25 of the best wedding vows to inspire your own

Writing your wedding vows can bring a curious mix of romance and mild stage fright. Summarising a relationship in a handful of sentences is no small task, particularly when standing in front of everyone you know.

Many couples we see at Easy Weddings want words that feel genuine rather than rehearsed. Whether you lean towards time-honoured commitments, modern promises, a touch of humour, or lines borrowed from literature, the best vows are simply the ones that ring true to you.

Here are 25 examples across five distinct styles to help guide your pen, followed by practical writing rules from one of Australia’s most experienced celebrants.

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Traditional wedding vows

Classic vows endure because they speak directly to resilience, respect, and unconditional commitment. Whether rooted in historic ceremonies, scripture, or heritage blessings, traditional words ground the moment in a sense of timeless purpose.

1. The classic exchange

“I take you to be my lawful wedded partner, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”

2. Apache blessing

“Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter to the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no more loneliness. Now you are two persons, but there is one life before you.”

3. Song of Solomon 6:3

“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.”

4. A partnership for life

“I give you my hand and my heart, as I give you myself, to be your partner in life. I promise to walk beside you in love and faithfulness, now and forever.”

5. Traditional Irish blessing

“You are the star of each night, you are the brightness of every morning, you are the story of each guest, you are the report of every land. No evil shall befall you, on hill nor bank, in field or valley, on mountain or in glen.”

Modern wedding vows

Modern vows place the reality of everyday partnership front and centre. Rather than relying on formal ceremony scripts, these vows celebrate shared teamwork, mutual growth, and the quiet comfort of daily life together.

6. The adventure vow

“From this day forward, I vow to be your partner in adventure, your teammate in life, and your biggest supporter in everything you do. I promise to laugh with you in the best times, hold you in the hardest times, and create a life with you that is full of purpose and joy.”

7. The everyday commitment

“You are my best friend, my greatest love, and my home. I promise to stand by your side through every season, to cheer you on in your ambitions, and to choose you each day, through the ordinary and the extraordinary.”

8. Privileges, not promises

“I see these vows not as obligations, but as privileges. I get to laugh with you and cry with you, care for you and share with you. I get to walk with you, build with you, and live with you.”

9. You are my reason

“You were my reason back then, my reason now, and my reason every day going forward. I vow to stand by your side, support your dreams, and celebrate the life we build together.”

10. Finding home

“Let us build a home of patience, humour, and support. Let us create a safe space for the good days and the difficult ones. You are my home, and I will always find my way back to you.”

Pop culture & screen-inspired vows

Film, television, and pop culture often capture romance with punchy precision. If a scriptwriter or songwriter has already articulated exactly how you feel, weaving a cultural reference into your ceremony brings warmth and familiarity to the altar.

11. Meredith and Derek (Grey’s Anatomy)

“To love each other, even when we hate each other. No running, ever. Nobody walks out, no matter what happens. Take care when old, senile, and smelly. This is forever.”

12. Leo (The Vow)

“I vow to fiercely love you in all of your forms, now and forever. I promise never to forget that this is a once-in-a-lifetime love.”

13. Chandler to Monica (Friends)

“I thought that it mattered what I said or where I said it. Then I realised the only thing that matters is that you make me happier than I ever thought I could be.”

14. Carrie on Big (Sex and the City)

“His hello was the end of her endings. Her laugh was their first step down the aisle. His hand would be hers to hold forever. His forever was as simple as her smile.”

15. Albert Einstein on love and gravity

“When you trip over love, it is easy to get up. But when you fall in love, it is impossible to stand again.”

Humorous wedding vows

A lighthearted line can ease ceremony nerves and invite your guests into the dynamic you share behind closed doors. The key to humorous vows is grounding them in affection, balancing wit with sincerity so the promise remains genuine.

16. The streaming agreement

“I promise to never binge-watch our favourite series without you, unless you fall asleep during the recap, in which case all bets are off.”

17. The dinner compromise

“I vow to always let you have the last slice of pizza, provided I am not genuinely starving.”

18. The seasonal clause

“I promise to listen attentively, celebrate your wins, and continue loving you without complaint, even during the peak of footy season.”

19. The domestic truce

“I vow to accompany you willingly through homeware stores and never question why we need an additional decorative cushion.”

20. The extra order

“I promise to love you endlessly, support you unconditionally, and always order an extra portion of chips knowing full well you will take mine.”

Literary & poetic wedding vows

For couples drawn to lyricism, classical literature and poetry offer elevated language designed to stand the test of time. These lines work especially well when paired with personal reflections, adding gravity and cadence to your spoken promises.

21. William Shakespeare (Sonnet 116)

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments. Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove. O no, it is an ever-fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken.”

22. Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)

“You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

23. Victor Hugo (Les Misérables)

“To love or to have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life.”

24. Edward to Bella (Twilight)

“No measure of time with you will be long enough, but we will start with forever.”

25. Westley (The Princess Bride)

“This is true love. You think this happens every day?”

Expert advice: How to write your vows with Benn Stone

Finding great inspiration is step one. Sitting down to turn a blank page into words you can speak out loud without choking up is another challenge entirely.

To help demystify the process, we spoke with Benn Stone, the face behind Melbourne Cityside Celebrant + DJ/MC. Having officiated more than 3,000 weddings, Benn has witnessed firsthand which vows resonate with a crowd and which ones trip couples up under pressure.

Here are his three core rules for crafting vows that land:

1. Borrow first, then make it yours

Aim for a length between 350 and 450 words. You do not need to invent a brand new structure from scratch.

"Find a vow you love, keep the shape of it and swap in your own details. It might be how you met or a little habit only the two of you know about. That one real moment is what makes everyone in the room lean in."

Benn Stone

2. Write it the way you talk and print it in large font

Your ceremony is not the place for complex prose or vocabulary you would never use in daily life. Short sentences give you space to breathe.

"Short sentences are much easier to say when you're emotional and your hands are shaking. Read your vows out loud a few times before the day and if you trip over a line, cut it back."

Benn Stone

He also notes that a good celebrant will make sure those vows are printed in a clear, large font on the day so you never have to squint at a tiny screen.

3. Start with a laugh, finish with the promise

Humour breaks the tension for both you and your guests, but the ending should bring everyone back to why you are standing there.

"A cheeky line about their snoring or their footy team gets everyone relaxed. Then finish on the promise that really matters. After 3,000 weddings I can tell you that's the combination guests are still talking about at the reception."

Benn Stone

Finding your words

Whether you choose to adapt an existing template or write a completely custom draft using Benn’s framework, remember that your vows do not need to sound like anyone else’s. Focus on what you genuinely admire about your partner, the small habits that define your relationship, and a sincere promise for the future.

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