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catholic wedding vows
Catholic wedding vows and ceremony wording
Catholic wedding vows, traditional wording, and notes for couples preparing a church ceremony.
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Editorial status: general writing guidance based on the visible methodology; no page-level professional, cultural, or religious review is claimed. Read the policy.
Review boundary: this page is temporarily kept out of search indexing. Verify all tradition-specific language with your officiant or an appropriate cultural or religious adviser.
Move from reading to writing
Use only the details you choose, then edit, version, rehearse, and print privately.
Start writingConfirm the required wording
Catholic wedding ceremonies in the United States typically use the vow wording from the Order of Celebrating Matrimony, and many dioceses require it. Confirm final language with your priest or deacon and your marriage preparation coordinator before you print anything.
The classic option begins, I take you to be my wife, my husband, to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, all the days of my life.
Where personal words still fit
Even when the ceremony vows are set, couples often write personal vows for a private letter exchanged on the morning of the wedding, a card read together afterward, or a reception toast.
Personal readings, prayers of the faithful, and hymn choices are other places to make the liturgy feel like yours within the rules that apply.
Examples to adapt
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Provenance: these are synthetic teaching examples written for illustration, not customer submissions or a real couple’s transcript. Replace generic lines with facts you can confirm.
6 examples
FAQs
Can Catholic vows be personalized?
The formal vows are usually set, but couples may add personal letters, readings, and reception words depending on parish guidance.
When should we confirm the wording?
At your first meeting with the priest or deacon, well before programs are printed or vows are memorized.
More to explore
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