Besides all of the amazing little details and decisions that weddings involve, many couples find themselves with another wedding day choice, whether or not to write their own vows. And while we love traditional vows in their many forms, there’s a special place in our hearts for those super personal, tearful, joyous, and even downright fun vows our couples have written in the past. Lucky for us, one of our cutie pie couples from last year, Ryan and Cristina, were able to give us insight on this cool little ceremony trend.
What inspired you and your spouse to write your own vows?
Cristina: “Ryan told me I had to write my own vows. Other than that, writing your own vows makes the ceremony more personal and intimate.”
Ryan: “Growing up, I watched a lot of rom-coms and always wanted to write my own vows. Also, I knew how much and why I loved Cristina, but not everyone else did, so it was my opportunity to tell everyone myself.”
How long did it take you to write your own vows?
Cristina: “On and off for a few months.”
Ryan: “When I proposed to Cristina 18 months before our wedding, I had memorized a long speech that I was supposed to say before proposing, but I forgot the entire speech when the time came, so I used parts of that speech to create my vows. Then, on and off until the wedding, I kept a document of sentences or quotes that I wanted to include. I wrote my final vows about a month before the wedding.”
What was your favorite part of writing your own vows?
Cristina: “Being able to express my love for Ryan.”
Ryan: “Of course, expressing my love for Cristina. But, there was this quote from J.D. Salinger that I had read when I was in high school (Cristina and I started dating at 17) and I always felt that it summarized how I felt about Cristina, but I never shared the quote with her until our wedding day. So, it was pretty exciting to share that after all these years.”
What advice do you have for couples considering writing their own vows?
Ryan: “While writing your vows is a nice way to express your love and say nice things about your significant other, at the end of the day, it's your choice and, while it is a chance to make the ceremony fun and intimate, it's really just about the person standing across from you.”
Photos by Alicia, Ashley, and Bre of Alicia Lucia Photography
Blog + Photo Curation by Jaclyn of Alicia Lucia Photography
