Today we’re talking about one of my favorite parts of any wedding: wedding vows!! Emotional, affirming, and in some cases legally necessary (depending on the state), so we wanted to give our best tips for writing and saying your vows.

Writing your own vows?

No time like the present! Our best tip: don’t try to bang them out the night before. I’ve seen a few people still writing them right before walking out to the ceremony. It’s always better when you give yourself some time to gather your thoughts, revisit them, and practice a bit beforehand.

Give your vows some real thought, but don’t obsess. If all else fails: just say how the other person makes you feel, or a few things you love about them. It doesn’t have to be A Tale of Two Cities. Heartfelt, poignant and short will always beat generic, boring and long.

One important note: remember you will be sayin these things in front of grandma and your entire family. They’re also being recorded for posterity if you have hired a videographer. While it’s great to be very open and speak from the heart, maybe remember what is appropriate and what is not for this time.

Some practical tips for vows

Please write your vows down. In a book, on paper – whatever. Reading them from cell phones for not make for cute photos. It’s also a hassle to get a cell phone down the aisle and do a handoff.

For the love of all that is right in this world, please speak into the microphone. As in – literally lean into the mic if it is on a stand or hold the microphone closer to your mouth. People who are not used to speaking into a mic think it will pick it up if you are just close to it – but I have some bad news: people in the back are not hearing you.

As part of your rehearsal – don’t forget to run through the motions of who will speak first, if you will hold hands, who will have your vows and how you’ll get them, etc etc. Mechanics going smoothly can take a lot of the pressure off.

Photo Credits from Top: Jana Williams, Sarah Linda Photography, Meghan Christine Photo, Jenna Rae Photo