can frame your vows.
Tip #5: List Several Promises
Vows at their core are promises. Since promises are a key part of your vows, this is a great place to begin when you’re in a rush. This way, you’ll be guaranteed to include the most important element of your vows.
I recommend including three to six promises. Make them specific to your relationship and skip the trite lines that are more generic.
You can vary the tone of your promises too. Aim for the majority of your promises to be serious and sweet with a couple having a more humorous or light-hearted tone.
Tip #6: Follow a Wedding Vow Outline or Template
To write vows quickly, follow a wedding vow outline or template.
Here’s the outline I recommend:
Address your partner directly
Describe what you love about your partner
Communicate what you admire about your relationship
List specific promises
Describe your future
Close by saying I love you
Tip #7: Have an Expert Write Your Vows
Whether you’re still too overwhelmed or simply too busy with your other wedding to-dos, consider working with a professional wedding vow writer at Katelyn’s Wedding Words.
I work with couples to write heartfelt and custom vows and can help remove your stress too.
Get in touch to see how we can work together.