The history of wedding vows for English speaking countries have origins in medieval times. You’ve most likely heard this vintage vow from the Anglican church:
“I [bride/groom] take you, [bride/groom] to be by [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, according to God’s holy law, and this is my solemn vow.”
Modern couples like to write their own vows as their personal statement and public commitment to the permanence of the union.
Even the most non-religious of couples include some of the same elements in their custom vows, elements such as:
- Long term commitment;
- Willingness to overlook imperfections in their spouse;
- Sincerity in weathering the tough times together
The vows above were pretty much the vows used by Prince William and Kate Middleton when they got married in 2011 at Westminster Abbey, as you can see in the video above.
Following the vows, the Archbishop blessed the ring and Prince William concluded the vows by saying:
“With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee honour; and all my worldly goods with thee I share: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
The Knot shared some of their favorite contemporary vows in a recent piece. The excerpt below gives you a feel for how today’s couples are writing their own vows:
“I vow to trust and value your opinions.
I vow to travel beside you through all of life’s adventures.
I vow to always keep fighting for us, because I know we can overcome any uphill battles we might face.
And lastly, I vow that I will choose you every day, a million times over, not because I have to, but because I want to.”
You can see how these vows touch on all the elements listed above, but in the vernacular of today.
The history of wedding vows shows that evolving language and customs may affect the way we express them. Yet, the same principles of commitment and acceptance remain the foundation of these vows, no matter how expressed.
The same idea applies to the entertainment at your Columbus wedding reception. Musical tastes may vary by era and by couple, but with the same objective: fun. Columbus Pro DJs knows how to pack your dance floor, playing the customized music that defines your good taste. Now that’s a vow!
