How to Write Your Own Elopement Vows: Tips, Prompts & Real-Life Inspiration

One of the most meaningful parts of your elopement day? The vows you share. With no audience, no pressure, and no rules, you can speak straight from the heart in a way that feels 100% you. But let’s be honest…writing your own vows can feel intimidating, especially if you don’t know where to start.

We’ve photographed hundreds of couples across Yosemite, Alabama Hills, the Eastern Sierras, Alaska, and beyond and we’ve heard some seriously incredible vows. As adventure elopement photographers and expert elopement planners, we’re here to help you create a ceremony that feels true to your love story. Half of what we do is capturing those once-in-a-lifetime moments. The other half? Helping you create them.

Here’s everything you need to know to write your own vows—and make your elopement ceremony unforgettable.

1. Give Yourself Time to Reflect

Start thinking about your vows early—at least a few weeks before your elopement. Take time to reflect on:

• Your journey together so far

• What makes your partner unique

• Specific moments that shaped your relationship

• What you want to promise moving forward

Pro tip: Take a journal on a pre-wedding hike or adventure and jot down anything that comes to mind. Some of the most beautiful vows come from quiet moments on the trail or sipping coffee under the stars in places like Yosemite or the Alaska backcountry.

2. Use Prompts to Get the Words Flowing

Staring at a blank page? Try using a few of these prompts:

• “The moment I knew I loved you was…”

• “You make me feel…”

• “I promise to always…”

• “Together, I know we can…”

• “If I could relive one day with you, it would be…”

You can even write separate “love letter” style vows and exchange them during a quiet moment at your elopement, like tucked into a tent before sunrise in the Eastern Sierras or beside a crackling fire in Alabama Hills.

3. Keep it real and keep it you

Your vows don’t have to be overly poetic or polished. They just have to be true. Some couples write theirs like a letter, others include jokes or quotes that only make sense to them. You don’t have to follow a script.

In fact, some of our favorite vow moments include:

• A couple reading handwritten vows in the rain under a shared umbrella in Oregon

• One groom surprising his bride with a tearful promise to adventure forever during a sunrise at Glacier Point in Yosemite

• A spontaneous, laughter-filled vow exchange beneath the Mobius Arch, with snowy Mount Whitney framed perfectly in the background.

We’ll be there to photograph the real, raw, emotional, and totally you moments because that’s what elopements are all about.

4. Make It Easy to Read on the Day

Don’t read your vows from your phone! Instead, write them in a vow book or on nice paper. It adds a personal touch and looks better in your photos. (We have vow book recs and even bring backups if you forget yours!)

Bonus: Your vow books make great keepsakes—and can be included in your photoshoot or detail shots.

5. Consider a Private Vow Exchange

Many couples choose to share their vows privately before or after the actual ceremony. It’s a great way to be fully present with each other without distractions. You can have your official ceremony with an officiant and share your personal vows during a more intimate moment—like at a quiet snow cave in Alaska or during a sunset hike in Utah.

We’ll help you structure your timeline so you can include a private vow exchange without feeling rushed—and of course, we’ll document every tear and laugh along the way.

Three Sample Vows to Spark Your Inspiration

Sometimes the hardest part of writing vows is just figuring out where to begin. Reading a few examples can help you get a feel for the flow: sweet, funny, or adventurous. These samples aren’t meant to be copied (seriously, don’t do it… your partner will know!), but they can give you a starting point to shape your own promises.

Sample Vow #1 – Sweet + Romantic “I promise to love you in every season of life, to stand beside you through storms and sunshine, and to choose you again and again every single day. You are my best friend, my safe place, and the love of my life. I vow to listen with patience, to support you through challenges, and to celebrate every victory by your side. With this vow, I give you all that I am and all that I will ever be.”

Sample Vow #2 – Playful + Funny “I vow to love you even when you steal the blankets, to always share the last French fry (even if I don’t want to), and to keep laughing with you when life gets weird and messy. I promise to dance with you in the kitchen, to not complain too much when you want to binge your favorite shows, and to always be your partner in crime. You’re my favorite person, my greatest adventure, and the only one I’d trust to hold the remote forever.”

Sample Vow #3 – Adventurous + Heartfelt “I promise to explore the world with you, to climb every mountain and chase every sunset by your side. I vow to cheer you on in every dream, to hold your hand in every challenge, and to never stop seeking adventure with you, whether it’s halfway across the globe or right here at home. With you, even the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and I promise to keep building a life with you that’s filled with joy, laughter, and endless discovery.”

These are just a few examples to get your ideas flowing. Please, please, please don’t copy them word-for-word. Instead, use them as inspiration to write vows that sound like you - funny, messy, heartfelt, and honest.

Let’s Make Your Vows—and Your Elopement—Unforgettable

At the end of the day, your vows are a reflection of your journey and your future together. Whether you want to keep them private, make each other laugh, or cry happy tears, we’ll be there to support you every step of the way.

As your elopement photographer, planner, and adventure guide, we’re here to help you with everything from writing your vows to choosing the perfect ceremony spot to recommending the best vendors in places like California, the PNW, and the Southwest.

Contact us today to start planning your dream elopement—and let’s create a wedding day that’s completely, beautifully, unapologetically you.