Writing (and Capturing) Perfect Wedding Vows
The Importance of Vows
When I show up to film a wedding day, I have my shooter's eye trained for all the major moments - the look of awe and love on the couple's faces during their first look, the beaming pride of parents as their child walks down the aisle, the roars of celebration and joy as the newlyweds are announced. But if I'm being honest, the part that always has me getting misty-eyed behind the camera is the vow exchange.
Those vows distill the very reasons you are choosing to become life partners. The promises, the vulnerability, the profound love - hearing it all poured straight from your hearts is guaranteed to give me all the feels, every single time. As a wedding videographer, it's my role to artfully capture the beauty and emotion of those words in a way that allows you to re-live and re-feel that iconic moment for decades to come.
So let's talk about how you can craft vows that are personal, meaningful, and unforgettable - because you'd better believe I'll be documenting every second.
Writing From The Heart
Unless having traditional vows is essential to your religious or cultural ceremonies, I always recommend writing your own personal vows. It allows you to express your love and commitment in a way that is unique and authentic to your relationship. You won’t be alone, 47% of couples in the US write their own wedding vows!
But where do you start? The prospect of summing up your eternal devotion in just a few paragraphs can feel daunting. My advice is to not overthink it at first. Spend some time free-writing a stream of consciousness about your partner - the things you love and admire about them, your favorite memories and inside jokes, the dreams you share for your future family. Let those thoughts flow freely without judging or censoring.
Once you have pages filled with raw sentiments and emotions, then you can start carefully excerpting the most profound points to craft into cohesive vows. I find this lets couples express themselves from the heart more naturally.
Qualities That Will Make Me Cry Happy Tears
So what actually makes for vows that will have me crying tears of joy while I film? Here are some qualities to keep in mind:
Specificity Over Generalities
Anyone can recite flowery vows about eternal love and being there "for better or worse." But truly personal and meaningful vows include those specific quirks, special memories, and the unique reasons you love this human. Those ultra-specific touches are pure gold. Use this guide to get through writers-block.
Vulnerability and Authenticity
Don't be afraid to bare the true depths of your emotions and commitment through your words. I love capturing little quivers of the voice, happy tears, and other genuine moments of vulnerability. It's what makes the vows incredibly powerful.
Promises For Your Future
While cherished memories are wonderful, be sure to make it about your vision for your lives being joined together. The dreams you'll chase, the family you'll build, the reasons your love will endure - visualizing and vocalizing that paints such a vivid picture.
In Your Own Voice
The most touching vows I've had the honor of filming are the ones delivered in the couple's authentic personality and voice. Don't stress about making them overly poetic or "wedding-y" - I want to hear YOUR voices shining through with your quirks, humor, and overall dynamic.
Rehearse For Delivery
Once your vows are thoughtfully written, keep practicing them out loud and with emotion. Read them for your partner, friends, or just to yourself in the mirror. The more you connect with the words, the more naturally they'll flow when you read them face-to-face with your partner on the day I'm filming. This article covers tips for delivering your vows like a pro.
Capturing The Vows On Video
From my years working as a wedding videographer, I've developed strategies to beautifully and comprehensively capture the vow exchange:
Getting The Audio
Having crystal clear audio of your vows is essential, so I'll be mic'ing up both of you with compact lavalier mics secured discreetly under your clothing. I'll also have my external camera mic positioned as close as possible.
Various Filming Angles
To provide a truly cinematic experience that puts you in the middle of the vows, I'll be filming from multiple angles - close-up shots of your faces expressing every nuanced emotion, wide shots to see your physicality and staging, and reaction shots of loved ones listening in. I capture it all.
Lighting and Framing
Through my artistic use of lighting and framing techniques, my goal is to create visuals that are vibrant and frame you in a beautiful, almost portrait-like quality. Golden hour ceremonies are a cinematographer's dream!
Staging and Logistics
But before I can implement any of those creative tactics, I need to know the logistics of your ceremony staging and vow delivery. Details like whether you'll be standing or seated, if there will be a microphone for you to share, if you'll be facing each other or your guests, etc.
So as you're planning out the finer details, just loop me in! That way I can determine the ideal place to position myself and my equipment to capture every meaningful second. See what working with me looks like!
Preserving Your Legacy
At the end of the day, your personal vows and their cinematic documentation are such an important part of preserving the legacy of your love story for generations to come. I take that responsibility incredibly seriously.
So take the time to prepare vows that profoundly express your hopes, dreams, memories, and unending commitment for one another. Pour your hearts into them, and trust that I'll be working my hardest to ensure those words and moments will never be forgotten. Let’s talk about your wedding!
Take a look at some of my other guides:
Creating a Wedding Checklist
