What vows are people using?

We're having a civil ceremony - until my friends got married I didn't know there was a choice of vows, but their registrar sent them a little book with the choices in and suggestions for readings etc. We haven't received anything like this from our registrar (probably a bit early yet!) but I can't wait to see them and pick

We are having a civil ceremony.

I'll be brave and post up the vows we are going to use, including the legal choices and then some vows we nicked off the internet and adapted/personalised/generally moved around. They wouldn't let us use the phrases "for richer, for poorer" or "in sickness and in health", hence the decidedly rather crappier alternatives!

(legal bits) I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I, xxxx may not be joined in matrimony to xxxx. I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, xxxx do take thee xxxx to be my lawfully wedded wife / husband.

(non-legal bits) I promise in the presence of our families and friends to stay by your side as your faithful husband / wife through the good times and the bad; in prosperity and in hardship, in joy and in sorrow, whether healthy or sick. All that I have, and all that I am, I give to you; I promise to love you without reservation, to comfort you in times of need, to be open and honest with you always, and to honour and cherish you for as long as I shall live.

(ring exchange) Do you, xxxx, accept this ring as a symbol of our love and the promises made here today? (Reply: I do.)

FMJ, why won't they let you use the for richer for poorer stuff? is it because its too similar to the religious ceremony? I think your vows are lovely anyway

I wrote my own. It's not very well written but it's personal to us and what I wanted to promise to her...it may change before the deadline to give them in for checking.

When I had tonsilitis the summer we met, you sat by my bedside all day and spoon fed me porridge. It was then I realised you’d be by my side forever. You came into my life and took care of me, when I didn’t think I needed taking care of. Not only are you the most beautiful person I know; you are kind, intelligent, gentle and loyal. You’re already my best friend and my closest companion and today I take you to be my wife. I vow to cherish you, trust you and love you faithfully through the good times, and the times when life seems a struggle. I promise to laugh and cry with you, to support you and encourage you as we work together to fulfill our dreams, for always.

I think we can't say for richer for poorer etc because they come from vows written by the church! We also loved handfasting ceremonies (which apparently predate Christianity) but in England you can't have them in civil ceremonies.

Same as us! Catholic rite of marriage vows. And only a day apart! You are the 3rd Sept aren't you Enterflora?

Yeah, I believe that's why. Bit annoying as marriage obviously predates the church and those vows have been in use for long enough, and been the only vows used for long enough, that they have pretty well become entrenched into popular thought as 'marriage' vows rather than 'church words'... the particular phrases we like the sound of do not mention God. We don't believe in God but we do believe in marriage and having been born and brought up here, the general culture associates such phrases with marriage.

However, we understand that we are not allowed to have them. It seems to almost be dependent on individual registrars as well as varying between counties as to what is and what is not allowed. We have two versions of our vows... one as written above and one with the nicer phrases and when we meet our registrar next week we will attempt to ask if we could pretty please have the nicer words and see what they say.

This is what REALLY gets me! Marriage has been along for much longer than Christianity...actually even gay marriage was around in Ancient Greece and Rome too! Some of the restrictions on wording seem almost...petty. Nevermind...I guess pretty wording or not it's the promises that count! I do like the vows you've chosen

We are the 4th! Time is just flying by now, our days will soon be here! Our priest is my H2B's cousin so it will be lovely to have him marry us... So excited!

MandM thats beautiful! Brought a tear to my eye!

We are having this only 6 more days untill i hopfully dont mess them up...

On this day, I give to you my promise to stay by your side as your faithful (wife/husband

Secure in the knowledge that you will be my best friend, my faithful partner in life, and my one true love.

I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress,

Laugh with you and cry with you and be honest and open with you

As I’ve given you my hand to hold I give you my life to keep.

Rings

I give you this ring as a symbol of our marriage and as a token of my trust and commitment. I promise to care for you above all others, to give you my love, friendship and support and to respect and cherish you throughout our lives together. You were my yesterday, you are my today and you will be my tomorrow. All that I am I give to you

Alongside the standard contracting and declaratory words, we had these:

From this day forward I promise you these things.
I will laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow.
I will help you when you need it, and step aside when you don't.
I will remain faithful to you for better or worse, in times of sickness and health.

I will look with joy down the path of our tomorrows, knowing we will walk it together side by side, hand in hand and heart to heart.
You are my best friend and I will love and respect you always

I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart** to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken on this, our wedding day

**this bit originally had "heart and soul" but we were told we couldn't have 'soul' as it has religious connotations. Our registrar was really strict!