10 Promises to Add to the Wedding Vows!
The traditional wedding vows are nice – to honor, love, and respect, ’til death do us part. But we could be just a little more specific about what it takes to get there. Here’s some suggestions: 10 promises we could add to the wedding vows – you know, just to make sure we’re on the same page!
1. I promise not to expect you to read my mind.
2. I promise not to complain about toilet seat status, which way the toilet paper rolls, or how you load the dishwasher – even if you’re doing it wrong.
3. I promise I won’t say “I told you so” even if I clearly did.
4. I promise not to jump in with the punchline on a joke or story you’re telling no matter how long it’s taking you to tell it.
5. I promise not to keep score on petty things like who is right or who does more housework – even if I’m winning.
6. I promise to give you at least 1/3 of the closet space even if I could use it more productively.
7. I promise I will never leave you just one square of toilet paper left on the roll, a mere sliver of soap left in the shower, or less than a gallon of gas left in the car.
8. I promise I will not call you your special nickname in public – at least not loud enough for others to hear.
9. I promise I will love you through weight changes, hair loss, non-head hair growth, and wrinkle development.
10. I promise I’ll review this list of promises every year on our anniversary and say a sincere “I’m sorry” if I’ve broken any of them.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PROMISES IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ADD TO THE WEDDING VOWS?
Yeah, these should definitely be in the vows! 😀
Thanks for stopping by, Lisa! So much going on – can’t believe June is half over already!
I wouldn’t be signing up for #4, no matter what. He goes on and on sometimes. And then he gets the story wrong. BIG SIGH.
It’s called building suspense, Luanne. And if you don’t recognized all the facts, chalk it up to creative resolution – which is a skill often developed by people married to writers!
These are wonderful, Shel, and would definitely elicit smiles at a wedding if all 10 were included in the service.
My office partner when I first began teaching many years ago wanted to have this written into their vows–“If you gain more than 10 lbs. during our marriage, you agree I can divorce you on the spot”–he told this at the rehearsal dinner. Everyone gasped, and a few looked ready to attack him, until she countered with this: “If you expect me to weigh in or agree to this, then you need to promise I’ll be able to test you for hallucinogens or excessive alcohol any time you act this stupid.”
Everyone cheered, and fortunately, he was a very sweet guy who turned out to be a good husband.
Too funny! Was the guy serious?? Good thing his quick-witted almost-wife had a good sense of humor – that could have resulted in a rocky start!
All very good points, but I’m pretty rabid about the toilet seat being down. Not really too much to ask, and I’d gladly trade about 100 other things for that one. Especially like #1. I’m good to go on being straight forward and honest, as long as it’s done with respect and love.
So, playing devil’s advocate here, does it take more energy for a female to put the seat down than it does for a male to raise it up each time? Of course, men don’t fall into the toilet if the seat is down in the middle of the night – unlike the reverse . . . OK – I’ll cut you some slack on this one, Gina!
I thoroughly agree with almost all 10 of these suggestions!They were funny and so true of most of us who are women who wish men would do such things as leave the seat down…
I am a little bit worried about #9 since I did encourage one husband to lose weight but joined him in this process.
I did not see a promise to stay with an unemployed man, but the wedding vows include ‘for richer and poorer…’ and I had a husband in our 10th year of marriage just sit in a chair for 3 years, while I worked 2 jobs, when he got laid off. I wasn’t very supportive of him and did divorce him when he almost let my car get repossessed. (He allowed his to be taken, he was college educated and not an idiot either!) I should make some ‘hard and fast rules to stay in a marriage’ post. ha ha!)
You didn’t violate #9 by encouraging your husband to lose weight – not if it was done in love! Sounds like you’ve had some real challenges. Make sure you let me know if you get to your “rule” post – I wouldn’t want to miss it!!
Excellent additional vows. But even if they are spoken in front of a thousand people, I suggest the couple get them down in writing. 🙂
That’s how you think when you start hanging out with lawyers!!
fun reminders….
Thanks, Lin!