First of all, congratulations on making the decision to elope! You’ve chosen to hold a small, intimate ceremony that does away with the pomp and circumstance of a traditional wedding and keeps your big day focused on what truly matters: The love you share for one another and the people close to you who fill your life with joy. 

We’ve witnessed some truly amazing ceremonies, and one thing that sets them apart is the powerful, personal vows that each couple wrote for one another. Writing personalised wedding vows for an elopement allows you to put your true feelings into words and really speak from the heart. It’s a chance to fill your declarations of love with unique details and personal touches that will make your big day truly memorable. 

So if you’re considering writing your own elopement wedding vows and aren’t sure where to begin, we’ve put an essential guide to wedding vows that will help you write wedding vows that are totally unique to you and express what’s in your heart! 

How To Write Your Own Wedding Vows

Speak Directly To The Person You’re Marrying

While the vows of a traditional wedding ceremony might require a brief address to all the guests gathered there to greet them and get them up to speed, your personal elopement vows can dispense with these extra details and directly address the person you’re marrying. This is a perfect opportunity to speak about the deepest, most honest aspects of the love that you share. 

You can also add some unique details like a personal joke or shared reference that only the two of you understand. Throw tradition out the window and just write what feels honest and authentic to you!

Speak About Your Love

This is your chance to fully articulate the depth of the love you feel for the most important person in your life. Maybe there are things you feel in your heart that you’ve never before put into words — now’s your chance to speak them out loud and let them be heard loud and clear. 

When it comes to how to write personal wedding vows, talking about the love you feel, and how you feel being loved by them, is always powerful and a recipe for deep and lasting emotion.

Mention Important Relationship Milestones

Your personal, unique wedding vows are a perfect opportunity to revisit some of the significant moments in your relationship that have brought you to this amazing day. 

These can be happy memories, or memories of challenging times from which you emerged stronger and more committed to your love. 

Throw In Some Promises

It can be powerful and deeply meaningful to use your wedding vows as a chance to make commitments for the future. These can be solemn promises of steadfast support and unwavering dedication, or they can be lighthearted and full of levity!

Say, “I Love You”

This might seem obvious or a little simplistic, but these three little words truly mean so much! Even simple elopement vows can pack a powerful impact when they contain this essential statement. It’s the foundation of your entire relationship, and it can never be said enough.

Be Vulnerable

Don’t be afraid to show your emotional side! This is the person you can trust to witness you at your most emotionally vulnerable, so don’t be afraid to say exactly what’s in your heart.

Break The Ice

An elopement means that you can feel free to experiment with some non-traditional wedding vows that are playful and full of jokes. Consider beginning your vows with some lighthearted humour to help relax.

Mention Your Future Together

Your vows are a great opportunity to look ahead and imagine the joyful life that awaits you both. What do you think growing old together will be like? How does it feel to know that this amazing person will be your partner as you face everything life throws your way?

Some Questions To Consider Answering In Your Vows

• What was your first impression of your partner? Did it change over time, or was this first impression strengthened the more you got to know them?
• What aspects of your relationship do you treasure most?
• How has your life been enriched and improved with this special person in your life?
• What will you do to enrich your partner’s life and make sure they always feel loved and supported?
• What are the things you most love and admire about your partner? What makes them totally unique and makes you feel especially lucky to be with them?

Some Methods For Working On Your Vows

Jot Notes On Your Phone

Sometimes inspiration for your vows will strike when you least expect it! Whenever you have an idea, take out your phone and jot it down in your notes app so that you can incorporate it into your vows later.

Look Around For Inspiration

Engaging with the art that means the most to you — whether that’s movies, music, painting, or poetry — can provide a creative spark while you’re writing your vows and help you discover the exact words and emotions you want to convey.

Start Early

Writing great wedding vows takes time, so try to leave yourself plenty of time to let the creative process run its course. Write a first draft of your vows, leave it for a week, and then revisit it. The more time you allow yourself to edit and revise your vows, the better you’ll feel about the final results.

Choose Whether You Want To Collaborate On Your Vows Or Leave Them As A Surprise

Whether you choose to write your vows together in a coordinated creative effort, or separately to be read as a surprise on the big day is totally up to you. 

However, in my experience, wedding vows that are written individually from the heart and then recited for the first time on the day of the elopement tend to have the biggest impact and be the most meaningful.

Consider A Vow Booklet

Your wedding vows are a special piece of writing, and they deserve more than to just be read off of your phone. I recommend checking out these vow booklets from Etsy. They’re beautifully made and are a great method for reading your vows on your big day. Plus, they make for divine keepsakes that you’ll be able to treasure for years to come!

Time To Take The Next Step!

Now that you know how to write your own wedding vows to be uniquely yout, it’s time to start planning for your big day! If you’re considering an adventure elopement in South West Australia, then we’d love to hear from you. 

Your unique and personal wedding vows deserve a unique and personal elopement experience, so get in touch any time and together we can start preparing for an adventure elopement that perfectly celebrates your unique love story.