06.22.08
Where to Find Sample Wedding Vows
During the wedding ceremony the bride and groom exchange wedding vows. The vows typically represent your commitment to the marriage and each other and sets some expectations that you agree to meet for your partner. An example of this is this phrase from typical traditional wedding vows: “to have and to hold, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, through good times and bad times, until death do we part”. There are often words to express your religious beliefs and/or words about what marriage represents to each of you.
As the bride and groom you can decide what words to use in your vows. For instance, when my husband and I got married many years ago, I did not want the word “obey” in our vows. Instead we choose to say that we would listen to each other and respect each others opinions.
If you are having trouble coming up with the right words to convey your special message from your heart for your wedding vows, here are some places to look for ideas and examples.
- Check online, do a search for “wedding vows”. This will turn up articles and websites as well as examples that you can use as is or modify to make them your own.
- Check with the person who will be officiating at your wedding. They can often give you examples of vows they often use.
- Consider poetry. Popular poets include Browning, Keats and Gibran to name a few. You can use a favorite poem or write your own.
When writing your vows, it is a good idea for the bride and groom to write your wedding vows together. Although, some couples like to be surprise each other. The most important thing when writing your own vows is that the message comes from your heart. If you keep that in mind while you are working on your vows and keep it short and simple, you may surprise yourself with what beautiful words you come up with.
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05.29.08
Most Important Factor in a Wedding Speech
In any speaking engagement, one of the most important factors (and the most neglected, too) is the audience. People are so worried about the speech itself that they tend to forget the real factor that will affect the whole execution of the speech.
There are many kinds of speeches and one of them is the wedding speech. It is that part of the wedding that everyone is excited to hear.
In a wedding, there are three primary wedding speeches that will be heard. The first one will be coming from the bride’s father. This is usually the most emotional speech and the most unforgettable one. It becomes very touching when the father includes in his speech how he is giving his blessing to his daughter and her new husband.
The second part of the wedding speech is the groom’s speech. Here, he will thank his parents for all their love and care. He will also thank all those who made the celebration possible and memorable.
And last is the best man’s speech. Usually, this type of wedding speech is the most enlightening one because it entails the lighter side of the event. The best man will tell stories about the groom and his crazy antics.
Of all these speeches, the audience should be the primary factor that should be considered when making the wedding speech. Thinking of the audience, the speaker will be able to identify which things should be said and which things should be left out.
In most cases, the most common misconception of most wedding speakers about wedding speeches is that they thought that they were speaking to the bride and the groom only, which should not be the case. The wedding speech should be delivered to all of the guests. In fact, the impression most wedding speakers make reflects back to the bride and groom.
For example, if you are to make a wedding speech and you have thought of including some jokes that you think would make the couple happy, try to think of the audience first if it will make them happy too. There may be instances where your joke will not amuse the elderly ones who will be present at the wedding.
Problems and conflicts may happen just because of the wedding speech you have made. So, it is extremely important to make a speech that will focus on the general interest of the audience and not centered on the bride and groom or to your own judgment of what you think would be funny .
Another misconception that wedding speakers usually make is that they tend to think that wedding speeches are not worth all the trouble. That is why many speakers do not make a speech that is well thought out, with words that are carefully chosen, and the idea creatively generated to come up with a good speech. A good short groom wedding speech is better than a long unprepared speech.
Usually, they may make a speech that they think will do for the time being. Just to get it over with, they might just think of mentioning some stories and that is it.
What matters most in a wedding speech is the reaction and impression that the audience will have on your speech. You should also consider the audience’s feelings and beliefs. Similarly to when you talk to your boss or your colleague and consider their feelings and principles in the same way you should be delivering your speech.
You should know how to identify with the audience. Through identification of the audience you will be able to come up with a wedding speech that the audience can relate to whatever stories or information that you will be telling them.
So, now that you know how important wedding speeches can be, it is important to take note of the most important factor before making a wedding speech – the audience. And because wedding speeches are an important part of the wedding, it should never be taken for granted.
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