Non-Religious Wedding Vows for a Meaningful Ceremony

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7 Non-Religious Wedding Vows for a Meaningful Ceremony

Your vows encompass the entire purpose of your wedding. They’re your promises to each other and vocalize your timeless love. Because vows are so personal, they should directly reflect you as a couple.

Not all couples want to use traditional religious vows. Perhaps you want your wedding to be welcoming to everyone, regardless of their belief. You may also want vows to reflect your own non-religious or religiously neutral views.

Whatever the reason, everyone is welcome to adjust their vows to their lifestyle and preferences. If you’re looking for romantic and timeless non-religious wedding vows, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve compiled a list of the most romantic secular wedding vows for use as your vows or inspiration when writing personalized vows.

Key Takeaways:

Your vows share why you love each other and your hopes for the marriage

Use romantic poems, readings, or music lyrics in your vows or as inspiration

Personalize the vows to your special relationship

What Makes Up a Wedding Vow?

A wedding vow is your promise to each other as you enter marriage. There are no rules on what you should include in your vows, as your marriage is a unique expression of your relationship with your partner. Some couples use vows to promise lifelong faithfulness and devotion, while others feel more comfortable promising their love in front of witnesses.

If you plan to write your own vows, here are some elements to consider adding:

Say each other’s names
Give voice to why you love the other person
Share what you promise to do in the marriage (some typical promises are loving, supporting, and caring for each other)
Add in “we” phrases to make the vows a team effort
Give promises for the tough times as well as good times
If you’re comfortable, make the promise lifelong with phrases like “for all eternity,” “until death,” “as long as we both live,” and “forevermore.”

7 Meaningful Non-Religious Wedding Vows for Inspiration

Use these examples of non-religious wedding vows to guide your writing, or you can use them word for word. If you want further inspiration, look at love poems and quotes from your favorite authors.

1. A Promise of Love

Both partners take turns saying this to each other:
“I promise to love you,
to protect and care for you,
and to be patient and understanding,
to support you,
and to always be faithful to you.
I will be your friend and companion,
and I will share my life with you,
through good times and bad times,
as long as we both shall live.”

2. Frau Ava’s Declaration of Love

Partner 1:
“In your eyes, I have found my home.
In your heart, I have found my love.
In your soul, I have found my mate.
With you, I am whole, full, alive.
You make me laugh.
You let me cry.
You are my breath, my every heartbeat.

I am yours.
You are mine.
Of this we are certain.
You are lodged in my heart.
The small key is lost.
You must stay there forever.”

Partner 2:
“You are my inspiration and my soul’s fire.
You are the magic of my days.
You help me laugh, you teach me love.
You provide a safe place for me, unlike I’ve ever known.
You free me to sing my own song.
You are more of an amazement to me, each day I rediscover you.
You are my greatest boon.

I am yours.
You are mine.
Of this we are certain.
You are lodged in my heart.
The small key is lost.
You must stay there forever.”

3. Simple Yet Meaningful Vows

Both partners take turns saying this to each other:
“I, ____, in the presence of these witnesses, take you, ____, to be my husband / wife / partner, and solemnly pledge my loyalty and love to you, so long as we both live.”

4. Non-Religious Traditional Vow

Both partners take turns saying this to each other:
“I choose you, ______, to be my wife / husband / partner, as my friend and love. On this day I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed, looking to the future and to keep and strengthen it. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. Together, we will dream, and live as one while respecting one another, we will stumble but restore each other, we will share all things. I will cherish, comfort, and encourage you, be open with you, and stay with you as long as I shall live.”

5. Promise to Preserve Today’s Love

Both partners take turns saying this to each other:
“I, ____, take you, ____ to be my husband / wife / partner. To share all that I am and all that I have, for all time to come. And I promise to do all in my power to keep my love as deep and as strong as it is today.”

6. Not Vows but Privileges

Both partners take turns saying this to each other:
“I see these vows not as promises but as privileges: I get to laugh with you and cry with you; care for you and share with you. I get to run with you and walk with you; build with you and live with you.”

7. Romantic Vows from E. E. Cummings

These non-traditional wedding vows are from E. E. Cummings poem [I carry your heart with me (I carry it in)]. A back-and-forth vow is a little trickier, but the sentiment in this well-known poem is beautiful and makes for a unique break from traditional wedding vows while still preserving the same emotion.

Partner 1:
“I carry your heart with me”

Partner 2:
“I carry it in my heart”

Partner 1:
“I am never without it”

Partner 2:
“Anywhere I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling”

Partner 1:
“I fear no fate”

Partner 2:
“For you are my fate, my sweet”

Partner 1:
“I want no world”

Partner 2:
“For beautiful you are my world, my true”

Partner 1:
“And it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you here is the deepest secret nobody knows”

Partner 2:
“Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope, or mind can hide”

Partner 1:
“And this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart I carry your heart”

Partner 2:
“I carry it in my heart.”