Writing the Vows Part 2

In the first part of this article, we covered the brainstorming concept. If you haven't read that article, please do so. Coming back to your brainstormed information, you should have a bit of perspective now because you're been away from it for a little while.

Now, looking at your lists, there is probably some...well...crap. It's not that they're not true statements, it's just that they don't have the same "ring" that some of the others do. If, for instance, you just love the way your fiancée irons his clothing, well, think about cutting it unless you can say it for laughs. Read over your list and I think you'll be able to tell which things this applies to. Draw lines through them, which should be two or four entries.

After having done this, you need to copy over the items that made the cut onto a fresh, clean piece of paper. In doing so, you'll be surprised that another one or two items might end up on the cutting room floor.

With the copying to fresh pages done, it's time to begin writing. Don't get caught in analysis by paralysis regarding where to start; just...start...writing! Write Pulitzer Prize winning prose, write waste-basket bound crap. It doesn't matter, start writing.

Perhaps you can begin by writing your time-frame phrase. It would be good to tell people listening for how long, exactly, you intend to keep the promises you have in your vows. My personal favorite is the phrase "forever...or until someone better comes along."

Now, obviously I am simply kidding. Although, with the divorce rate we have in this country, perhaps that would be a refreshing change of pace in the "honesty" department, though it does rank low in the "romance" department.

Seriously, give some thought to how you want to phrase the time-frame which, I'm presuming, is forever. Consider words and phrased like eternity, until infinity, for my lifetime, forevermore, all of our years, for the rest of my days, etc. Be creative, fun or funky...whatever works best for you.

With the time-frame reference, you have basically created your opening line. For example, let's say you've gone with the (rather flowery) phrase "Until the end of time" to describe forever. Well, then, your opening line is probably going to be something like, "(fiancées name), until the end of time, I promise..." and then you begin to run through your list. Pretty simple, don't you think? It certainly can be.

Now, if you have a knack for poetry, be poetic. By "knack" I mean that OTHER people enjoy and like to read your poetry. I do not mean, simply, that you enjoy writing it. If you're funny, I mean really funny, then be humorous.

If you're none of these things then you shouldn't try to be. By yourself, be real and you'll be surprised how amazingly well your unique and individualized vows turn out.