Wedding vows
In a church wedding you make vows, or promises, to each other before God as well as in front of your friends and family.
Turning to each other, the bride and groom take each other’s right hand and say:
‘I, (bride’s name), take you, (groom’s 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,
to love and to cherish,
till death us do part'
From The Marriage Service, Common Worship
In most marriages these days, the bride and groom say the same vows to each other, however, there are alternative versions of the vows in both Common Worship and in the Book of Common Prayer services which include the vow for the bride 'to love, cherish and obey'.
It’s a ceremony that bonds you, not just in front of your family and friends, but in the eyes of God as well.
The vows that you make are at the heart of your wedding day. Church is the only place you can make promises this big to each other. By making these promises in church, you invite a loving and profoundly caring God to help you keep them.
Your Vicar may offer sessions at the church or vicarage to help you prepare for the day. This is a good chance to think about your vows and the difference they will make.