WEDDING SERVICE PLANNER
THE EXCHANGE OF VOWS

There are many ways to exchange the actual vows. The following are a sample of traditional and not so traditional vows.
The couple is asked to join hands for this part of the service and face one another. The groom is normally asked to go first with the words “- Name -, say to – Name – after me”.

STYLE ONE (Traditional)
In the presence of God and before these witnesses, I, – Name – take you – Name – to be my wife/husband , to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; in joy and in sorrow; to love and to cherish; and to be faithful to you alone, as long as we both shall live.

STYLE TWO
– Name – in the presence of God and before these witnesses, I take you to be wife/husband. I give you my hand, I give you my love, I give you myself. I pledge to stand by you as long as we live. Come, travel with me, and share the road both when it is hard and when it easy.

STYLE THREE (Contemporary)
In the presence of God, and before our family and friends I, – Name – take you – Name – to be my wife/husband; to laugh with you in joy; to grieve with you in sorrow; to support you in sickness and in health; to grow with you in love; and to be faithful to you alone, as long as we both shall live.

STYLE FOUR (Reformed)
I take you – Name – to be my wife/husband, and these things I promise you: I will be faithful to you and honest with you. I will respect, trust, help, and care for you. I will share my life with you. I will forgive you as we have been forgiven, and I will try with you better to understand ourselves, the world and God; through the best and worst of what is to come, until death parts us.

STYLE FIVE (Palumbo)
I, – name take you, name
to be my wife,
knowing in my heart that you will always be
my best friend, my partner in life
and my one true love.
On this special day,
I give to you in the presence of God
my promise to stay by your side as your husband,
in sickness and in health,
in joy and in sorrow,
as well as through the good times and the bad.
I promise to love you without reservation,
to honor and respect you,
to provide for your needs the best that I can,
to protect you from harm,
to comfort you in times of distress,
to grow with you in mind and spirit,
to always be open and honest with you,
and to cherish you
for as long as we both shall live.

Name, say to Name

I, name, take you name,
to be my husband,
knowing in my heart that you will continue to be
my best friend, my partner in life
and my one true love.
On this special day
I give to you in the presence of God
my promise to stay by your side as your wife,
in sickness and in health,
in joy and in sorrow,
as well as through the good times and the bad.
I promise to love you without reservation,
to honor and respect you,
to provide for your needs the best that I can,
to comfort and support you each and every day,
to laugh with you and cry with you,
to grow with you in mind and spirit,
to always be open and honest with you,
and to cherish you
for as long as we both shall live.

STYLE SIX (Tomash)
– Name – I love you
and on this day I wed you.
Not just for who you are,
but for who I am when I’m with you.
I love you not for what you’ve done with your life
but for what you’re doing with mine.
I love you for making me good, happy and whole.
Because, – Name – that is what you do.
Without a word.
Without a gesture.
Without a doubt.
Just by being yourself.
Such a simple thing…
but no one else in the world can do it.
Only you…. forever.
This day, before our family and friends
With joy in my heart
I pledge myself to you as your husband / wife
promising to love you
to cherish our moments together
for now and forever.

by Rev. Richard J. Fairchild & Rev. Brett Blair

This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes, “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”