How long should wedding vows be?

The ideal length depends on your ceremony and your audience. For a civil ceremony in England and Wales, the registrar will usually guide you, and many suggest keeping personal vows under two minutes. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, there is no fixed rule, but your celebrant or registrar may have a preference. A good guide is to aim for 100 to 150 words, which takes about a minute to say slowly.

Longer vows can feel powerful, but they can also make guests restless. If you have a lot to say, save some of it for your speech or a letter you read to each other privately. Shorter vows are often more memorable because they are easier to say with feeling. Aim for three to five promises, each one specific and true.

Remember that your vows are not a competition. They should match in length and tone. If one of you is naturally more poetic, help each other find a balance. The most important thing is that you both mean what you say. The registrar will guide you on the legal part, so your own words are the part you can make truly yours.