Promises, Promises

This anonymous reading doesn’t compare with the great poets for heart-stopping impact, but it does sum up sentiments that may just perfectly reflect what you are pledging to commit.

You could have the celebrant read it on your behalf before you exchange the legal vows, or you could read it to each other, maybe taking a ‘promise’ each, as it is quite long… remember your guests will be hearing it twice otherwise. And while the ceremony is for you, you don’t want people tuning out. So I wouldn’t use this as your personal vows repeated after the celebrant, leading to people hearing it four times. Therefore, losing impact! It’s an accessible reading though and can be nicely integrated into your vows.

I Promise, Anonymous
I promise to give you the best of myself
And to ask of you no more than you can give.

I promise to respect you as your own person
And to realise that your interests, desires and needs
Are no less important than my own.

I promise to share with you my time and my attention
And to bring joy, strength and imagination to our relationship.

I promise to keep myself open to you
And to let you see through the window of my world into my innermost fears
And feelings, secrets and dreams.

I promise to grow along with you
And to be willing to face changes in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting.

I promise to love you in good times and in bad
With all I have to give and all I feel inside in the only way I know how.
Completely and forever.

Actually you could play around and personalise this – use it as a model and make your alterations so that it says all you want to say.