But wait!!!! Do you really believe that words of mutual promise exchanged since ages by our parents, grandparents and other ancestors have no significance at all? Then you are wrong!!! Traditional Wedding Vows express the value and respect for the sanctity of marriage.
Traditional wedding vows are in use since ages, they have depth of meaning already built in. They aptly articulate the reasons why you chose to spend the rest of your life with your partner. Wedding vows are the words that make you married. And what better way than traditional wedding vows to make promises of undying love and affection.
No matter what your denomination, traditional wedding vows include the notions of selflessness ("love, comfort, keep"), unconditional love ("for richer or for poorer", "in sickness and in health"), faithfulness ("forsaking all others"), and eternity ("as long as we both shall live", "until death do us part"). Given below is a general outline of traditional wedding vows.
As we are discussing about traditional wedding vows, it becomes important to mention the Form of Solemnization of Matrimony from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. This service since 1662 remains unchanged and is the source of the phrase, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered together before God to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony." After the processional, the minister or priest commences the ceremony with the above mentioned phrase. The minister then speaks on the holiness of marital commitment, which he may personalize to address the bride and groom.
The couple can exchange vows in two different ways. The minister or the priest can pose the vows as a question: "Do you (name) take (partner's name) for your lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do you part?" to which the couple can answer “I do”. The couple can also take the vows for themselves: "I (name) take you (partner's name) for my lawful wife/husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part." These words can be modified or embellished so that they suit the special preferences of each and every couple. Irrespective of the variation in words, the essence of marital commitment expressed by the traditional wedding vows remains the same.
DGreetings gives us an insight into Traditional Wedding Vows.
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