Writing a commitment ceremony or vows can seem like a challenging task. It’s hard sometimes to figure out what to say. Rather than let the process overwhelm you, divide the writing of the commitment ceremony into manageable parts. Tackle each section of the commitment ceremony so that it has a beginning, a middle and an end--with meaningfulness sprinkled throughout.
Draw inspiration from other ceremonies. Watch other couples' ceremony videos or look at suggestions from online wedding and commitment ceremony planning websites. While you won’t want to repeat the same commitment ceremony, you can pull the words, phrases, expressions or entire sentences you like from different sources.
Jot down your goal. You may want your commitment ceremony to have a touch of humor, or you may prefer it be full of meaningful anecdotes and stories about you as a couple.
Start with the intro. Generally, you begin by thanking guests for joining you to celebrate the special occasion. You’ll also want to include the couple’s names, so it'll be something like, “Welcome and thank you for joining us as Matt and David commit to each other today.”
Talk about the meaning of commitment. Every couple has a different definition or expression of what their commitment to each other means. After the introduction, have the person performing the ceremony talk about the couple’s commitment to each other. This may be illustrated with a story or the couple can simply state what commitment means to them one at a time.
Add in the ring exchange. You can talk about how a ring has no end and that the exchange of rings symbolizes the never-ending love the couple has for each other. Note how the physical ring acts as a tangible reminder of the commitment the couple is making, and have the couple affirm this by saying, "I will" or "I do."
Include the pronouncement. Once the couple has exchanged rings, the officiant can pronounce them committed to one another as life partners and introduce them for the first time to the wedding guests.