I would be lying if I told you I wrote my own vows months before our wedding. The truth is, I wrote them the week of. But from what I’ve heard from others, I’m not alone with the last minute vow-writing.
Since many couples will be getting engaged over the holidays and needing a little vow writing help, I reached out to Katelyn Stanis, a professional wedding vow and toast writer to see if she had any tips for us. She had a ton of great advice and created this 4 Easy Steps to Writing Your Wedding Vows blog for us! Ready?
Step #1—Make a Plan
You need to get organized and create a plan around vow writing to make it stress-free. Schedule time in your calendar for vow writing the same way you’d schedule time for your cake tasting. Then be sure to show up and commit to the appointment.
Get specific with your appointment titles. Instead of simply blocking out time for “vow writing” title the time block with the actual task you’ll complete. For example, “write first draft” or “brainstorm ideas for vows.”
Step #2—Use Writing Prompts
Even the most experienced writers get in creative ruts and are overwhelmed with writer’s block. Using a prompt can lure back your muse and inspire lots of material for your vows. Here are a few wedding vow writing prompts to get you started.
- Why are you choosing to marry this person?
- When you think of your fiancé, what makes you most grateful?
- How does your fiancé show you love?
- What are your hopes and dreams for our marriage?
Step #3—Write Now, Edit Later
Often times the fear of writing can prevent brides from putting pen to paper. The big secret to writing amazing wedding vows is simple—you just have to start.
Start writing. Put your emotion and wandering thoughts about your love down on paper. The words do not need to be eloquent and the sentences do not need to be perfectly strung together. Just start writing and you can always edit your work later. Once you start getting your thoughts down on paper, you’ll soon realize that you have more to work with than you had originally thought.
Step #4—Practice
Writing is only half of what’s involved in creating impactful wedding vows. You also have to be able to confidently recite the words you wrote. To really make a strong impression on your fiancé and your guests, practice reciting your wedding vows.
I recommend recording a video of yourself. While it might feel a bit awkward at first, you’ll be thankful to recognize your nervous ticks before the big day.
There you have it! But if you still find yourself struggling to write your vows (many do) you can work directly with Katelyn in these 2 ways:
- We can work together to create custom wedding vows through my one-on-one vow writing service.
- If you prefer to handle more of the writing on your own but could use some guidance throughout the process, then her digital vow writing course is the right option for you.
Now, get out there and write your vows!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your wedding planning or know you’re busy and won’t make it a priority, reach out to us here to get our packages!
Photos by Chloe Moore Photography and Lauren Mihae
