How to Write Meaningful Wedding Vows

First and foremost there is no right or wrong to writing your wedding vows. Plan to have your vows written at least three weeks before your wedding day. This allows you time to sit and come back to your vows, to really think them through.

Tips

1. Don’t be afraid of laughter. Having the ability to make your partner laugh is something that will serve your marriage well for years and years.

2. If the words are heartfelt they aren’t cheesy. Don’t worry about how you come across to anyone else. If it’s meaningful; include it.

3. Make a list of things you love about your fiancé. If you’re like me, sitting down to write can be hard, but I’m great at lists. Start with making a list of the things you love about your partner and go from there.

STEPS:

1. Who is standing in front of you? The love of your life? Your best friend?

2. What do you love about your fiancé? How did you know it was forever? How did you feel when you first met each other?

3. Tell a story about the first time you met, fell in love, and knew you wanted to marry them.

4. What promises do you want to make to your fiancé? Vows to support your partner and how you will do that, vow to love and cherish.

5. Mention things you will do together. Travel, overcome fears and plan for your children’s futures.

6. Mention how they enhance your life, or how they make you feel, their favorite thing about yourself.

7. Why you are choosing to marry them, give a few reasons why they are your special person.

8. Wrap it up with one last promise. “Today and tomorrow and the rest of my life I give you my promise to listen, laugh, love and comfort you.”

   Last step:

Copy your words into a cute vow book, journal, or notepad. Don’t keep those meaningful words in a digital document that may be lost or forgotten. I’m a firm believer that physical items are important.

PAPER WORK :

For the Big Sur area. Marriage licenses can be obtained from the County Clerk at the County Government Administration Building in Salinas, on the first floor of 168 West Alisal Street. The bride and groom must appear together with appropriate identification. The cost is $85 (out-of-state checks and credit cards not accepted). You do not need to be a California resident to marry in Monterey County.

1. You may complete the application via the internet and transmit it directly to the County Clerk's Office. You will BOTH need to come into the County Clerk's Office together to complete the process, with valid Picture IDs, within two weeks or the request will be deleted. Click here to submit a Marriage License Application online.

OR

2. You can BOTH come into the County Clerk's Office together, with valid Picture IDs, to submit your application on the kiosk and complete the process.

• There are two different types of marriage licenses in California, and they can be obtained in two different ways.

• Confidential Marriage License and a Public Marriage License:

• A “public” California marriage license is a marriage license that is available to the public for viewing. And requires an officiant and a witness signature.

• A “confidential” marriage license allows all the personal information on a marriage license to be protected from public view. Only a court order or a notarized application by either spouses can obtain a copy of the information. requires an officiant but no witness!