To Write or To Read?

With just a few months to go, I've started telling myself it's time to settle some of the smaller details for our wedding. I've chosen pretty much all of the vendors that will have a part in our day, but it's time to get down to the nitty gritty and make those small yet oh-so-important decisions about details.

Truth be told, I haven't given much thought to the ceremony. Yes, I know where it will be and who will play the music, but other than that it's really just a blank slate that needs to be filled. We know that Mr. C's youth pastor from the church he attended through high school will be officiating the ceremony, but we haven't even spoken with him yet about the way he usually "runs" a wedding. For the most part, we are keeping it very traditional, and I feel as if we really won't stray too much from his format for ceremonies. However, there is one question that is yet to be answered: will we write our own vows, or read/repeat the traditional ones?

There are many things I like about both options. Traditional Christian wedding vows are so, well, traditional! When I think of a wedding ceremony, I think of couples reciting after the pastor their respective "With this ring, I thee wed" and promising to love, cherish, have, and hold. I love that these vows and readings are such a classic representation of a wedding.

BUT, I will be the first to admit that they can seem a bit impersonal. Yes, each of the things you're promising to do in the vows are important, but they really aren't personalized to any particular couple. Writing your own vows gives you the freedom to be creative, and to vow things that are unique to your relationship and the two of you as a couple.

Another reason I'm really fond of writing your own vows is because I love getting to hear them in a wedding video. Even more so, I love that the wedding video allows your to relive them again and again.

This video by Loveshot Productions is a great example of how beautiful handwritten vows can sound on video. You can skip to 2:44 for the wonderful vow goodness, or you can watch the entire video and tear up like me! I just love how personal and heartfelt is.

So there are things I like about both options - the classic nature of one, the personalized emotions of the other. What's a girl to do? Well, y'all know how I am about decisions - when I can't make one, I just choose both!

I talked to Mr. Coach and surprisingly he was not against the idea of us writing something for each other and reading it during the ceremony. We also both like the idea of the traditional vows so we wanted to include those as well.

Now, the question is, how do we incorporate both? See, I knew these details were going to be difficult.

Tell me about your ceremony structure - did you go the traditional route where you could just listen and repeat, or were you brave enough to read your own words to your significant other? Anyone have a success story with using both elements?