How to Write Funny Wedding Vows (5 Tips for Bringing Humor Into Your Ceremony)

Add a little humor to your wedding ceremony!

 

 

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Want to add a dash of humor into your wedding ceremony, but not sure where to start?

 

Follow these 5 simple suggestions to write lighthearted and entertaining wedding vows that deliver plenty of laughs... and romance!  

 

 

 

1. Don’t ‘make jokes’ – share stories

 

Resist any temptation to treat your wedding vows like a comedy routine. Humor mixed with some heartfelt depth will make far more of a lasting impact on the wedding day than a clever zinger or witty one-liner. 

 

Instead, use your vows to share a story about the first time your partner made you laugh so hard you cried, or a vacation you took together and laughed nonstop. If there’s something you do that always gets a genuine smile from your partner, write it down! 

 

Sharing stories about the joy and laughter you share with your partner will get guests laughing along, too, and infuse the entire ceremony with humor. 

 

2. Don’t make fun of your partner

 

Emotions tend to run high during a wedding ceremony, which means that your partner might not be in the best headspace for jokes made at their expense – or even playful banter, for that matter. This can be true even if they otherwise love a good joke or gentle ribbing.

 

Consider your partner’s feelings, and how well their sense of humor usually holds up during stress, before including any comments that might embarrass or upset them. 

 

It’s also important to consider who’s on the guest list. Guests who don’t know you and your partner well might not understand your humor, and may take jokes about your soon-to-be-spouse the wrong way. 

 

 

Photo by Muktasim Azlan (cropped)

 

3. Use ‘inside jokes’ sparingly

 

As mentioned above, it’s important to consider the ‘guest experience’ when planning your ceremony. While your wedding vows should be deeply personal and authentic to your personality, they aren’t always the best place to make inside jokes that others won’t understand. 

 

That said, if you honestly don’t mind that Grandma will be confused by a reference to Schitt’s Creek or Bob's Burgers, and want to keep that joke in your vows, ignore this advice and go for it. It’s your wedding, after all. (Just know ahead of time that guests probably won’t know what’s funny about your inside jokes.)

 

 

Photo by Mattia Lucchin

 

4. Tell them how much you love them without a punchline

 

Don’t skip the sweet stuff! One of the great things about mixing humor into your vows is that it keeps the ceremony from feeling ‘fake’ or overly sentimental – but that doesn’t mean you should skip the romance. 

 

After opening with a funny story or anecdote, take a few lines to tell your partner exactly why you love them and want to marry them. Describe how they’ve changed you and your life for the better, the beauty and passion they bring to the world, or the way they light up everyday activities. 

 

Your vows should leave your sweetheart feeling seen, cherished, and loved – even when they’re laughing so hard they can’t catch their breath.

 

5. Make promises for the future – with a humorous twist

 

Wedding vows are just that – vows for the marriage you’re building together. They’re an oath, promises for your shared future. Traditional wedding vows include promises to ‘love, honor, and obey,’ but modern vows can include any promises you want… Promises that speak directly to your unique relationship and experiences together.

 

Add humor to these promises by referencing specific habits, hobbies, needs, or desires you love about your partner. For example, you might promise to “always make them feel safe and loved, and protect them from spiders, bears, and anything hiding under the bed,” or promise to “spend Sunday curled up on the couch together, even when they root for the Cowboys.” 

 

Photo by Gabriel Tovar (cropped)

 

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You might also like: 

 

• How to Write Wedding Vows Using the Three Question Template

 

• How To Include the 5 Love Languages in Your Wedding Vows

 

• Classic Wedding Vows (That Will Make Everyone at Your Ceremony Happy Cry)
   

 

 

Illustration by Jessica Levey from

"Classic Wedding Vows (That Will Make Everyone at Your Ceremony Happy Cry)"

 

 

 

See more Articles about Wedding Vows 

 

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